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Thunderbird and Outlook Express, back and forth.

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by joseph

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I used Thunderbird for years and really like it. But one of my customer had serious problems with Thunderbird since I installed it for him on his computer. I already spent months of times and looked for help everywhere, no hope and no help. Now I have to switch back to Outlook Express for him.
Seems like lots of people hates Microsoft, especially the lovers of open sours programs. If Thunderbird is really as good and ethical as they say, it should be more easier to work with other programs and more friendly with other programs. When I installed TB, TB transferred everything from outlook express very quickly and easily. Now, I have problem with it and tried to convert back to Outlook Express or Microsoft or Incredimail or other Email programs, no way. You started using TB, you stuck with it. I really don't know the difference between these so-called ethical open source programs and Bill Gates. Is there anyone can help me here? Thanks a million in advance!
Gracias,

16 replies

by joseph

I already went there over 50 times. The ImportExportTools extension is not available and could not find it anywhere. And it only helps transfer from outlook to TB. I've been dealing with guys from Mozilla long time and no help. Thank you so much!

by joseph

I already tried, that add-on doesn't work at all. If, only if it works, does it export the email with the format works with Outlook express or Microsoft Outlook?

Muchas Gracias!

by nicknielsen

I've been using T-Bird and SmartSave for years without a problem. It sounds like the install is corrupted. Have you tried installing the latest release?

SmartSave creates a folder on your hard drive and saves each email individually as a .eml file. Much easier to work with than some massive .pst!

by dawgit

And in what language? Is the TB and the OS in the same language? It looks like you have a problem with the TB install itself. If the program had a faulty or imcomplete install it could give some of those problems. Other wise that is not normal. I would recomend a recomend a complete new install of the newest TB. It will keep your e-mails, and pass them to new build with-out any problems. Afterwards you should be able to do what ever you're wanting to do. (as in exchanging data)

You have not mentioned what version of Windows you're useing, one can only assume XP, but if you're trying to do this with Vista, it's a whole different ball game. -d

by joseph

The computer my client using is Windows XP pro, English version. The TB he is using is also English 2.0.0.14. When I install it, it works great. Now, he could not see the contents of the Sent mails. His business requires check the sent mails as references and Sent Emails are even more important than the Emails he received in Inbox. But now the contents of the sent emails are bunch of meaningless letters and numbers. I have worked on this for months now. B/c I recommended him to use this, now I have to go back to his office again and again without charging him. He thought it was my fault. A guy from Mozilla told me to delete the .msf files from the Profile folder. I was lucky, I backed up everything before I did that. After I did that, the whole sent Emails are gone and the Send Folder was just blank. I am really frustrating and desperately need help now. I tried to switch back to Outlook which he was using before, failed again, again and again. Anyone can help me here, I really appreciated it. I am even willing to pay someone for helping me switch back to outlook. Gas price is almost $4.30 per Gallon now. I cannot afford drive the client's office which is over 30 miles from my office again and again anymore. Honestly, I started hate Mozilla after really liked it for years.

by nicknielsen

-Have Sent emails been corrupted since you converted him to Thunderbird or is this a recent problem?
-Are the contents of any other folders corrupted?
-Is it possible the drive has a bad sector that is causing the problem?
-Have you tried to Compact the folders to see if that will fix the problem (File | Compact Folders)?
-Did your client possibly do something that could have corrupted the folder?

As I said in my last post, I've never had an issue with Thunderbird in over five years of use, so I'm inclined to think the problem lies elsewhere.

by joseph

1. TB worked perfect fine for months.
2. All other folders are working fine.
3. The drive is fine and the computer is a less than one year brand new computer.
4. I have successfully compacted all the folders.
5. The only four programs the customer using on this computer are TB, Firefox, Quickbooks and excel. I don't think he did something wrong.
As I said, I really like TB and Firefox and have installed them on over thousand of computers. I recommended them to everyone of my customers. But this time it really makes me upset and cost me a lot. The most important point is I still don't have a solution for the problem I have yet.

