Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

how to import emails, address book and settings from Outlook Express 6 which are located on an external HDD ? (using ubuntu OS)

  • 1 reply
  • 1 has this problem
  • 9 views
  • Last reply by Matt

diegoadolfo
diegoadolfo
more options

I would also like to do the same using Win7pro OS. I have already imported from Outlook Express 6 everything in Thunderbird, but all was on the same primary partition, where I had added Thunderbird to Outlook Express 6 (Win XP on an Intel Atom netbook).

How many emails can Thunderbird host, separated in several folders ? my experience with Outlook Express 6 was that less than 1000 email per folder are needed to be on the safe side and avoid problems. I expect Thunderbird, as well as Linux, to be a lot better.

Many thanks in advance.

I would also like to do the same using Win7pro OS. I have already imported from Outlook Express 6 everything in Thunderbird, but all was on the same primary partition, where I had added Thunderbird to Outlook Express 6 (Win XP on an Intel Atom netbook). How many emails can Thunderbird host, separated in several folders ? my experience with Outlook Express 6 was that less than 1000 email per folder are needed to be on the safe side and avoid problems. I expect Thunderbird, as well as Linux, to be a lot better. Many thanks in advance.

Modified by Matt

All Replies (1)

Matt
Matt
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

On the win machine where you have done the import. in the start menu type %appdata%\Thunderbird \ Profiles and press enter. copy the profile folder to media you can use in your Linux install.

On linux, install Thunderbird, allow it to start but do not configure any accounts

use the troubleshooting information on the help menu to open the profile folder. Close Thunderbird and navigate the file manager up one level to again be in the Thunderbird\profiles folder. Copy the stuff from windows.

Now use theprofile manager to set the copied profile to the one to use by creating a new profile and pointing the new to the existing in the copied folder.

Otherwise you will be dealing with command line utilities like unDBX to convert your DBX files to something non Microsoft proprietary like EML. There is no Thunderbird import for DBX files, only from Outlook Express using DDE.

Now for your second question. Maintaining less than 4Gb of data per folder is considered prudent. I have one folder (mailing list) with over 97,000 emails in it. Moving all mail to be retained out of the inbox is also considered good practice. If their is to be an issue, it will almost always be the folder with the most activity. The inbox.