2 HDs, Same OS, Moving mail question.

I have read Ramona's web page on moving mail foldeers to a new hard drive found at: http://home.att.net/~cherokee67/ns7mailtrnsfr.html
However, I read it after I had installed Netscape 6.2.3 on the new drive and set up a mail account and had downloaded and sent a few email messages.[Unhappy] I have never written a personal profile, and if setting up a Mail account doesn't write one then I don't have one.[Unhappy] My old drive has only one folder in the path Mozilla/Profiles/Default/*.slt that contains anything at all. I need to merge the few messages on the new drive with the ones on the old drive. Then I want to copy the entire *.slt folder from the old drive and paste it into the new one? (I know this will overwrite the files in the present folder, but if I have merged those few messages with the ones on the old drive I won't care.)

Will this preserve and transfer all of my mail?
I think Ramona may have other pages to show me how to merge the messages. Would you please post the link/s?
Are there other files/folders that I will have to copy and transfer?
Is there a simpler way that will get the same result?
(I have transferred the address book already.)

Thank you for your help, I appreciate this forum very much.

 

Hi Ed B,

I really hate to see you using the obsolete Netscape 6.2.3, now that Netscape 7.2 has been released. Netscape 7.2 is a solid browser, and has many new features, it is much more secure than 6.2.3. I hope you will consider upgrading soon.

Ed, the *.slt folder contains your Profile, and you DO have one.

To move messages from the old drive to the now existing Mail Account on the new drive:

First open Netscape on the old drive, open Mail & Newsgroups
Empty your Trash folder
Compact your folders

Close Netscape
Open Windows Explorer
On the old drive:
In the *.slt folder delete this one folder and two files: (I think 6.2.3 has these two files)
Cache folder
history.dat file
XUL.mfl file

On the old drive, open the Mail Account subfolder located in the *.slt folder, e.g., pop.yourISP.net
Copy all files in the Mail Account subfolder without an MSF extension:
Inbox, Drafts, Sent, etc.
These files contain your mail. Do NOT copy files with the MSF ext.
Rename these files to: OldInbox, OldDrafts, OldSent, etc.

By renaming the files on the old drive, they will NOT overwrite the existing mail files on the new drive. Once copied to the new Mail Account folder, and you open Netscape, you will see the OldInbox, etc. listed in the left pane.

Also copy to the new drive:
Mail Filters (rules.dat) How to Edit the rules.dat file
Copy all SBD folders to the NEW Mail folder (These are the subfolders)

Don't try to copy the salted (*.slt) folder to the new drive. Copy these files from the salted (*.slt) on the old drive, to the new drive:
• bookmarks.html
• cookies.txt
• cookperm.txt (cookie and image permissions)
• custom.dic (Dictionary)
• panels.rdf (Panel displayed in the Sidebar)
• persdict.dat (Mozilla Dictionary)
• search.rdf (Search Plugins in the Sidebar)
• user.js (If you have created the file, if not disregard.)
• usercontent.css (If you have created the file, if not disregard.)
• userchrome.css (If you have created the file, if not disregard.)

Don't panic if you don't have some of these files, as it has been a long time since I used 6.2.3, and it's hard to recall...

If you have further questions, please post back.

Ramona

 

Hi Ramona,

Thanks for the reply. I am using NS 6.2.3 because I am running Windows 95-OSR2 (4.00.950B), and I had the understanding that NS 7 would not install on my OS (or else that 95 would not run it). If I can run it on this system, I will seriously consider upgrading to NS 7. I had used NS 4.76 before moving to NS 6. I still prefer many things in NS 4 over NS 6, at least Javascript would not usually cause it to lock up.

Quote:
>Ed, the *.slt folder contains your Profile, and you DO have one.

OK, I do have a *.slt folder, I just wasn't sure what is considered to be the profile.

Quote:
>In the *.slt folder delete this one folder and two files: (I think 6.2.3 has these two files)
>Cache folder
>history.dat file
>XUL.mfl file

Should I delete the Cache folder and all its' contents?
I have a history.dat file in the *.slt folder (the only one I found searching C:\Windows\Mozilla) so I'll delete that one as I proceed with your instructions.
I did not find an XUL.mfl file when I searched for it with Windows Explorer, so I must not have one of those.

I think I understand all the rest.

If I choose to upgrade to NS 7, will these same instructions work for it? If not, I may be back with more questions.

Thanks!

Ed B

 

If you can run Netscape 6, then you can run Netscape 7.2. I run Mozilla 1.7.2 on a Windows 95 machine, 166 Mhz processor with 64 MB RAM. It is very slow to start, but runs quite well otherwise. Netscape 7.2 has the same code base as Mozilla 1.7.2.

Yes, you can delete the folder and all its contents. Netscape will rebuild the file on restart. I just couldn't remember if XUL.mfl was in 6.2.3, so you're fine there.

The process is a bit different. If you decide to upgrade to Netscape 7.2, then I would be certain to uninstall Netscape 6.2.3 first, through Add/Remove. I would wait however, until you have all your Profile data on the new HD. Then do the upgrade. Netscape 7.2 will pick up the Netscape 6.2.3 Profile, and it won't be necessary to do anything more.

Ask away if you have further questions.

Ramona

 

That was a quick response. :^)

So, removing 6.2.3 through Control Panel - Add/Remove leaves the profile on the hard drive? As my grandmother used to say "Who'd a thunk it ".

