Netscape on new machine with new OS

I know that there are other posts on this BB that would help me solve this problem, but I find that trying to pull it all together, given the shape I'm currently in, is fairly overwhelming, so I hope someone (ramona?) will be willing to help me figure out where to begin sorting out the mess I've made.

I was running netscape 7.1 on my old computer with Win 98SE. I've just gotten a new laptop with Windows XP and needed to get NS 7.1 up and running, so I downloaded it and didn't pay any attention to doing things systematically--can't tell you what I did at the beginning but have ended up with C:\Documents and Settings\Mary\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\\xxxxxxxx.slt. I have managed to configure the email settings so that everything works with my computer's wireless connections, which was my first goal, and have started downloading mail and surfing the net.

Now the trouble begins. I wanted the profile to use my name, just as it did before, but had trouble getting that fixed. (when I typed the name in it wouldn't show the last letter in the path--very weird.) I think I can do it now so will try to change the profile to my name after I've signed off.

So the main thing I need to do now is to bring over my mail files and figure out where to put preferences, if I should put them anywhere. (Now that I've configured my user profile with all the connection info for the various means of connection that I have, I don't want to revert to my old connection preferences and am worried that I might accidentally do it.

Based on a message I found here, I've copied some files from my old computer into a folder and am trying to figure out which onesw I should try to use and where to put them.

First, from my previous "Mary" profile folder, I have two folders: one for "archive" and one for "Mail ", which has "Inbox sbd" and "Sent.sbd" folders and their contents. I'd like to put them into the current profile, after renaming the mail files that are now in the profile since they don't have much in them that I need. Can I just copy them into the profile path?

ISecond, I have a bunch of files I copied without really paying attention to where I got them. I can go back and look if necessary but am worried that the paths may be different for XP. They are: the prefs and address book files (I decided to ditch the bookmarks and cookies; is that a serious mistake?) and maybe something else I can't remember.

On Ramona's instructions for moving these things, she says: Copy the files from the floppy disk to the C:\Program Files\Netscape\Users\yourusername. Windows will tell you that these files already exist and will ask if you wish to overwrite them. Select Yes to this question.

My path doesn't look like this: I have C:\Program Files\Netscape\Netscape, and under that there's nothing about users. Is this strange? Does it mean I installed Netscape wrong? What can I do to fix it?

Well, I guess that's enough confusion for now. They should never let someone like me loose with a new computer.

Cheers, and thanks,

Mary Shep

 

Hi Mary,

You covered a lot of territory in one post, but I'll try to answer all questions here.

I have also noted that the last letter of the Profile name is not viewable in the Profile Manager, when typing in the name. It is entered correctly, however, when viewed in Windows Explorer, and in the Local directory path in Netscape. I'm sure there is a bug filed on this.

To copy the Mail files from the other PC to the Laptop, rename the files. Doing this will prevent losing any existing Mail on the Laptop.

Close Netscape and Quick Launch
Open Windows Explorer
From the other PC Profile, rename the Mail files with NO MSF extension. OldInbox, OldSent, OldDrafts, etc. Then copy those files to the Laptop Mail Account folder. Open Netscape on the Laptop, and your renamed Mail Folder will be available. Now you can drag the Mail from OldInbox to your current Inbox, and the same for the other renamed files. Then copy ALL SBD folders to the Laptop. Don't copy the files with the MSF extension.

Don't copy the prefs.js file from the old PC. But you will want to copy your Address Book, Bookmarks, and Cookies. See this guideline: Transfer Profiles from PC to PC

On Ramona's instructions for moving these things, she says: Copy the files from the floppy disk to the C:\Program Files\Netscape\Users\yourusername.

Those instructions are for Netscape Communicator, 4.7x, and not for Netscape 7, or Mozilla.

You may have more questions, and if so please post back...

Ramona

 

Ramona,

Thanks SO much for tackling my problem. It's very generous of you.

I think I just don't "get" some essential aspects of Netscape, which makes things so much harder.

Here's where I'm having trouble. You said:

>>From the other PC Profile, rename the Mail files with NO MSF extension. OldInbox, OldSent, OldDrafts, etc. Then copy those files to the Laptop Mail Account folder. Open Netscape on the Laptop, and your renamed Mail Folder will be available. Now you can drag the Mail from OldInbox to your current Inbox, and the same for the other renamed files. Then copy ALL SBD folders to the Laptop. Don't copy the files with the MSF extension.<<

I did what I thought you'd said above and it didn't work. So let me describe the steps I followed and maybe you can see where the snafu is:

I copied my old computer netscape profile files to my new computer in a folder called "from x." The old Profile was called "Mary" and in it was a Mail folder, and in the Mail folder were two FOLDERS (but no files): Inbox.sbd and Sent.sbd.

I renamed each of the folders to InboxOld.sbd and SentOld.sbd and then had to decide where to put these folders. Under Mozilla I found the *.slt file (which I always read as "slut" for some bizarre reason ) , and under that were a Cache and chrome and cache trash and Mail folders.

Under the Mail folder there were a "Local Folders" folder and three folders for three different email accounts. I looked through the three and picked the one that I usually use for reading my email on the new computer--my pop.compuserve account. It had an Inbox.sbd folder in it, and in the Inbox folder are a couple of files that I made when experimenting (each has file has a duplicate msf file--one is named bizarro, and since I see that when I use netscape on my new computer, I know I'm in the right place--that's where I want my stuff from my old Inbox to go--not just old messages, but all the scores of files and folders that I use to categorize them).

So I dragged the Oldinbox FOLDER into the pop.compuserve account folder and dropped it in. So under Popcompuserve there are two folders now, my new Inbox.sbd and my Oldinbox.sbd.

Then I opened Netscape, thinking I'd see them both, but didn't see the OldInbox folder.

I then tried moving the Oldnbox folder to the Mail folder, and reopened Netscape, and that didn't work. (So I've tried both the Mail folder and its subfolder that I use most--my PopCompuserve folder.)

Thinking that maybe I wasn't copying it into a low-enough folder, I individually dragged the contents of the Oldinbox into the Popcompuserve folder. So now the folders and files from my OldInbox.sbd folder were side by side with the files that DO show up when I open netscape--right in a line with the bizarro" file that shows up whenever I open netscape. (Incidentally, I have a bunch of SBD folders in my Oldinbox folder and also a bunch of FILES in my oldinbox folder -- I use these as file cabinets for email of various work-related and personal subjects. I really don't know the difference between these two sets of things--sbd folders and files, but my guess is that the things that show up as "files" are just subfolders of the subfolders in the inbox.)

Anyway, I dragged all this stuff into the new laptop's Inbox.sbd and re-opened Netscape (after exiting it the first time), thinking that this time I was SURE to see something more than Bizarro folder under my Inbox, but alas, there was Bizarro and nothing that I'd just added to the inbox.

Obviously I'm missing something very simple. I apologize again for putting you through all of these picky details but I can't figure out where I'm going wrong. It's going to come in a blaze of lightning, I'm sure, but right now I'm counting on you for the thunderbolt!

Thanks thanks thanks for ANY help you can give me,

Mary Shep