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I downloaded the ImportExport tool but when I try to import my mbox file, but every time I get the beach ball

  • 3 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 3 views
  • Last reply by sfhowes

jessicalh
jessicalh
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I downloaded an mbox file and I installed the ImportExport tool. I am attempting to import the mbox file via the ImportExport tool but every time I get the beach ball and have to force quit because Thunderbird is not responding. Please help!

I downloaded an mbox file and I installed the ImportExport tool. I am attempting to import the mbox file via the ImportExport tool but every time I get the beach ball and have to force quit because Thunderbird is not responding. Please help!

Modified by Wayne Mery

All Replies (3)

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 25 Contributor
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Did you try to import the mbox to an IMAP folder or to Local Folders (right-click LF, IETools/Import mbox file)? What's the size of the mbox file?

jessicalh
jessicalh Question owner
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I did try the right click, same issue. How do I specify that it be imported to an IMAP folder? Size is 54.86 GB

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 25 Contributor
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According to the add-on notes:

"you can't import mbox files in IMAP or NEWS accounts or folders"

Once the folder is imported to Local Folders, messages can be copied to IMAP folders in limited numbers, but keep in mind this involves uploading them to the IMAP server; a 55GB mbox file probably contains tens of thousands of messages.

Instead of using IETools, select Help/Troubleshooting Information, click Open (or Show) Folder to open the profile folder, close TB, open the Mail subfolder, which contains Local Folders, and copy the mbox file into Local Folders. When you restart TB, a folder with the same name as the mbox file should appear under LF in TB. Note: if the mbox was exported from Mail app, additional steps must be done to extract the 'real' mbox file.