i am looking to see if anyone might have some more information. i have done research about this, and i amnot finding clear information. there are old posts here that people had trouble with the extension. Many people seemed to post some shareware or something that doesn't specifically seem to be an option. I wanted to find out also if i need to put the files in a specific folder.

Thunderbird does not import PST files.

Thunderbird imports from the outlook application. So you have to have that installed and loading the PST file when it starts. Then Thunderbird will import from the import menu.

Recent support issues would indicate that you may also need to use a 32bit version of Thunderbird.

i do not understand. As I probably tried to import the first PST when I had outlook's trial from office 365 active. It did not work. Also, afterwards. it would not work.

Obviously, Outlook itself is not going to be loading the file into Thunderbird. It will not say to "open the PST file in Thunderbird" as Thunderbird is not a Microsoft program.

So I was wondering if I had needed to store the files in the outlook directory. I may have read that they need to be converted into MBOX format. There are third party programs to open and view PST files.

i do not understand.

Clearly

Obviously, Outlook itself is not going to be loading the file into Thunderbird.

Actually Thunderbird will ask the outlook program nicely to provide the data. In an electronic conversation. So really outlook will be loading the data into Thunderbird as each bit is requested.

It will not say to "open the PST file in Thunderbird" as Thunderbird is not a Microsoft program.

I have no idea where you are going with that.

So I was wondering if I had needed to store the files in the outlook directory.

No! Thunderbird will do the asking for the data from the outlook program. Therefore the outlook program must be installed and functional with the PST file included in it's default data

I may have read that they need to be converted into MBOX format. There are third party programs to open and view PST files.

There certainly are, and unless you have a copy of outlook installed and opening the PST file, you will need to obtain one to convert the data to either EML files or MBOX.

There was some conversation with Microsoft prior, so I had exported two PST files and downloaded an Outlook trial. I had been going back and forth during a 30 day trial to try to figure this out. I had mostly been trying to delete too many e-mails while trying to figure out the backup scenario. I no longer have outlook that is compatible with Windows. i read some information at that time prior to getting the trial from both Thunderbird support volunteers and Microsoft, but I did not understand it. I kind of also got stuck since I could not get enough help on getting a later PST file from Microsoft.

It seemed like I could export the files, but view them (as I have said), but then somehow use the plugin to import e-mails back into Thunderbird. Do you know the best program that might be freeware that converts to MBOX? Also, It is difficult for me to understand this plugin for importing e-mails that are not downloaded from thunderbird. I don't even see an option to import from MBOX formats. I see to import from ZIP formats.

i am wondering if there is a workaround since there are paid software programs to convert PST files to MBOX that are GUI format without Outlook. Somebody sent me some links at the beginning (when I did not get the trial I believe). I did not see information about needing to convert within Outlook. I only was aware that I needed to export from Outlook.com, and i could view it from a third-party program, but I could import it with Thunderbird with the extension. I do not have too much knowledge of other shell programs besides windows mail or windows live mail, since Outlook 2007 was used for minor purposes, and Thunderbird was probably used mildly if I really used it.