My guess - and that's all it is - is that Thunderbird is looking for Outlook on the same PC as itself.

Outlook is indeed on the same PC as Thunderbird. The Outlook data file used to be on a different drive, D instead of of the program C drive. I also tried to import with the data on the C drive.

In the past importing outlook into Thunderbird 31.8.0 was successful, but after update all data gone again. So Thunderbird found Outlook.

If I put Outlook 2010 on a different PC, how do I import the data in Thunderbird?

Hi Ron, I too am trying the Import via 31.8.0 Used Everything of course, and it said imported Accounts (no evidence that that worked), Address Book (that worked!), and Mail Folders (that worked too!). No mention of Calendar (I'm not sure 31.8.0 has a calendar tab?)

But I'm stymied on 31.8.0 saying it is the latest version, and given that this route is supposed to be followed by updating to the latest, how did you get it to update?

I added an account and that worked but created a new inbox so so didn't have the account rules which distributes the incoming emails to the various imported folders. Did the import Accounts work for you?

Thanks in advance, (another) Ron

Hi Ron,

More or less same results with 31.8. No Calendar and account rules either. After updating to the latest version, I lost the mail or address book. I don’t know which one anymore. This was about 1 year ago. Didn’t used it.

As of Thunderbird 100 and up, there is a new import option. I’ve recently tried again with this one, to import Outlook 2010, but get the message “file not found”. I don’t know where or for what file(s) Thunderbird is looking.

This is all very time consuming. In November I’ve more time to look into it again. I’m thinking about upgrading Outlook first to 2016, 2019 or 2021 and then try to import again.

I want to switch from Windows to Linux. First choice is Thunderbird, but if I keep failing to import, I’m going to try Outlook under Linux. I need the data in Outlook on a daily basis.

Hopefully you’re more successful.

Well Ron,

I was trying to avoid the expense of upgrading Outlook (from Office 2003 in my case).

I tried Thunderbird because of the gmail switch to OAuth2 and it went so smoothly I moved all my [disposable] gmail and hotmail accounts to it.

Now my ISP, Talktalk, is switching from SSL to TSL which isn't in Outlook 2003.

But as they are my main mail accounts I need those folders & accounts in T'bird. I found another support post saying how to upgrade from T'bird 38.1 : Download and install these versions : 45.0 , 52.0, 60.2.1 , 68.2.0, 78.3.1, 91.1.2 You can get downloads from this location: http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/thunderbird/releases/

Seemed to go OK until the 68.2.0 version whereon I got You have launched an older version of Thunderbird A newer version of Thunderbird may have made changes to your profile which are no longer compatible with this older version. Use this profile only with that newer version, or create a new profile for this installation of Thunderbird. Creating a new profile requires setting up your accounts, calendars and add-ons again. but https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/unable-launch-older-version-profile told me how to get the "profile" from the x-86 version! This was an intended feature allowing one to have multiple versions of T'bird on the same PC.

If the latest Outlook has OAuth2 and TSL then upgrading Outlook, although expensive, will remove my need for T'bird.

Thanks, Ron

Thanks for the extra info. Hopefully you got Mail up and running quickly.

But I'm stymied on 31.8.0 saying it is the latest version, and given that this route is supposed to be followed by updating to the latest, how did you get it to update?

V38 has no clear update path to the current version, so the update fails (returns current version is up to date)

Fundamentally waiting a decade after software becomes obsolete is the issue. You are fighting 10 years of updates.

Personally I fail to understand paying for Outlook. I have been forced over the years to use it. But as for voluntary use. That ended around the time outlook express arrived in 1997 for free and was a way better product.

The problem is I need the data (old mails & calendar) in Outlook on a daily basis. As long as I can't import it in Thunderbird I'm stuck to Outlook. I'm trying for years to switch to Thunderbird, without success. I was hoping that the new import option in Thunderbird would make it happen this time. But so far only the message "no profile found" when I try to import Outlook data in Thunderbird. In November I got some time to look into it again.

The cost is no issue, I can buy Outlook, on a corporate account, for a few tenners.