moving from old laptop using windows mail (Windows 7 upgraded to 10) to new lap top on windows 10 and installing thunderbird
I just got a new lap top running windows 10 and discovered how rubbish the new included email service is. I think Thunderbird will fit the bill. before I stuff up I need answers to these questions 1) I currently use the included mail client on windows seven on my old laptop (upgraded to Windows 10) and will need to migrate the emails and contacts from there across , can I do that and if so how? 2) I haven't a clue what the difference is between IMAP and POP3 is, however I currently leave all my emails on the web server as well as downloading them, so I can access them remotely will I still be able to do this? and how do I set this up to work? 3) I also have a really old laptop running Vista (I think) and outlook express (I think) Can I migrate those emails too? I believe that Thunderbird has an archive so that would be great for these emails. If this is possible how do I do it? 4) How do I get my contacts across from the old lap tops and possibly the webmail server if it can be done? 5) Of course all of this is because Windows 10 doesn't include a file transfer anymore either, is there anything else I should consider?
All Replies (6)
lets start with the simple stuff. just install Thunderbird and configure your email account. all your existing mail will download.
for those that have mail on multiple devices IMAP is a better option because it synchronizes the various mail clients to the mail server so they all show the same thing. This can be a little disconcerting when the mail you delete on your phone suddenly disappears off your desktop the first couple of time you do it.
Managing contacts on web mail can usually be done through the use of add-ons for outlook/hotmail and gmail. Otherwise you are stuck with exporting from the web in CSV or Ldif formats and importing to Thunderbird.
Your outlook express stuff is quite problematical, but I would suggest you install Thunderbird version 3 on that laptop and allow it to import the mail and any contacts from ooutlook express. you can then use the import export tools add on to export the mail from the lappy in mbox format and use them to import to the new Thunderbird on your new device.
But this is all something that you have to do a bit at a time. There is not a one size fits all option that will do it all for you at the click of a single button.
Thanks Matt. Ill start by adding TB on the new laptop and take it from there. I can't imagine I'll have time to do that much before the weekend.
is it possible to import the emails from the newest of the old laptops which is on windows mail? how do I do that . That laptop was originally a windows 7 updated to windows 10. the email client does have import and export facilities, so I assume I should be able to export from there to TB?
If all your mail is on the server as you indicated, it will download anyway. So importing may actually be a messy distraction. Try just adding the account in the first instance. Importing anything can come latter if it does not appear.
Hi Matt, before I go ahead and install Thunderbird can you let me know if something I was told today is correct. I have been told that anything I do in Thunderbird will be mirrored in my webmail, so if I create a folder and rules this will then apply to my webmail? Is this correct? Thanks
Step one. Google POP vs IMAP so you get a clue how they work. Figure out what protocol you have been using in the past.
Webmail is just a way to access your providers server using a browser. Your email could be setup as POP or IMAP. The answers to your questions depend on what you have been using so far.
I will go so far as suggest reading this.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/glossary-terms-including-types-accounts#w_mail-accounts
Basically if you use IMAP what you have been told is true. If you use POP it is not. Email is a complex area that most people think of as "mail" then get upset when it is not that simple.