Migrate from Mozilla Suite or Netscape to Thunderbird: Difference between revisions

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(→‎Migrate additional profiles: add multiple profile migration instructions)
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If you "missed your chance" to import your Mozilla or Netscape profile via the Import Wizard and you would like to do so later, you can bring up the Import Wizard again by exiting Thunderbird, using the Thunderbird [[Profile Manager]] to delete all of the profiles listed, exiting the Profile Manager, and then launching Thunderbird again. '''Warning:''' When deleting a profile, do not use the "Delete Files" option if you created the profile by choosing your own folder location.  Data loss can occur if the chosen folder already contained data, so use the "Don't Delete Files" option instead.   
If you "missed your chance" to import your Mozilla or Netscape profile via the Import Wizard and you would like to do so later, you can bring up the Import Wizard again by exiting Thunderbird, using the Thunderbird [[Profile Manager]] to delete all of the profiles listed, exiting the Profile Manager, and then launching Thunderbird again. '''Warning:''' When deleting a profile, do not use the "Delete Files" option if you created the profile by choosing your own folder location.  Data loss can occur if the chosen folder already contained data, so use the "Don't Delete Files" option instead.   


If that fails to bring up the Import Wizard, or if you don't wish to use the Profile Manager, exit Thunderbird and then delete (or rename) the [[Profile_folder#Thunderbird | "Thunderbird" folder]] that contains the "Profiles" subfolder and the "profiles.ini" "pluginreg.dat" and "registry.dat" files (for example, in Windows XP, delete the ''C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\ "Thunderbird"'' folder) and then launch Thunderbird.
If that fails to bring up the Import Wizard, or if you don't wish to use the Profile Manager, exit Thunderbird and then delete (or rename) the [[Profile_folder - Thunderbird | "Thunderbird" folder]] that contains the "Profiles" subfolder and the "profiles.ini" "pluginreg.dat" and "registry.dat" files (for example, in Windows XP, delete the ''C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\ "Thunderbird"'' folder) and then launch Thunderbird.


==Manually migrate a profile==
==Manually migrate a profile==

Revision as of 02:41, 8 June 2007

You can migrate a profile (containing your mail, address books, account settings and preferences) from the Mozilla Suite or Netscape 7 to Thunderbird using one of the options given below.

Migrate automatically when launching Thunderbird for the first time

When you install and launch Thunderbird for the very first time, the Import Wizard will ask if you want to import settings and mail from various mail clients, including Mozilla and Netscape. If you select one of these, it will automatically import your entire profile so that it is ready to use when Thunderbird starts up.

At present, this option is only available the very first time you launch Thunderbird on your computer. If you choose not to import anything via the Import Wizard at this point, Thunderbird will automatically create a blank, default profile for you, and once you have at least one profile, Thunderbird will no longer prompt you at start up if you want to import mail and settings from another mail client.

Migrate automatically by removing Thunderbird Profiles

This method is recommended only if you have been using Thunderbird for a very short time and you don't mind losing your account settings and access to messages you've already downloaded.

If you "missed your chance" to import your Mozilla or Netscape profile via the Import Wizard and you would like to do so later, you can bring up the Import Wizard again by exiting Thunderbird, using the Thunderbird Profile Manager to delete all of the profiles listed, exiting the Profile Manager, and then launching Thunderbird again. Warning: When deleting a profile, do not use the "Delete Files" option if you created the profile by choosing your own folder location. Data loss can occur if the chosen folder already contained data, so use the "Don't Delete Files" option instead.

If that fails to bring up the Import Wizard, or if you don't wish to use the Profile Manager, exit Thunderbird and then delete (or rename) the "Thunderbird" folder that contains the "Profiles" subfolder and the "profiles.ini" "pluginreg.dat" and "registry.dat" files (for example, in Windows XP, delete the C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\ "Thunderbird" folder) and then launch Thunderbird.

Manually migrate a profile

Another way to migrate an entire profile from the Mozilla Suite or Netscape 7 is to do it manually. See here for detailed instructions.

Manually migrate mail and/or address books only

Instead of migrating a Mozilla Suite/Netscape 7 profile in its entirety, you can instead migrate just the mail files and address books. See these separate instructions for mail files and address books. Another way to import Mozilla Suite/Netscape mail into Thunderbird is with the ImportExportTools extension.

Migrate using the MozBackup utility (Windows only)

The MozBackup utility is designed to back up and restore profiles for the Mozilla Suite/Netscape 7, Firefox, and Thunderbird. Although it is not intended for migrating profiles from the Mozilla Suite/Netscape 7 to Thunderbird, it does seem to work for this purpose: in other words, use MozBackup to back up a Mozilla Suite/Netscape 7 profile and then use it again to "restore" this backed-up profile over an existing Thunderbird profile. See here for further information on using the MozBackup utility.

Migrate additional profiles

If you want to migrate additional profiles you need to do it manually. You can move address books between profiles by exporting them as .LDIF files from one profile, and then importing them in another. You can move the folders using the ImportExportTools extension.

You can migrate several profiles like this (replace ./thunderbird with your method of calling thunderbird):

./thunderbird -createProfile <Profile Name>
./thunderbird -P <Profile Name> -migration