Rynert
asked on
Importing large Thunderbird Folder
Is there a physical limit to opening a thunderbird folder into a new account, either by design, or by fault?
I want to open an old inbox (420MB) into a new account. I have tried just swapping the file over and re-starting TB but it just thinks for a few minutes whilst it decides which 'emails to index' then stops and nothing appears.
I can create sub-folders and add items to that.
If I try to copy and paste an email into the inbox it says the file is in use.
I want to open an old inbox (420MB) into a new account. I have tried just swapping the file over and re-starting TB but it just thinks for a few minutes whilst it decides which 'emails to index' then stops and nothing appears.
I can create sub-folders and add items to that.
If I try to copy and paste an email into the inbox it says the file is in use.
ASKER
Yes.
Also renamed it.
In both cases it re-created the *.msf and then took ages to think about doing nothing...
Also renamed it.
In both cases it re-created the *.msf and then took ages to think about doing nothing...
latest thunderbird?
plan b could be to test this with postbox.
See http://www.postbox-inc.com
Create a new account, stop postbox, then go to to the profile folder and replace the inbox (delete the msf file if already created).
You find the profile under C:\Documents and Settings\[User Name]\Application Data\Postbox\Profiles\
That software comes with a 30 days trial, no need to register. It is 100% thunderbird compatible. If it's able to repair the mailfile try to move it back to thunderbird.
See http://www.postbox-inc.com
Create a new account, stop postbox, then go to to the profile folder and replace the inbox (delete the msf file if already created).
You find the profile under C:\Documents and Settings\[User Name]\Application Data\Postbox\Profiles\
That software comes with a 30 days trial, no need to register. It is 100% thunderbird compatible. If it's able to repair the mailfile try to move it back to thunderbird.
ASKER
Thanks for the suggestion - that had the identical result.
It is the latest version of TB but I may have upgraded the latest verison then tried to attach the TB folder without running TB in the old Windows Profile that belonged to the TB - if that makes sense?
It is the latest version of TB but I may have upgraded the latest verison then tried to attach the TB folder without running TB in the old Windows Profile that belonged to the TB - if that makes sense?
ok plan c:
the mbox format is just plain old text!
How about that:
in thunderbird you create 4 folders name e.g. folder1...4
then stop thunderbird.
Now you split your big inbox into 4 100mb chunks. wordpad should do it (make a backup before!!!!)
A split is well placed before a code like below (this is really plain text)
Name each split as folder1, folder2, folder3 according to the names you gave above.
Leave a zero size inbox (and delete the inbox.msf file)
Then start thunderbird and check if you got all mails.
Now arrange all emails back into the inbox - or into an folder for each year (I do that)
In thunderbird you can use the search option to seach for big emails in case you want to get rid of some.
Tolomir
the mbox format is just plain old text!
How about that:
in thunderbird you create 4 folders name e.g. folder1...4
then stop thunderbird.
Now you split your big inbox into 4 100mb chunks. wordpad should do it (make a backup before!!!!)
A split is well placed before a code like below (this is really plain text)
Name each split as folder1, folder2, folder3 according to the names you gave above.
Leave a zero size inbox (and delete the inbox.msf file)
Then start thunderbird and check if you got all mails.
Now arrange all emails back into the inbox - or into an folder for each year (I do that)
In thunderbird you can use the search option to seach for big emails in case you want to get rid of some.
Tolomir
From - Thu Jan 07 15:02:22 2010
X-Mozilla-Status: 0001
X-Mozilla-Status2: 00800000
X-Mozilla-Keys:
ASKER
Unable to open the file both PFE and Wordpad hang.
Wordpad gets to 850mb of memory before hanging.
There is plenty free memory at this point.
Wordpad gets to 850mb of memory before hanging.
There is plenty free memory at this point.
Try textpad (free trial version)
http://www.downloadbestsoft.com/howto/office/how-to-edit-or-modify-large-text-files-in-windows--15.html
http://www.downloadbestsoft.com/howto/office/how-to-edit-or-modify-large-text-files-in-windows--15.html
ASKER
420MB too much - it tries to open it and does display something whilst going quiet - but the moment you try to scroll it churns for 4-5 minutes then goes quiet again - and repeat.
Not a complete hang, but as good as.
At that point there is well over 2GB free memory.
See attached for what does display.
ee-inbox.gif
Not a complete hang, but as good as.
At that point there is well over 2GB free memory.
See attached for what does display.
ee-inbox.gif
ASKER
btw - this was the message during opening the file ;
Line 1 is 430674520 bytes long
Split into 33554429 byte lines?
Line 1 is 430674520 bytes long
Split into 33554429 byte lines?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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ASKER
What that showed was that the files was 420mb of spaces/special characters!
So a corrupt file :(
Luckily I have secondary backups (which really I should have looked at right away!) and that opens up, all 420MB, in a matter of seconds and looks fine!
Now opens fine - thanks for all your help :)
So a corrupt file :(
Luckily I have secondary backups (which really I should have looked at right away!) and that opens up, all 420MB, in a matter of seconds and looks fine!
Now opens fine - thanks for all your help :)
Great, I still advertise to split the email folder in years, in thunderbird...
ASKER
It is the Wife's old inbox - i have just deleted loads of photos (which are already saved onto her HDD) and emails from 4-5 years ago....
Then compacted...
420mb is 32MB!
She has beed educated :)
Thanks again.
Then compacted...
420mb is 32MB!
She has beed educated :)
Thanks again.
ok this sounds good.
32 MB is really no issue.
32 MB is really no issue.
ASKER
Ta - will take a look :)
This should confuse thunderbird if not.