It's probably the best method, since Eudora is so old that current TB import options, such as e.g. Outlook, aren't likely to work with Eudora. I would install TB 17, import the Eudora mail, uninstall 17, install 91, create a new profile, even though the 17 profile is still present, then copy the mail folders from the 17 profile to the new 91 profile. This avoids issues with obsolete files in the 17 profile. The mail folders in the 17 profile are mbox files - large files with no extension, named after folders e.g. Inbox, Sent. Copy the mbox files from Mail/<popservername>, Mail/Local Folders and ImapMail/<imapservername>, and .sbd subdirectories, in the 17 profile, to Mail/Local Folders in the new 91 profile, while TB is closed. The folders should appear under Local Folders in the Folder Pane when TB restarts.

Help/More Troubleshooting, Profile Folder, Open Folder to open the profile, and Help/More Troubleshooting, about:profiles, to create profiles.

Unfortunately, neither Thunderbird 17 nor any other Thunderbird imports Eudora. It says it's doing so, but at the end, nothing changes. Inbox is empty, outbox is empty, address book has two whole addresses in it (what made those different?). I think I'm going to have to just use two different mail programs, unfortunately, Eudora to save all my old emails, and TBird for new.

Any other ways I can import files from Eudora to TBird?

Please be patient. It can be done. I did it for my wife just two months ago, using current version and the importexport addon. I do not have that info available right now, but others may. Also, although I agree with Sfhowes that it may not work, Eudora does support port numbers. For some unfathomable reason, they were hidden in the release. I no longer have the user manual, but it may be available online. There is a file in the Eudora directory that is buried and needs to be moved out to the primary directory and then the Port setup feature appears under options. Few people know that, so now you know.  :) I will keep your thread and if I can find my wife's old Eudora setup, I'll try to redo the conversion. The conversion took a number of steps. I will look for it tomorrow.

UPDATE: Download Eudora 8. I think the version I downloaded was 8.0.9 or something like that. After install, click Tools>Import>Mail I did it in local folders. Then locate your Eudora folder and click ok. It will locate and import all message folders. If you attempt to view in Eudora 8, they all appear blank. Copy the 'Eudora Import' folder and related msf file to local folders in current version of Thunderbird and they are all viewable. Piece of cake. I did NOT attempt to convert the addressbook, but my guess is you could do tools>import>addresssbook with similar results, which would likely convert to an MAB file. Then, in current TB, in Addressbook, click Tools>Import>MAB file. Let me know how it goes.

I'm assuming I'd better backup my current Eudora before I do this. I'll give it a try. One question: where do I get the import export add-on? Or is there an option to do that within the program?

If you use Eudora 8, you do not need an addon. Instructions in my prior post. The copies I mentioned are to be done with TB not running, using File Explorer, copying from the Eudora 8 profile to the Local Folders section in your Thunderbird folder. And a correction: You will be able to view messages in Eudora 8 after the import. I earlier stated that you could not.

I've done several searches. Eudora 8.0.9 is a beta version. Is that what you used or should I find an earlier Eudora 8?

I also wanted to confirm that you used the latest Thunderbird version, is that correct?

Version 8.0.9 is the one I used. It converts the messages by itself. Once converted, exit Eudora8, copy the local folders from profile to local folders of recent Thunderbird and you're done. Yes, I used most recent version.

Please confirm when done. I retested and all went well with current version. There was a glitch in testing with a TB beta, but that doesn't apply here.

I sent a response earlier that indicated you needed the importexport addon. That was in error and I deleted the comment, but I'm sending this note in case you read it before I deleted it. Eudora8 fully does the conversion, as I had previously stated.

Still can't find 8.0.9 that isn't a beta. Do you have a URL? Or is there only a beta?

I have some caveats here. Thunderbird does not use a separate folder for attachments. IIRC the Thunderbird importer tried to re encode attachments in the email, but too many years have passed. Getting mail by outright copying files may work, but it ignored contacts.\

Unfortunately Eudora was particularly tolerant of corruption in it's stores, so many folk over the years had to run Eudora rescue it has not been updated in over a decade, but I assume it basically does what the V8 tool David mentions does.

