Failed To Import From Outlook 2003 To Thunderbird
Hi, I’m trying to move from Outlook 2003 to Thunderbird 115.12.2 (64-bit). Using the import wizard fails. Tools > Import select Import From Outlook and the following message appears. “Either there is no default mail client or the current mail client can not fulfil the message request”. I’m taken back to the Import from screen with the addition of a red panel with “No Profile Found” on it. Outlook 2003 is the default e-mail client, checked more than once. I’m trying to migrate to thunderbird so I have no account setting, thinking they would be imported. My pst’s files have been moved to a directory on a different partition to the Outlook programme, tried creating a dummy profile using default Outlook storage and still fails. I’ve looked at converting pst files to mbox, but this doesn’t see to include the account settings. But I could add them manually or I can not import the mbox files or directory structure into Thunderbird. I’ve been messing around trying other things but nothing works. Internet searches, Thunderbird forum searches suggests solutions but all fails and the steps don’t match Thunderbird menu, etc in many cases. I’m stuck. Can anyone give any advice on how to migrate from Outlook 2003 to Thunderbird. Tools, Add-Ins or manual methods, anything just to get me up and running. PS I’ve two pst files, one is the default main Outlook.pst and the second a secondary store I created in the folders of Outlokk called Store.pst, beside the none default storage location everything else is standard for Outlook and Thunderbird.
Chosen solution
I would guess you probably need a version of Thunderbird a lot closer to the outlook version for them both to speak the same language. The outlook import was broken completely for years somewhere around V30 or so. I would guess whatever was done to fix it may not be back compatible with a twenty something year old version of outlook.
You also need the PST to be imported to be the outlooks default, but that may not help if the issue is age.
You can get older versions of Thunderbird in the FTP site here https://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/thunderbird/releases/5.0/win32/en-US/ I have linked to a US version of Thunderbird V5 which I think will work on your windows 7, at least to import mail although it will not be able to fetch mail from the major players like Outlook, yahoo or google as it has no idea of oauth authentication.
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Chosen Solution
I would guess you probably need a version of Thunderbird a lot closer to the outlook version for them both to speak the same language. The outlook import was broken completely for years somewhere around V30 or so. I would guess whatever was done to fix it may not be back compatible with a twenty something year old version of outlook.
You also need the PST to be imported to be the outlooks default, but that may not help if the issue is age.
You can get older versions of Thunderbird in the FTP site here https://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/thunderbird/releases/5.0/win32/en-US/ I have linked to a US version of Thunderbird V5 which I think will work on your windows 7, at least to import mail although it will not be able to fetch mail from the major players like Outlook, yahoo or google as it has no idea of oauth authentication.
Thanks Matt. I was wondering about the outlook.pst file location, but hope by select it it would be OK. I look at un-installed current Thunderbird, no less with that and tempprary installing an older version.
Thanks sfhowes. I found that support page but it failed for me, but thanks all helps.
Private61 said
I was wondering about the outlook.pst file location, but hope by select it it would be OK.
The PST has to be the one outlook opens when it loads, as the import is undertaken through a dynamic exchange if data between the outlook and Thunderbird applications having no reference as such to any PST file specifically.
I understood that but thanks. My issue is I split the original outlook.pst into outlook.pst (main store for setting etc) and a second store.pst file for a series of folders location under the heading of Store. Both are opened by outlook at the same time but both are opened from a location on a second hard disk instead of Microsofts default location, all works fine. Could this be part of the issue? I downloaded the older copy of Thunderbird and was planning to un-install and install that in the next few days and try again.
Private61 said
I downloaded the older copy of Thunderbird and was planning to un-install and install that in the next few days and try again.
In my last response I was of the understanding you had already done that. I think that should be the first port of call in attempting to get this to import.
Hi Matt, Thanks for your help, an older version sorted the importing of e-mails. A few bits wouldn't like accounts but I did them by hand, just a few. To get my Calendar across I had to go by GMail. Took sometime to sort and figure out the best way, hence the delay on this reply. But thanks again.
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