cant figure out how to import mail

[bigdan]

At work I use MS Outlook. At home I've just installed Mozilla Thunderbird.

I made a backup of my Outlook mail today, and saved it as an Outlook file. I'm now trying to import it in Thunderbird and its not working. There were 3 import options (as in I choose the file type or something) one was Eudora, one was Outlook, one was Outlook Express.

When I click Eudora it said No mailboxes were found to import, even though it never asked me the path to import the file from.

When I click Outlook it says "there is no email program associated to perform the request action, please install an email program." This is the most baffling of the 3 error messages, as I believe Thunderbird IS the email program.

When I click Outlook Express it actually somewhat behaves like you'd expect (except for the part that I dont actually use Outlook Express at work), it asks the path I want to import from. But when I navigate to that path it doesnt show the file in there, ie its not a recognized file type. When I just select the relevant folder, it says no mailboxes were found to import.

I'm hoping someone can help!

Thanks
Dan

[Midknyte]

What kind of Outlook file did you create? A .pst? You can't import pst files directly into Thunderbird.
There are some workarounds.
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Import_.pst_files

What version of Outlook are you talking about? Is it 32 or 64 bit?
Thunderbird is a 32-bit program, so it can't import from a 64-bit version of Outlook.

When I click Outlook it says "there is no email program associated to perform the request action, please install an email program." This is the most baffling of the 3 error messages, as I believe Thunderbird IS the email program.

It is looking for an installation of Outlook, because you are trying to import a .pst file. You need both Outlook and Thunderbird installed in order to do a transfer.

Normally you import by setting Outlook as the default email client, and then use Tools -> Import -> Mail within Thunderbird.

[bigdan]

Yes it was a pst.

OK so it looks like this isnt going to work. Well I can make another backup tomorrow, or I can install some other mail client. Can you advise what would be the best way to go about this?

At home I have 64 bit Windows, I dont know what version is at work off the top of my head.

I've tried installing another client or two and they all ask me for my mail settings, server and all that. I dont need any of that. I just want to save all the personal mails I received at my work address. Is this going to be an issue?

Thanks
Dan

PS - after my first message I discovered Windows Live Mail, which is apparently similar to Outlook Express. I havent been able to import using that either :S

[Midknyte]

I don't use Thunderbird, so you'll have to follow the link I posted.

Basically, it says you need to install Thunderbird on the same machine as Outlook and then do an import. Once you have that, you can copy/export the Thunderbird to a file that you can bring to your home computer.

At home I have 64 bit Windows, I dont know what version is at work off the top of my head.

Not Windows, Office. There are 32 and 64 bit versions of Office. Even if you are running 64-bit Windows, that doesn't mean you are running 64-bit Office.

[bigdan]

I checked the link you posted and it explained the problem. Unfortunately I didnt see a practical solution. At work we cant install software. Even an extension to chrome would get automatically blocked. So that's not really an option.

I tried installing Outlook at home but it asks for a credit card. Apparently it gives a trial or something. I suppose I could check that out but its a very last resort.

Is there some other mail client I could get?

Or if I DO install Outlook at home would it simply be a matter of importing the pst file I made? Do I need to fill in server/imap settings etc?

Thanks
Dan

[Midknyte]

At work we cant install software. Even an extension to chrome would get automatically blocked. So that's not really an option.

I'm surprised your IT dept let you export email if they are that strict. I don't want to help you get fired.

Outlook is proprietary, so I don't think there are any clients that can just run .pst files. Did you try exporting as a .csv? That would be for text data only.

Or if I DO install Outlook at home would it simply be a matter of importing the pst file I made? Do I need to fill in server/imap settings etc?

Yes, you would just open the .pst with Outlook.
Which server settings do you mean? If you meant your work email, you'd need some kind of VPN connection. You'd have to talk to your company's IT dept about that.
If you meant webmail, you'd need to configure your connections to that service's mail server.

[bigdan]

I'm surprised your IT dept let you export email if they are that strict. I don't want to help you get fired.

Outlook is proprietary, so I don't think there are any clients that can just run .pst files. Did you try exporting as a .csv? That would be for text data only.


Yes, you would just open the .pst with Outlook.
Which server settings do you mean? If you meant your work email, you'd need some kind of VPN connection. You'd have to talk to your company's IT dept about that.
If you meant webmail, you'd need to configure your connections to that service's mail server.

lol that's OK I'm not going to get fired. i already told my boss i'll be taking some of my mails home. not a big deal. i'm not going via IT though because all sorts of permissions are required with my boss emailing them blah blah. lot of red tape. its a large company.

i did see an option for csv. i didnt go that route because i dont know if the folders etc would work then?

I might just download Outlook then at home, if nothing else works. But I just want to make sure of something before I do that, that being that I dont need to have access to my work address from home. By this I mean, I have the backup, so that's fine, but do I need to know all the information that would typically be required to send/receive email, just to restore my messages? That's all I'm trying to do here!

Thanks for all your help!

Dan

[Midknyte]

Honestly, I've never tried the .csv method because we are usually going from one Outlook to another. Like I said, it would be text data only, so I'm not sure if folders would be preserved. Attachments would be dropped.

By this I mean, I have the backup, so that's fine, but do I need to know all the information that would typically be required to send/receive email, just to restore my messages?

You'd still need to set up an account. I guess you could put in dummy addresses if you aren't really sending/receiving. Disable automatic send/receive too, otherwise you'll keep getting error warnings.

You don't have any versions of Outlook at all? Even an older version should work if you are just viewing email.

[bigdan]

I dont have Outlook on the home computer, no.

I've just tried installing it though. Firstly I didnt know whether to get 32 bit or 64 bit. I tried both, but got the same issue with each. Once I downloaded it, I was asked what program to use to open it. What the hell?!

The 64 bit version is called - OfficeProfessionalPlus_x64_en-us.img
The 32 bit version is called - OfficeProfessionalPlus_x86_en-us.img

Also the process of downloading these was incredibly complicated, to the degree that I wonder if I'm missing something. First it was really really slow. Not the download itself, but even for the webpages to load. Second it was in some foreign language, not English. Huh?? Tha'ts just not normal.

I downloaded from technet.microsoft.com so I feel like I didnt make a mistake but not really sure wtf to think right now.

Thanks.

[Train]

.img is a type of .iso file

How to burn in Win7
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...om-an-iso-file

older OS
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/14183...age-to-a-disc/

Burn both and you will have a back up if you ever need to reinstall again.

[Midknyte]

Preferably, you get what is closest to your work's version.

Something sounds wrong. It should definitely be in English (unless you specifically chose otherwise).
Post the exact link you used.

imgs are disc images. It's basically the same as an .iso. You'd need to mount them as a virtual CD and then run the installer. Or you could open the .img with something like 7-Zip or WinRar and then extract the files to a folder and run the installer. Of course, you could burn it to a DVD, but that would be much slower.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/mount-u...es-free-tools/

[Midknyte]

Ah. Just saw Train's post. Burning to disc is good for backups, but I usually save the iso/img files to an external drive.

When possible, I like to install from the .iso/virtual mount. The installs usually go much faster than from a DVD.

[bigdan]

I guess I could do all that but should this really be THIS complicated? Like, to install Office we need to start burning discs? Is there no simpler way?

[Midknyte]

If you are downloading the disc images (img or iso), then that's what you have to do.
Otherwise, you would have look for an option to download an .exe instead.

[Train]

I do both. Just to be safe!