For the Import to work you must have a working copy of Eudora, otherwise the import can not actually find the path to the Eudora files. Or you have to manually add the appropriate registry key.

The Eudora information in the support article is still valid https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/switching-thunderbird#w_importing-from-outlook-and-eudora

I am assuming the talk of V17 comes from here http://kb.mozillazine.org/Thunderbird_:_Issues_:_Import_From_Eudora There is some pertinent information there, but personally I tend to suggest V3 as it was the version which underpinned the OSE release. My feeling is because of that it was perhaps the most compatible with Eudora for import. It was not a particularly good Thunderbird version. But it was stable enough to do an import.

I don't think the specific version is critical, but there is a beta version at oldversions dot com.

I have the manual for 7.1 so I did a search for the word "port" and didn't find anything useful. Then I read through SMTP, IMAP, and MIME, but couldn't tell if anything was relevant.

I found my previous computer and I'm in the process or doing the Eudora to Thunderbird switch there. I'm hoping I'll have time to do that tonight. I'll let you know if there are any snags.

First, I hope all goes well. It should and you'll be free from Eudora.

Second, I did say I would locate and share the undocumented info on setting Eudora for SSL.

This applies to some users, not all. In eudora.ini:

    SmtpAuthAllowed=1
              Immediately under that line, type
           SmtpAuthBanished=CRAM-MD5

There's a hidden app--eudorainstallfolder\extrastuff\esoteric.epi--that you can copy to the main eudora installation folder and it will add a new option to Tools--at the bottom, oddly enough "Ports"...'-}}--which will allow you do actually set the port numbers. I never understood why Eudora did this, unless they figured dealing with port numbers was too complex for users (remember, this was 2006).

Thank you.

Is that Eudora 8 or Eudora 7? Sadly (for me), I don't want to be free from Eudora. I've never found another email program that matched it in features and ease.

Those features still may not work as desired. OAUTH2 came along and TLS replaced SSL. But, what info I shared is for Eudora 7. I can give no advice, so if any of this does not work, please do not ask for assistance. For reliability and future support, I encourage the move to Thunderbird, but I respect your preference for Eudora. Here is more info from my files:

Changing Ports for Sending/Receiving (Win)

Document ID: 1501HQ ISSUE:

I need to be able to change the port used by Eudora for incoming mail, or outgoing mail.

OR

I would like to change ports for a particular personality for incoming and/or outgoing email.

SOLUTION:

You can change the ports for *all email accounts* in Eudora for the POP, IMAP, SMTP, ACAP, or Password Change Port by using the esoteric settings. First exit Eudora. Look in the Eudora directory for the folder "Extrastuff". In this folder there is a file named "esoteric.epi". Drag this file into the main Eudora directory. Restart Eudora then go to the Tools menu, Options, Ports, and change the ports here as needed.

If you do not know where your Eudora directory is and are currently running Eudora 6.2 or newer, you can find out by going to the Help, About Eudora menu.

To find out where you have Eudora installed for versions older than 6.2 you will have to search for the directory using Windows Search. Go to Start, Search, All files and Folders. In the box labeled "All or part of the file name" type eudora.ini. Click on Search now. When the file is located look at the modified date. The eudora.ini file with the most recent date will reveal the location of your Eudora directory. This eudora.ini file's modified date is updated each time you exit Eudora. The file location will be listed under the "In Folder" category in the search results window.

OR

You may have a need to change ports for one or more specific email personalities in Eudora. You can do so by adding the desired setting under the appropriate '[Persona]' section. For example, To change the POP3 port for a personality called 'foo' to 10110, you would edit the Eudora.ini and look for a section called:

[persona-foo]

Under that section you would enter:

PopPort=10110

The settings for the 3 main services are:

PopPort=

ImapPort=

SMTPPort=

SSLPopAlternatePort=

SSLImapAlternatePort=

SSLSMTPAlternatePort=

It is not recommended you make any of the above changes unless specifically instructed by your Internet Service Provider or Email Provider. Altering ports in Eudora could inhibit your ability to send and receive email.

I promise I won't ask for assistance if it fails, lol! I'll accept the inevitable (and it is inevitable) and move along.