7.0 doesn't seem to be reading my User file or profile

Ramona:

I right-clicked the desktop shortcut icon for 7.0 and added -installer (with a trailing space) as you asked. I got the message that the file could not be found.

Before that, I removed the profiles from the Mozilla Profiles folder. I moved the regner back but the messages received there today are now gone--getting a little scared I'm going to lose access period.

Anyhow, how do I get to Installer? I have the CD it was installed from if that helps.

 

And the Beat Goes On.......

For the benefit of those who are watching....

Bob is unable to get back to the Forum, but can use PM, so this is where we are:

He is frustrated, and read the -installer switch instructions wrong, so he is in the process of converting his 4.7x Profile to Netscape 7.0.

This is what I suggested:

Ramona

 

Ramona:
I tried the manual process with only minimal success.

1. I removed the profiles from Mozilla Profiles.

2. I deleted the existing profiles from Profile manager.

3. I created a new profile named RDE and selected the Mail & Newsgroup and general preferences.

.4. Cloied NS and copied the Communicator file named "bookmark" (not bookmark.htm) into the 7.0 ptofile and renamed it "bookmark.html ".

5. Copied all Communicator mail folders without extentions into 7.0 Mail folder.

6. When I launched NS and the communicator address book, it was blank--there is nothing to export.

The net result is that I have my email file structure back in place, but containing only data through about mid-November. I assume that was the date of the Communicator profile?

I do not have any of the address books and the bookmarks do not appear in the drop-down menu.

I'm feeling about as stupid as you painted me to be in your last post, and also just about entirely out of gas.

I'm going to shut down here in about 20 minutes and I'll try to give the convertion approach another try tomorrow. Thank you for trying & ssorry I've been a drag. if you have any final words of wisdom, please send a reply.

 

Hi Bob,

Well, this is what I suggested that you do for the manual move of your data, if the -install switch command didn't work:

Nothing about moving the Profiles out of the Profiles folder. That was only if you were going to use the -install switch command.

The Bookmark file in Netscape Communicator is bookmark.htm, and located in the Users folder. The Bookmark file for Netscape 7.0 is bookmarks.html. I believe you named it incorrectly. Note the plural bookmarks.html, not bookmark.html.

When you look at the Communicator Address Book in Windows Explorer, what is the size? Is it 0 KB?

I think you should quit for now. You are obviously tired and frustrated and compounding your problems by making error after error. Tomorrow you can try again. You have all the information available right here on the Forum.

I'm so sorry if my humor distressed you, I wasn't trying to make you look stupid, just trying to inject a little humor into a very long and tiring ordeal. Just a little comic relief.

Ramona

 

Ramona:

The Communicator bookmark file was copied into the 7.0 profile as bookmarks.html. I think that's what you asked to be done.

I cannot find an address book in Commincator User Profiles.

I did *****-up in removing the 7.0 profiles when trying the manual process.

I'm going to give the conversion process one more try before calling it a day. I will back-up the Profiles, remove them from the 7.0 Profiles and give it a try. I'll get back to you with the results shortly.

 

Ramona:

Well, lo & behold, the Communicator profiles are successfully converted to 7.0 Profiles! I think the problem the first times around was not understanding that after deleting the profiles in profile manager, I had to access the icon to installer once again in order to get the convertion screen.

I now have the email folder structure in place, all bookmarks and address books. About the only thing that seems to be missing are saved messages in those folders after early November.

I'll look closer again tomorrow when I'm less bleary-eyed. Send me a reply and let me know if there's anything else in particular that I should focus on.

Will you be around tomorrow or not? Let me know tonight if you would--I'll wait to hear before logging off.

Thanks again for sticking with me on this--you got me almost all the way back and I appreciate it.

 

WooHooooooooooooooo!!!

Good going Bob, and I know you will find the rest of your Mail. I also think the key might be when you created a new regner Profile in NS 7.0. The Profile you were using before you created that Profile, is probably where your current mail is located.

