Importing saved Outlook Express (.dbx) mails to Thunderbird Email Client

[Da Mail Man]

Win 7 Ultimate.
Plenty of ram and 1TB sata hd.


1)...I have saved Outlook Express e-mails in dbx format (literally thousands) (multiple identities) and want to import them into Thunderbird (TB)
V 102.8.0......

2)...I looked in TB in the "import" section/selection and there is no importing dbx files (possibly unless at first installation but, this is post installation)...

3)...I have looked for a freeware dbx to eml converter (or other usable converter) to see what that could do but, none found....

4)...Outlook Express in NOT usable/accessible at this time and in another computer...

Any solutions or recommendations at this time?

 

[Da Mail Man]

....NOBODY 'EH?...

 

[voyagerfan99]

Why did you save it as a dbx instead of a PST?

 

[Da Mail Man]

I didn't know any better...That was over a year ago and, I though that pst only dealt with outlook.

 

[Da Mail Man]

UPDATE -

As I write this, have installed Office/Outlook into an xp computer and, have imported all dbx files into same.....

Am now transferring/importing all files/folders/etc into Outlook/Office.

Will take a break here and see about saving the pst files created from Outlook Express (dbx) in/to Outlook/Office to a file folder and then, transfer/import to my Win 7 computer.

Then, see about transferring to TB.

 

[Da Mail Man]

1)...I see that the IMPORT section of TB indicates that it can import from OUTLOOK but, says it can find no installation of Outlook.....(see picts)...

2)...Now, to say upfront, I have NOT yet transferred the saved pst files from my XP computer (Outlook/Office) to this one....I DO have OUTLOOK EXPRESS and OUTLOOK/OFFICE installed and co-existing on the XP computer.....

3)...If I transfer the pst files to my desktop, will TB find them OR, must OUTLOOK/OFFICE be also installed on this, my Win 7 computer to function and import?

 

[voyagerfan99]

Are you trying to import from Outlook to Thunderbird on the XP PC or another PC? It's not going to import from another PC.

 

[Da Mail Man]

1....I have outlook express on another computer.....
2....I imported my saved outlook express (dbx) mails into outlook express (on a separate computer)......
3....I then installed outlook/office 2010 on that xp computer .......
4....I then (somehow) imported outlook express mails (dbx) into OUTLOOK where they are visible in both outlook express and outlook.....

5.....I want to get those mails (pst?) and copy them from outlook on the xp computer and import into TB on my Win 7 computer......

Wint BOTH xp and outlook on teh same (xp) computer, I should (???) be able to transport OUTLOOK mail to tb in a win 7 computer...
This is not possible then?

 

[Da Mail Man]

Let me as this if I may.....

1.....I transferred/imported all the XP (dbx) mails to Outlook ON THE SAME XP COMPUTER......(OUTLOOK + OUTLOOK EXPRESS are on the same computer).......

2.....Then, I created a file saying "backup Outlook Data File" (about 1.8GB's) from OUTLOOK (see pict).....I believe it is for putting into another Outlook installation.....

3.....Can I transfer that OUTLOOK back-up file to the "7" computer and import that into the existing TB that I am current using on a "7" computer?....OUTLOOK/Office is NOT on my "7" computer here......

4.....Will that, assuming it works, add to or, overwrite the existing downloaded mails in TB?

5.....Could either the saved dbx OE mails OR, the mails in OUTLOOK possibly be imported to TB as xml or some other usable forma?......Yeah, I know I am reaching a bit but, running out of options here...

 

[Da Mail Man]

UPDATES:
Here's one that'll make your heads spin!

I, currently as of this writing, have Thunderbird (TB), Outlook, and Outlook Express (OE) installed on an xp computer (I am trying to cover all my options here)...and have ALL mails appearing in all mail clients...**NOTE - I have NOT set up an e-mail account in both TB or OUTLOOK---all the mails are there as described below...

A)...I did read that TB has the ability to install/import dbx Outlook Express (OE) files (mails, etc.) when it is a "first time" installation.

B)....I did install TB and I did just that and, everything went into TB....

C)...When OE was utilized in my xp computer years ago, it gave me the option and ability to have OE check multiple e-mail addresses and, when ANYTHING came in as a received mail, it went into the "in box" (folder)....For example, if a mail directed to me from g-mail, it went into the in folder, same as a hotmail received message and so on......When I needed to respond to any particular received mail, OE would respond/reply back from that mail (If receive a GMail - hit reply - a return reply to sender would see a GMail reply even though it was NOT my default mail, same for hotmail and so on....(11,000+ MAILS CUMULATIVE)...

D)...So, the OE inbox has all received mails from all my e-mail accounts in the "IN" folder, all the mails that were sent out of OE in the "SENT" folder and same with drafts, trash, etc and so on....(as above). which makes me think that I will have major issues more than I have now, trying to import (from any source (OUTLOOK, OE, TB on XP) into my Win 7 TB computer...I would seem to me that, all the mails in each folder will be shot-gunned into TB in my "&" computer and not "segregated" as going in the mail folders for each separate account that is now present in the "7" computer.

E)...IF, and I do mean IF, I attempted any importing, would I be able to back up TB on my 7 computer so that, if this all "takes a major dump", I can revert back to what I had before importation (over-write everything in TB).?

