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view old mbox file

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  • Last reply by nathan.tran

nathan.tran
nathan.tran
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I am using the latest version of Thunderbird (ver 60.x on Linux). I have some old mbox files created under Thunderbird version 2.0 (Windows). Normally you just copy the mbox file to Local folder, TB will create index file and display the messages. In my case, it doesn't work. TB create the .MSF file all right. From command line I can see some content in .MSF file and messages in mbox file are still there. But in thunderbird, nothing is displayed.

I did remove the CR/LR of windows text file. Still not work. I install importexportools ADD-ON and import the mbox file in TB. Still nothing display.

For mbox files created under previous thunderbird version, for example version 30.x, I have no problem with viewing the file just by copying into local folder.

I am quite puzzled with how to handle mbox file of TB 2.x. I'd appreciate any tips.

Nathan

I am using the latest version of Thunderbird (ver 60.x on Linux). I have some old mbox files created under Thunderbird version 2.0 (Windows). Normally you just copy the mbox file to Local folder, TB will create index file and display the messages. In my case, it doesn't work. TB create the .MSF file all right. From command line I can see some content in .MSF file and messages in mbox file are still there. But in thunderbird, nothing is displayed. I did remove the CR/LR of windows text file. Still not work. I install importexportools ADD-ON and import the mbox file in TB. Still nothing display. For mbox files created under previous thunderbird version, for example version 30.x, I have no problem with viewing the file just by copying into local folder. I am quite puzzled with how to handle mbox file of TB 2.x. I'd appreciate any tips. Nathan

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nathan.tran
nathan.tran Question owner
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In my next experiment, I copy the TB 2.0 mbox file over to Windows 10. Install Thunderbird 60 in Windows. Copy mbox file to local folder of TB. Try to read it. TB create .MSF file but apparently it doesn't see any messages in the old mbox file.

Next I copy the pair of mbox + .MSF files over to Windows. Nothing. TB display nothing.

Next, I installed ImportExportTools, then import the mbox file into TB. Still nothing.

It looks like mbox TB 2.x format is too old. Latest version of TB doesn't understand it. Or I am missing something here.

nathan.tran
nathan.tran Question owner
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To pursue the thinking that TB doesn't understand old mbox format, I played around with mbox file. I notice that in the mbox 2.x file, each message starts with

From - Fri Sep 14 23:39:37 2007 X-Mozilla-Status: 0009 X-Mozilla-Status2: 00800000 X-Mozilla-Keys:

while in mbox latest version, each message starts with

From - Mon Dec 11 17:55:52 2017 X-Account-Key: account45 X-UIDL: 1512240076.M253537P13037.mx,S=5323,W=5445 X-Mozilla-Status: 0011 X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000 X-Mozilla-Keys:

I removed all the X-... lines for some messages. Suprised, they show up in TB, but missing all the From, To, Subject ... info.

Well definitely TB could not handle its own old mbox format.