The Mail files, with no extension, are simple text files, and you can open them and take a look for your current Mail. You still need to find that Bob Profile too.

Windows "Find" is a marvelous tool, and if you can remember anything about any of the Mail files you're looking for, you might be able to use that in your "Find ".

I'll be around all day, as it is miserably cold, and I'll not be sticking my head out the door!

Ramona

 

Ramona:

Hello stranger--did you miss me? I've been straightening out some server access problems with Earthlink this morning and we finally seem to have those squared away. When it rains it pours.

I agree that I probably created additional problems when I created the new 7.0 profile as regner, since it appears that both Communicator User files and 7.0 Profiles employ the email user name (regner) as their file names

There haven't been a lot of profiles created. Under 4.76, there were only regner and begner. When I installed 7.0, they were converted as regner and begner. Later I changed the profile names in Profile Manager only to Bridgett and Bob--nothing else was changed in either profile.

The Bob 7.0 profile was somewhow corrupted but Bridgett was unaffected. Yesterday's exercise ended up reinserting the Bridgett 7.0 profile as begner, deleting the Bob profile in Profile Manager, and creating the 7.0 profile regner through conversion of the Communicator User file.

It seems that the naming function in Profile Manager simply puts a shell on the 7.0 profile for login purposes and does not rename the profile itself, as long as the email user name remains the same. I.e., regner renamed to Bob was still using the regner 7.0 profile. Is that correct?

So, at this point my wife's profile and set-up appears to be OK and current in all respects. Mine appears to be functioning correctly now. The one issue is that the messages restored in converting the Communicator User File to 7.0 Profile appear to be as of October 21--there are no messages or address modifications that occurred after that date.

I assume that the Communicator files would always be current, correct? If so, the regner file must have been replaced with an older back-up version before conversion to create this result. I don't know how or when that would have happened, but I suppose it was possible in the course of yesterday and it's the only logical explanation to me.

So, I have a 12/22 back-up of the regner Communicator User file. I'm thinking that I should convert that back-up to a new 7.0 profile. That should get me as close as I can get to where things stood before the problems began. If you agree with that premise, I'd do the following:

1. Back-up the current 7.0 Profiles and Communicastor User files.

2. Remove the current Communicator files and replace them with the 12/22 back-up files.

3. Remove the 7.0 Profiles from Mozilla so that the file is empty.

4. Convert the Communicator files through the "-installer" routine to new 7.0 profiles.

5. Review and set Preferences and Mail & Newsgroup settings.

Please let me know if you think all of that holds water, OK?

In terms of finding "Bob ". I'll keep fiddling around. Using Find for Bob didn't surface anything, but I'll try looking for mail subjects/senders and see if anything new surfaces.

Thanks again for your help and patience yesterday (evening, night....) and let me know if you think a new 7.0 profile from the 12/22 Communicator back-up makes sense.

Stay warm!

 

Hi Bob,

You don't have to go through all those steps you named.

Open the 12/22/01 backup of your Communicator Mail folder

Rename the Mail files with no .SNM extensions, e.g., Inbox2, Drafts2, Sent2, etc.,

Then copy the renamed files, with no .SNM extensions, and paste them into Netscape 7.0 Mail Folder.

Renaming the Communicator Mail Files, ensures that your existing 7.0 Mail files will not be overwritten...

I shall repeat my mantra once again:
Back up before doing any editing!

It's a good idea to backup your Profiles and Users folders several times a week. Then you will never ever have to go through this type of issue again.

Let me know if you have any questions, before you begin.

Ramona

 

Ramona:

Sonds good. I have to run an errand right now. When I'm back, I'll shoot any questions your way before I go at it.

Thanks,

 

Hi Ramona:

Got tied-up a little longer than expected then got back with my friends at Earthlink. I always have my server settings structured to retain messages on the server until deleted locally. I thought the November-January messages might therefore still be out there.