***AS IT STANDS NOW, I HAVE MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS THAT THE WIN 7 COMPUTER CHECKS WITH FOLDERS ON THE LEFT SIDE INDICATION WHERE THE MESSAGE INCOMES/SENT/ETC AND, ALL ARE DISPLAYED IN THE MAIN WINDOW BODY

 

[Da Mail Man]

Well....
Apparently, no other ideas from anyone pertaining to these existing circumstances...Oh well..

I will venture to do additional research to see if I can import (from xp computer to "7" computer) either from outlook express, outlook, from an older version of TB, ONE SPECIFIC FILE FOLDER CONTENTS (since all 3 clients have what I need in their "DRAFTS" folder)....All i have found so far is importing profiles, not a single FOLDER.......

 

[voyagerfan99]

Well....
Apparently, no other ideas from anyone pertaining to these existing circumstances...Oh well..

Sorry, I have a job and a life outside this forum.

2.....Then, I created a file saying "backup Outlook Data File" (about 1.8GB's) from OUTLOOK (see pict).....I believe it is for putting into another Outlook installation.....

3.....Can I transfer that OUTLOOK back-up file to the "7" computer and import that into the existing TB that I am current using on a "7" computer?....OUTLOOK/Office is NOT on my "7" computer here......

That should then save all the mail as a PST file that you can copy where you like.

4.....Will that, assuming it works, add to or, overwrite the existing downloaded mails in TB?

You should be able to choose to overwrite duplicates or keep duplicates during the import.

5.....Could either the saved dbx OE mails OR, the mails in OUTLOOK possibly be imported to TB as xml or some other usable forma?......Yeah, I know I am reaching a bit but, running out of options here...

PST's are the universal standard. Don't stray from that.

I will venture to do additional research to see if I can import (from xp computer to "7" computer) either from outlook express, outlook, from an older version of TB, ONE SPECIFIC FILE FOLDER CONTENTS (since all 3 clients have what I need in their "DRAFTS" folder)....All i have found so far is importing profiles, not a single FOLDER.......

When you do an export from Outlook you can select what folder you want to export into the PST. If you only want the Drafts folder, then just select the Drafts folder.

 

[Da Mail Man]

______________________________________
Thanks for the reply...
1A.....To clarify - I was NOT complaining at all!...I figured nobody else had any further solutions and I too, have other outside priorities.

2A/3A.....I believe I saw a profile(??) entry in OUTLOOK but, not a pst file....When I transferred all OUTLOOK mail, etc on a relatives' computer many years ago, I did see the various pst's but, not here......I had so much crap on my desktop that, being frustrated, I uninstalled TB and reinstalled it last night.....OUTLOOK still remains...

4A.....Ok, I was not sure.

5A.....Alright..whatever will work best for selectivity.

Folder selectivity should work best......As I stated, going to start from scratch......

I thought about trying to set TB back up and onto the XP computer and then,
Import the profile and existing mails on "7" to the XP computer.

If successful doing an import of mails to the "new" TB, copy the profile back onto the "7" computer. which should do an over-write.

 

[voyagerfan99]

In your screenshot above, you want to select "Export to a File" where you can then choose to export as a PST and then select the folder(s) you want to export.

 

[Da Mail Man]

NOW - back to this...(UGH!)

I have OUTLOOK 2010 (in my XP computer) and somehow, I transferred mails to same from Outlook Express. into OUTLOOK.....

I "somehow" made a PST backup of the "DRAFTS" folder and transferred that PST file into my Win 7 ("7") computer which has only "TB" installed......
In TB, I go to "tools" - import/export selection - **and here is where the difficulties continue....

There is no selection to where I can import that PST file into TB........It says:
Can import from another TB installation....................................................................(N/A)
Import from SeaMonkey installation...................................................................................................(N/A)
Import from Outlook (accounts,address books,and messages from Outlook)....??
Import from Becky! Internet Mail (etc etc etc)................(N/A)
Import from a file (Select a file to import address books, calendars, or a profile backup (ZIP file)).

*This is where I am halted.....Nothing "links" me to a folder that I saved the PST file to...
The file I saved as PST is not a zip file...Shall I zip it and try again?


....

 

[voyagerfan99]

I thought you had Outlook installed on your Windows 7 PC.

 

[Da Mail Man]

No...I do not.......

 

[beers]

How do I migrate from Outlook Express to Thunderbird? | Thunderbird Support Forum | Mozilla Support

support.mozilla.org

How do I convert a PST file to an MBOX file?


Convert Outlook email (PST or Exchange) to MBOX format

1. Outlook 2010 or newer: Click on the small triangle below the MessageSave Ribbon button and select. "Apple Mac Export -> Export Messages". ...
2. Click "Start Export".
3. That's it! MessageSave will export your email messages to a folder on your desktop.

 

[Da Mail Man]

I don't know about "Apple Mac Export" (??) since I use a WINDOWS PC.

I have opened OUTLOOK 2010 and have examined the top/side bar/tabs and find nothing as you indicate I apparently should...

 

[Da Mail Man]

.......ANYONE?.....I am stuck right here and have been...