I presume that once I get 6.2.3 working, if I decide to upgrade to 7.2 all I need do is remove 6.2.3 and install 7.2 - now how cool is that? Does it matter whether I upgrade now, or if I wait until later on?

I'll investigate 7.2 before I go any farther. I looked around while waiting and I do see it listed at SillyDog's archive, and Win 95 does show up in the header for the download. This old dog is learning new tricks! And I never regret time I have spent learning something new.

Thanks!

Ed B

 

Definitely a nice feature of the new Netscape. Makes life so much easier when upgrading.

Yes, that's all you need to do, uninstall 6.2.3, and install 7.2. It doesn't matter when you do it, but as I said before, make sure you have a good working Profile first, in 6.2.3.

That's very wise of you to do some research of 7.2. Also read the Release Notes for Netscape 7.2. You will be able to see all the terrific features available, which 6.2.3 doesn't have, in the What's New section. There is a wealth of information in the Release Notes, including installing.

BTW, there will be a "Streamline" version of Newscape 7.2 coming soon, from Antony Shen, Administrator/Owner of the SillyDog701 Web Site. Watch this page for the announcement of his Release: http://sillydog.org/narchive/sd/72.html

Old dogs can learn new tricks, can't we?

Ramona

 

Ed,

Two more details:

Once you have Netscape 6.2.3's Profile intact, then make a backup of the Profiles folder, before uninstalling 6.2.3. This is just to be on the safe side.

Before you uninstall, go to this page: http://home.att.net/~cherokee67/ns6newjpegpatch.html

Download the uninstall-moz.exe file. Run this file before you uninstall Netscape 6.2.3. Many users have file association problems after uninstalling Netscape 6.2.3. This small program will remove any remaining NS6 file associations, and you won't be bothered with any problems after the uninstall.

Ramona

 

Ramona, more questions

You wrote in message #2 on the 26th: "Copy all SBD folders to the NEW Mail folder (These are the subfolders) "

Should I include the msf files that are in the subfolders?

If I succeed in getting the old mail into the new HD (has 6.2.3 loaded already), I will run it a little while to see that all is working well. Once that is done, I plan to run the file association program, back up the profile, and uninstall 6.2

I have downloaded 7.2 and read the notes you referred me to. Those notes do not mention Win 95 as a platform. The archive at Silly Dog lists 95 as a platform. That is a little confusing, but you are running it so it must work.

I did a little reading about a Mozilla browser and understand the basic difference is it doesn't support AIM nor Webmail/Netmail. I don't use either and wonder if Mozilla might be a better choice for me. Is it as secure?

Thanks,

Ed B

 

Hi Ed,

No, don't include them, delete all the msf files in the subfolders.

Excellent plan, Ed.

Yes, I do have Mozilla 1.7.2 and Netscape 7.2 on my Windows 95 machine. As I said earlier it is very, very, slow to start, but runs as fast as 4.79, if not a bit faster on my 166Mhz processor. Note, this is not my main PC, and I use that PC infrequently.

Ed, as I tell so many people, Netscape IS Mozilla. Netscape 7.2 is based on the Mozilla 1.7.2 code base. So the basic program is identical, including security features. Mozilla and Netscape are very secure. This is from the Mozilla FAQ:

3.7. Is Mozilla Mail & Newsgroup susceptible to e-mail viruses?

Mozilla Mail & Newsgroup will not allow a virus or worm to execute automatically. You can see what attachments have been sent to you without a virus being able to execute, and you would have to save a file to your system and deliberately run it before it could cause any harm.

JavaScript is switched off by default for mail and news, so an e-mail cannot run script code just by being opened.

As with any mail program, take proper caution before running any file that you receive in e-mail. Appropriate anti-virus software should also help keep you safer.
----
Mozilla happens to be my personal choice, as I am not interested in AOL or Netscape Instant Messaging. I do have Netscape 7.2 installed, and I do use it occasionally. When the SillyDog701 Netscape 7.2 Streamline is available then I will install that version, which gives you the choice of opting out of AOL and NIM.

Ramona

 

Thanks to you all my mail is on my new HD.

Ramona,

I have been successful in merging all my mail on my new HD. I appreciate the guidance you have given. It has only been running a few hours, but I am confident that will continue. I will do a back up of my profile (now that I know I have one) later this evening. Then I plan to use it for a couple of weeks just to see if a bug pops up.

I understand what you are saying about javascript and vbs. One of the first things I do after loading a new OS or browser is to disable script and tweak a few security settings.

I lost the use of a HD back in 2002 due to what I thought was a virus. It turned out to be a problem with incompatible memory modules. I knew very little about a swap file then and did not know that Windows uses one. Every time I rebooted I had to run scandisk - plus parts of the OS were being overwritten because it was somehow seeing the space as a swap file. Since that time I have been very careful about opening attachments and etc. I even told my sister that if she wants me to look at something, she had better not send it as an attachment because it will be deleted. There have been instances when I will open one, but not unless I am quite certain of its' origin.

I will be seriously looking at Mozilla to use as a browser. I used one back in 2002 when I loaded Linux and ran it for quite awhile. In fact Linux is the reason I was ever able to figure out what was going on with that Windows OS. When I kept having to rebuild parts of the Linux OS, I knew it was not due to a virus and began looking for other causes. That process finally led me to the memory modules.

Enough rambling for now, but when I make the switch I'll post back to the board and tell you. Thank you for your kind help, I truly appreciate it.

Best regards,

Ed B

 

Hi Ed,

I'm delighted to hear that your mail is safely in place. Let us know when you need help with Netscape 7.2.

Ramona