Import PST file into Thunderbird

[PompeyMoosh]

Hi all,

I've recently set myself up a Mint Linux PC. I have configured Thunderbird 68.8.0 for my email and that is working fine.

Have wasted a lot of time trying to import a PST file from my old Windows 7 PC. PST file is sat on my Linux PC ready to be imported. Didn't realise it would be so challenging! Can anyone provide a simple answer?

Thanks in advance.

[rene]

Seems it's the by far best solution to instal thunderbird on your Windows PC as well and then import from Outlook on Windows: https://www.nucleustechnologies.com/blo ... underbird/

And, well, yes, that's what you get with proprietary formats: walled garden effect.

[PompeyMoosh]

Thanks rene. I'm failing miserably on my Win 7 PC. Looks like I forgot to mention in my post that Outlook is version 2003. Always used POP3, so email is only on the PC. I get a step further on Win 7, but keeps coming up with message about not being the default client - it is! Been on this for hours.

Is there another email client I could use for Mint?

Or any other suggestions?

Thanks.

[rene]

Are you quite sure you followed the steps as detailed in the linked article as to setting Outlook default to the tee?

If yes, the second suggested route would seem promising although I'd personally not bother with exporting to mbox --- or necessarily by the way with Gmail. I.e., I'd add a Gmail, Microsoft or any other IMAP account Windows-sides to Outlook, or switch an existing account to IMAP, then copy all to-be-preserved mail in Outlook from wherever it is now to said IMAP account, in Linux also add that IMAP account using Thunderbird, then either copy the mail Linux-sides to wherever you want to have it then --- or just leave it on IMAP if you find it to have a advantage.

What I'd not do is try anything other than Thunderbird Linux-sides. Ever since the advent of webmail stand-alone mail clients have suffered and the rest is significantly worse --- never mind that it wouldn't help as to importing PST files.

I don't know Outlook but it may as yet another alternative have an option to export mail to some by Thunderbird handled format. If not, then, yes, well, again, that's supposedly the proprietary formats/behaviour you're trying to get away from by switching to Linux

[PompeyMoosh]

Finally got my old email onto my new Linux PC! 10 hours of my life lost though.

Wasn't smooth getting Thunderbird onto Windows 7. I eventually used

https://www.mailstore.com/en/products/mailstore-home/

to get my PST file imported into Thunderbird on Windows. Then another huge headache getting it imported to Thunderbird on Linux. That wasn't fun. So much trickier than dealing with Windows, Outlook and PST files. I'm new to Linux btw. Would be nice if Thunderbird had a simple PST import facility. Thanks again rene.

[rene]

I'm new to Linux btw. Would be nice if Thunderbird had a simple PST import facility.

Ask Microsoft to write one. Admittedly, I don't know about Outlook as such, but in times long past, the Outlook Express formats were, a), undocumented and, b), different every fortnight as an explicit part of Microsoft's then anticompetitive conduct.

[cliffcoggin]

Faced with a similar problem three years ago I employed this company?
https://www.fookes.com/

[linuxofranka]

Just for sharing ...

I had the same situation sometimes back. Now, I have the solution to import PST to the Thunderbird Mail program. Free and Paid, both solutions are available to convert PST to Thunderbird file format (MBOX).

Free Solution: https://www.toolsball.com/convert-outlo ... -mbox.html
Paid Solution: https://www.axblaze.com/products/psttom ... erter.html

[vinvivian]

Just have thought why are you leaving the most popular email service MS Outlook for Thunderbird? I don't know what's your issue. Whatever the issue is, you can't access PST file directly in Thunderbird. As PST file is not acceptable or supported by Thunderbird. You need to use any third party software which is easily available on internet.

Usually, I would prefer to choose ZOOK PST to MBOX Converter which is an effortless solution to convert PST files into MBOX format along with complete mailbox data items. Thereafter, you can directly import that MBOX file into Thunderbird. Hooray!! Now, you are capable of accessing PST file in Thunderbird without any trouble.



I hope this solution would help you.

[Cosmo.]

Just have thought why are you leaving the most popular email service MS Outlook for Thunderbird?

After 2 years? You are too late.

[karlchen]

<mod> Locking the thread 1.5 years late. - Someone seems to have missed the fact that this is the Linux Mint forum. MS Outlook is Windows only. </mod>