Email problem and more

Ian and Ramona thanks for this information. It is helpful for me after what I have just finished going through and what I still need to do. I do have some extra questions though. I have a fairly new computer bought last September, and was having lots of problems with it. It's a Compaq Presario with WinXP, 160GB HD, 512MB, etc. Currently the computer has a small partition to hold all the restore information, and everything else is on the remaining part of the HD. With the size of the HD, I would like to do what you have done Ian and put all documents and emails, etc. in a 'third' partition, but don't know how to create that partition.

Hewlett Packard had me doing all kinds of things with my computer over several months, including a 'full recovery/restore'. Then about a month ago, they finally had me run PCDoctor (which was already one of the programs on my computer) and it verified the HD itself was in fact faulty. They shipped me a new HD, which I now have installed, and am trying to set up the way I want with what I want (one being what I said above about a third partition for my actual docs).

I am NOT familiar with WinXP and the way it 'hides' almost everything, I previously used only Win98.

Before doing the restore HP wanted me to do, I copied all my email files to CD. But after the restore I couldn't seem to set up my profiles, and the way things were being 'filed' was confusing (Win98 was so much simpler - I used Eudora then and had emails, attachments, embedded, etc. files all under the one heading so everything was easy to find, but I'm very confused about Thunderbird and WinXP because it seems files go all over the place).

I have to set up at least two profiles (two email addies), or possibly three.

My other confusion is that I used to use Netscape Communicator for creating my web pages (Netscape Composer was part of it and included the ftp). I'm not an expert for web design, and it was very simple to use.

Ramona perhaps you can point me in the right direction on this...

Is Mozilla "Suite" the equivalent? I am confused about what programs to download and use. Mozilla has a 'Suite' which it seems is being discontinued and perhaps being replaced with Sea Monkey, but is that only a browser or is it a suite as well? If I download Thunderbird "and" Mozilla Suite or Netscape or ?, will I have any conflict issues?

I tried to 'import' my emails from the CD I created when I had to do the full restore, but Thunderbird does not seem to import from itself (not in it's import sub-menu), and Thunderbird is not on the list if I try to use Eudora or Outlook either. (I want to use Thunderbird or a Mozilla program, but right now I'm in total confusion and urgently need some of those emails for work I'm doing with a non-profit.)

Someone pointed out to me that perhaps when the CD is created, the files become read-only, and if that is the case, do I have to copy the CD to a temp file on my HD, then change them in order to import them? Or is there some other way to do this?

Ramona, I just found this BBS through your web site, which I found through another source - Mozilla help page I think - but I haven't had time to check all your info out yet, and when I noticed Ian's post I registered here and I'm hoping you can offer some recommendations as to what programs I should be using? I can usually figure things out quite quickly but am in a bit of a panic at the moment.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Linda

 

I am not going to reply to you entire post, but try to answer to some of the questions.
1.Re:XP and hiding folders. I took this from Ramona's excellent website. It refers to the default location.

Thunderbird

C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles

NOTE: These files are hidden by default.
To see hidden files:
1. On the Tools menu in Windows Explorer, click Folder Options
2. Click the View tab
3. Under Hidden files and folders, click Show hidden files and folders
4. Disable "Hide File Extensions for Known Files. "
5. Click OK.

2. Profiles do not equate email addies. I have twelve such addies in a single profile. The entire folder, i.e. xxxxx.name should be saved, not individual files. Then you can do your maneuvering.

3.Yes to the your question about Composer. I believe that it is also present in Seamonkey1.0, the new baby out of the Mozilla project, or the standalone Nvu.
Mozilla is being maintained, but it is not going to be continued. It is a suite, like Seamonkey. There is no interference between TB and the suites. You may have more problems with the reverse, i.e. the standalone Firefox or Netscape8.1, which are browser only, and the suite which has both browser and mail.
If you have an install suite, Thunderbird will import the settings, but email on a CD is not part of an installed program. However, you can copy the individual files from thre backup, and paste them into the already setup TB or Mozilla mail.
I will not go into details, as this is not quite so simple, since you want to use a different drive.
As for the Read-only, I know that it was a problem with Win98, but, I have had no problems with WinXP. I, generally, copy the profile folder, and paste it a Temp folder, if you wish, or even to the Desktop. I, then, must rename the old files (only those with no extention, like Inbox or Sent, unless you have subfolders, i.e. .sbd folders, which can be copied and pasted). The renaming is done to avoid overwriting of the new files, with the same name.

Don't panic. Just use the Copy and Paste method. Do not Cut and Paste, or drag and drop. I lost more files that way.

I am sure that Ramona, or someone else will come to your rescue. I am giving you a start. So, ask more questions.

 

Welcome to the Forum, freefall7!

Linda,

Sorry, but I can't help you with the partitioning of your HDD. However, if you will post that issue on our Hardware Forum, the experts there will be able to get you up and running.

When you copied your messages to CD, did you copy the entire Mail folder, or the Mail Account folders, etc.

To answer your question, yes, copy the Mail from the CD to a temporary folder on your HDD, removing the Read Only file Attributes.

It's not necessary to set up more than one Profile for multiple mail accounts (email addresses). You can have unlimited Mail Accounts in one Profile. That is, unless you really want more than one Profile.

If you want a suite, including Composer, and Mail & Newsgroups, then SeaMonkey 1.0 would be your best choice. OR -- If you do a "Custom" install of SeaMonkey, you can opt to not install Mail & Newsgroups, thus using Thunderbird as your email client.

You are correct in that Mozilla will no longer be released for end users. There may be security updates, however.

If you determine that you prefer Firefox, the standalone browser, and Thunderbird, the standalone mail client, then there is a standalone application which replaces Composer. The name is Nvu, and you can read about it here: Nvu, The Complete Web Authoring System for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

There is no conflict if you install SeaMonkey, Firefox, and Thunderbird. The Firefox Profiles folder is separate from SeaMonkey. The Program Folders location is the same as in Windows 98. However, the Profiles folder is located in a different location, for security purposes. These are the locations for Windows XP:

SeaMonkey
C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles

Firefox, Version 0.9 - 1.x.x
C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles

Thunderbird
C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles

NOTE: These files are hidden by default.
To see hidden files:
1. On the Tools menu in Windows Explorer, click Folder Options
2. Click the View tab
3. Under Hidden files and folders, click Show hidden files and folders
4. Disable "Hide File Extensions for Known Files. "
5. Click OK.

To search for files in the Application Data folder, go to Start | Search.
Under More Advanced Options select Search system folders, Search
Hidden Files and folders, and Search subfolders.
-----

Please don't panic, because if you copied your Mail to CD, then we can guide you through getting the messages into the new Thunderbird accounts, or the SeaMonkey Mail, whatever you decide to use.

I need to know, in order to get your messages:

1. Exactly what folders you copied to CD
2. Which application you will use for Mail