by dawgit

Thunderbird is a solid piece of Software. And that is the latest stable version, and if the OS is configured correctly, there should be no problems. But I think you answered the "How it got that way". When you installed it you said it worked great, then your customer got his his hands on it. That explains it all. You really need to find out what he did to it. Did he attempt, in anyway, some kind of encryption process? If so, that could explain those funny looking e-mails in the sent folder. Also did he attempt to add anything into the Thunderbird program on his own? (also will he be honest about it if he did?) I feel sorry for you in that situation, but somehow something stinks, and I don't think it's you. Just how familular are you with Thunderbird? Meaning, can you give more specific info? The e-mails themselves are stored under: C:\\Documents and Settings\[User]\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\#x#x#x(an alpha numeric code for that user).default (or what ever you had entered, useually if you set it up for 1 person .default)\Mail\(the users) internet (e-mail) acount [pop. or SMTP. or IMAP.)user@whatever.com\*. scroll down and you will see files labeled to what is in them. the sent e-mails should be there as MSF-Data. (his incomming e-mails should have been filed under the Local Folders, in whatever File name he chooses, for safety. I also have a file there (labeled 'Sent') for any sent e-mails I need to keep. for the same reason) I really can't explain why the guy from Mozilla would tell you to delete (all?) the .MSF files from the program. That pretty much kills them. Your client BTW should have done his back-ups, especially if e-mail retention is required. if he didn't again, another reason you're not to blame. Sorry I can't help you more, but I would need more info. (info it looks like you don't have either). -d

by joseph

I have been using Thunderbird I believe over 5 years now and I really like it. I recommended to all of my clients and installed it on over thousand computers. This is the only one I really don't know what's going on. As I mentioned, I have been back to my client's office many many times tried to fix the problem. I really did not see anything wrong. The guy from Mozilla told me .msf file is not the data file and it is safe to just delete them. I setup the TB for one person and one email account. It is very simple. He even did not add any add-on (of course he even doesn't know how to do it) to it. What info you want? I am more than happy to give you all the info you need. Gracias.

by nicknielsen

You may lose him as a customer, but at some point you need to decide you've done everything possible, restore the folder to your customer's last known good backup, tell the guy you're sorry about the lost emails, and move on.

I'm inclined to believe your customer did something to the mail files he's not telling you about. If the emails are that important to him and the Sent mail folder was his only copy, then [u]he's[/u] not practicing due diligence.

by joseph

I already lose this customer. He already stopped using our company as his company's IT support. But still insists I should fix his problem b/c he said it is caused by me. Thank you very much for all the help. If you know any good ways to switch back Outlook, pls. let me know. I really appreciate it.

by nicknielsen

As I said, you need to tell him that; if he can't accept it, that's his problem. If those emails are that critical to his business, he should have copies somewhere. If he wants you to restore those emails, ask him for his backup disks/CDs. No backups==>no restore!

As far as I'm concerned, your only obligation now is to restore Thunderbird to full operation. Uninstall and reinstall using Dawgit's instructions below. If he wants to change back to Outlook Express, let his new support people do it!

Oh, yes, and document, document, document! If this guy is as big a pain-in-the-a$$ as you've been polite enough not to say, he's just as likely as not to try to sue you for lost income. If you have documentation of everything you've tried to do, as well as documentation that shows you advised him about backing up his data, that's a good thing.

by dawgit

It's not really what I want to know, in the way of info, it's what you need to know. That's what Im trying to get to.
Ok, looking at all these posts, I can determin this:
You, and many others, have been useing TB for a while. That version is proven stable. So it's not the program in it's self. The TB program in question is then isolated to one computer, and one user. That particular TB program got it's self corrupted some how.
1 user on 1 computer = corrupted program. ?:|
It seems to me that that user did something, maybe he doesn't even know it, but...

Ok, we're past that. Solutions? The best, and probably the most recomendable, a complete wipe of the present installation, and a fresh reinstallation the TB program. It's the only way you have to get out from under the situation you now have, and the most economical one for all concerned. He lost some e-mails, That's not Your Problem. It's his. He didn't do back-ups of what he clains is important to him. Point: If they were Really Important, he would have backed them up. (What plan does have if the 'computer' it's self crashes?)

My recomendations on that, is what I do to be safe my-self. Copy the remaining e-mails to another location. From my prievious post, and you probably already know this so I don't to tell you where they are. Create a File (Forder) in his "My Documents", Lable it "e-mails" (or what ever you think he will remember). Take the e-mail files from TB and 'Copy' them to the new File (Folder). Completly remove the TB program. All. Reinstall TB fresh. Set up the settings and preferences, your-self for him while he's there. (This is for your benifit, so you'll know how it's set-up) And then import the 'old' e-mails from the the Folder you created. Now you know all is well, and in the future, if something like this happens again, there'll be no confusion why.

Teach the user how he should be backing up his important Data, routinly, and regularly. (The way you just copied the e-mails above is a painless way to back them up as well) I've found it relativly quick, and easy in TB, to just copy, all sent e-mails to a seperate file foder in "My Mail". (If you look under "Account Settings" for his e-mail account, and then "Copies and Folders" you'll see that this can be set up automaticaly)

Done, problem solved. While it might not be what he thinks he wants at the moment, it is probably the best way, (maybe the only way) for both of you. -d

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