After some searching and discussion, it appears they are not on the server. The best guess is that when the 7.0 Profile became corrupted, it reverted to default status. The settings to retain messages on the server were gone and the messages were deleted.

That means the closest back-up I have to current is from 12/22, which isn't as bad as it sounds because I was away without email for several weeks since that date. That brings me full circle to your suggestions from this morning. I have some questions before we decide how to proceed:

1. You suggested copying, renaming and pasting mail files into the 7.0 Profile. If we do that, I will not get addess books updated through the date of the back-up (12/22), correct?

2. What do the suffixes on the mail folders (.sbd) and files (.snm) stand for?

3. I have the standard files (inbox, sent, drafts trash,etc.) and an extensive folder structure under References. I assume the messages in these folders also need to be copied, renamed and pasted, correct?

4. Are the Communicator mail files to be copied, renamed and posted those ending with ".snm "? If so does anything have to be done with the folders that carry the suffix .sbd?

So, the central question is whether to copy-in the renamed mail files, or create a new profile from the 12/22 back-up. Please let me know if you feel any differently about that and the answers to my questions above. Then we can decide which route to go, OK?

Thanks,

 

Hi Bob,

1. You suggested copying, renaming and pasting mail files into the 7.0 Profile. If we do that, I will not get addess books updated through the date of the back-up (12/22), correct?

Export the 12/22 Address Book as an LDIF file, as suggested earlier in the thread. Then import that Address Book into Netscape 7.0. You will also want to transfer all your .sbd folders as they contain your subdirectories. You mentioned earlier that the .sbd directories contained the important files you wanted.

2. What do the suffixes on the mail folders (.sbd) and files (.snm) stand for?

SNM files are the index or summary files for your Mail & News

SBD files are the subdirectories.

3. I have the standard files (inbox, sent, drafts trash,etc.) and an extensive folder structure under References. I assume the messages in these folders also need to be copied, renamed and pasted, correct?

If you are referring to a References Mail folder in Communicator, then yes, it should be copied also?

4. Are the Communicator mail files to be copied, renamed and posted those ending with ".snm "? If so does anything have to be done with the folders that carry the suffix .sbd?

Bob, I have clearly stated several times that you do not copy the Mail files with extensions. Take time to read thoroughly, and totally comprehend the guidelines for moving your Mail.

I have covered the .sbd folders above, but to answer your questions again... move the .sbd folders. They contain your subdirectories.

So, the central question is whether to copy-in the renamed mail files, or create a new profile from the 12/22 back-up. Please let me know if you feel any differently about that and the answers to my questions above. Then we can decide which route to go, OK?

I would go with copy the Mail and Export the Address Book. So much less complicated.

Post back with any more questions,

Ramona

 

Hello Ramona:

I'm sorry I was less than entirely explicit in my last message. I went back through the thread after sending it and picked up your instructions from last night regarding export of the Address Book and copying of the mail folders WITHOUT EXTENTIONS!! I really do pay attention, despite yesterday's appearances.

At any rate, I've gone ahead and completed the process. It went smoothly and I believe I now have all of the messages that are still around to get, either on the server or in Communicator.

So as they say, I think we can stick a fork in this thread!!! I know that will come as a great disappointment to you, but try to bear-up.

Seriously, thanks again for the perseverence and support. And I do appologize for the lack of a mind throughout much of yesterday--I'm hoping it was one of those days and not the onslaught of a new style.

If you have any final thoughts, let 'em fly. Other wise, stay warm and I'll chat with you soon, I'm sure--don't panic when you see my name appear again!

 

Hi Bob,

You are most welcome!

You are definitely experienced in every aspect of moving and converting Profiles. I am truly delighted that you have all your data intact.

Final thoughts:
Back up frequently

Ramona

 

Ramona:

You are welcome! I swear I will back-up frequently (User and Mozilla).

Thanks again and talk to you soon.