Pages: 1
RSS
Moving email messages from POP3 toward IMAP account
 
Hello All,

Lately I had to switch from POP3 to IMAP mail system.
While doing so, it was imperative for me to carry all my old messages into the new IMAP account.

First I tried to copy or move my messages within The Bat! (Pro 7.4.16, 64-bit), from the old POP3 to the new IMAP account.
But it doesn't worked properly, as explained on this topic:
https://www.ritlabs.com/en/auth-forums/forum4/topic13961

So I tried to do it via an other software.
For this, ThunderBird was all designated.

Fortunately, it was a success.
Thus I've been able to copy all +16k messages, form one of my POP3 account towards my new IMAP account, including attached files when there were.

As I lost a lot of time, and nerves too, experimenting unsuccessfully and had a lots of troubles before I can set a proper way to do it, and because people of good will helped me too, I though it'll prevent others from going through the same nightmare if I write it.
That's the purpose of this topic.

I didn't pretend it's the only way, but it's the only one I found.
If any one knows of an easier and fastest way, I'm very interested about it, as I've still got an other POP3 account to move with +32k messages and numerous folders and sub-folders.

Any way, this method is laborious when one has many folders and sub-folders, that's right.
But it's not that complicated, it just need to be meticulous and systematic.

Underneath there's a short description to have an idea of what's about, and after that a more detailed to be sure any one will be able to practice it.


Good Luck !
       damien
 
There's the short description:

- In the POP3 account on The Bat!, save folder content in *.MBox files.
       - Save it folder by folder, sub-folder by sub-folder.

- In ThunderBird:
       - Create a new IMAP account.
       - Import the saved *.MBox files in a local folder.
       - Move the imported messages into the IMAP folders.
       - Close ThunderBird.

- In The Bat!:
       - Create a new IMAP account (same as the one created in ThunderBird).
       - All imported messages should shows.

It's done. Or at least it should be.
 
And there's the detailed description of what I did:

Additional Software needed:
- Install ThunderBird
- Download and install Add-On ImportExportTools NG 4.0.1 in ThunderBird
https://addons.thunderbird.net/en/thunderbird/addon/importexporttools-ng

Into ThunderBird:
- Create a new IMAP account.
 Same as the one I had in The Bat! for years, but with IMAP settings.
- Create the IMAP folders and sub-folders.
 (Same tree that I had in The Bat! POP3 account.)
- Create a local folder named Transfert (any other name will do too).

Into The Bat!:
- Select all the messages of a folder or sub-folder.
- Tools / Export messages / UNIX mailbox ...
       - Select a temporary directory where to save the file.
       - Give the file the name of the folder.
- Let the export process end up (it's rather short).

Into ThunderBird:
- On the bottom of left panel, under Local folder, place the focus on the folder \Transfert.
 It is mandatory to import *.mbox file on a local folder, as it's technically not possible to do it directly in IMAP folder.
- Tools / "Import/Export .mbox/.eml format" / Import MBox file
- Check "Import directly one or more mbox files"
- Select directory of saved *.mbox files
- Select a saved *.mbox file to import
- Let the import process run.
- Select the new imported folder under \Transfert.
 It's got the name of the imported file, including the *.mbox extension.
- Select the content of this folder.
- Right click on the selected messages:
       - Select "Move toward"
 Or Messages / Move toward
- Select the target IMAP folder.
 (That's under account name.)
- Let the transfer process end.
- Close ThunderBird.

Into The Bat!:
- Create a new IMAP account.
 (Same as the one created in ThunderBird.)
- Check mail.
- All imported messages shows.
 Or at least should shows.

Wishing it'll works for you too !
    damien
 
Excellent! Thanks very much for sharing your experiences in such detail! I'm sure this will be useful for others (until the procedure in The Bat itself is fixed).
I volunteer as a moderator to help keep the forum tidy. I do not work for Ritlabs SRL.
 
Quote
Damien Clement wrote:
Hello All,

Lately I had to switch from POP3 to IMAP mail system.
While doing so, it was imperative for me to carry all my old messages into the new IMAP account.

First I tried to copy or move my messages within The Bat! (Pro 7.4.16, 64-bit), from the old POP3 to the new IMAP account.
But it doesn't worked properly, as explained on this topic:
https://www.ritlabs.com/en/auth-forums/forum4/topic13961

@Damien Clement - This link to topic 13961 you put above doesn't go to the topic (post) itself but rather goes to the main forum section.
Can you please re-post the right link so we can read it.

Additionally, the IMAP account that you switched to - Is it the same account (same email address) as the POP3 you switched from?
If yes, then why not using the 'restore' option to retrieve all the messages from the POP3 to the IMAP
I am referring to the .TBK file that you get when creating a backup.

Moderator's note:
Please try: https://www.ritlabs.com/en/auth-forums/forum4/topic13961/
 
Hello Eran,

Sorry to be so late.

> the IMAP account that you switched to - Is it the same account (same email address) as the POP3 you switched from? <
Yes !
I swiched 2 separat e-mail accounts from TheBat! (version 7...) POP3 to TheBat! (same version) IMAP.I only changed the password, to avoid confusion.

> If yes, then why not using the 'restore' option to retrieve all the messages from the POP3 to the IMAP
> I am referring to the .TBK file that you get when creating a backup. <
Whether because it didn't worked for me or because I didn't konw about it (sorry, I don't remember).
 
The Restore feature does just that, restores to prior TB! account. The IMAP account, although the same email address, is a different account to TB!. So, a restore would restore POP to POP. Converting from POP to IMAP is work, as defined in this thread. There are other ways to do it, but this is a good example.

david
Pages: 1