Salvaging Netscape e-mail for Thunderbird conversion

OK, a quick history. A month back I tried to boot my Win2K system and received a BSOD. Said blue screen issue was unresolvable, but I confirmed the problem was a hard drive one (failing drive). I also confirmed most of my files were intact. (The drive failures seemed to be confined to boot sectors.) I bought a new HDD, installed it, reinstalled my OS, etc., and connected my old HDD via USB from an enclosure. From here I was able to salvage most of my files.

I had used Netscape for e-mail. I have for years. Now I want to convert to Thunderbird. But, Netscape is not "on" the new computer (i.e., it's not in the registry) and Thunderbird doesn't recognize it as an application it can import e-mail from.

So, how do I salvage my Netscape e-mail and get it into Thunderbird?

I don't know which version of Netscape I was running. It was either Communicator 4.7x or Netscape 7.x. (If someone can suggest a way to verify without starting Netscape, I'll happily look.) I had hoped to simply copy the Netscape folder contents into the Thunderbird folder, but it hasn't worked.

Any suggestions?

Scott

 

Scott, as for the version, it depends on the type of Users or Profile which you have. Refer to this at Netscape Solutions, if you had 7.x . As for NS4.7x, the folders are not hidden, and should be in Program Files|Netscape|Users. The procedure listed here is for 7.x , but if you go to the Users folder of 4.7x, and, ignore the fact that it has .snm header files, you will be ok. And, take note to rename the old Inbox file, so that you overwrite the existing files.
Needlessly to say, you will have set up the accounts, first, in Thunderbird.
Take notice that Thunderbird is Mail only.
If you install Seamonkey , you should be able to pick up the Netscape profile. Seamonkey is, pretty much like Netscape7.x, and it works fine with a Netscape profile, as long as you don't flip flop between Netscape and Seamonkey.

 

Welcome to the Forum, sca8805!

Scott,

Rename the Netscape files to OldInbox, or Inbox2, using the same names for Drafts, Sent, and any other Netscape Mail files you want in Thunderbird.

Don't copy the files with an msf or snm extension, e.g., Inbox.msf if Netscape 7, or Inbox.snm if Netscape 4. When you copy the Netscape Mail files to Thunderbird, a new index (msf or snm) file will be created.

Once you open Thunderbird, you may see question marks ??? instead of the number of messages in the files you renamed. Once you open the folder, the question marks should be replaced with the correct number of messages.

Let us know if you have any further questions.