Where is the Mail inbox file?

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Level 1

4 points

Where is the Mail inbox file?

I just got a new computer, and I'm trying to move the Mail inbox from one computer to the other. I have found and moved all the other folders, but i can't find the inbox! This would be on OS X 10.2 I think. Any Ideas?

Posted on Jun 24, 2011 1:24 PM

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Answer 1

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cornelius

Level 6

17,826 points

Jun 25, 2011 8:12 AM in response to pastormick

Pastor Mick:

In your /Home/Library/ folder:

>/Home/Library/Mail (copy the whole folder)

Good luck.

😉 pastor cornelius

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Answer 2

pastormick Author

Level 1

4 points

Jun 25, 2011 8:32 AM in response to cornelius

great idea cornelius, but now i'm in a bit of a quandry... my wife has been using the new computer for a few weeks like i have it set up now, so now if i use the old Mail folder she'll lose her new info, but she still needs stuff that was in her old inbox. is it possible to access just the old inbox? i still have the old computer packed up in the basement, should i just get it out and drag and drop the emails into her old inbox into a folder on a jump drive? i'll grant that it lacks style points, but that would work, right? (currently, the new computer is connected to an external HD onto which I have downloaded the contents of the old computer).

thanks,

mick

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Answer 3

cornelius

Level 6

17,826 points

Jun 25, 2011 9:52 AM in response to pastormick

Mick:

I have never done this before, but it should work.

If you can connect the computers via Firewire Target Disk Mode using old computer as Target and new computer as Host

Open two Finder windows on Desktop and place one above the other. Top window is Source (old computer) Lower window Destination

To access the mail in your old computer

On Source window go to Home > Library > Mail > mailbox e.g. POP-Mick > Inbox.mbox > Messages

Select messages

Navigate to the same location on your new computer

Drag selected messages into Messages folder on new computer.

If you are not able to use FW-TDM you can save to a jump drive and move it into place.

😉 cornelius

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Answer 4

pastormick Author

Level 1

4 points

Jun 25, 2011 11:08 AM in response to cornelius

SO close... I found all the messages (thanks for that), and put them in the folder home/library/mail/(myMailFolder)/inbox.mbox/messages, but they still are not visible in the inbox in mail.

this is where the other emails in the inbox are located, and when i double-click on them they open just fine, but they are not in the inbox in the Mail app.

I also created a folder "On My Mac" in the Mail app, moved an email into there, and then put these same messages into that folder. same problem, they are not visible there either.

i restarted the computer and deleted the cache, but that didn't change anything.

also, I removed ALL THE MESSAGES from the home/library/mail/(myMailFolder)/inbox.mbox/messages, but when I opened Mail all of the messages that had been in the inbox were still there... ?

ideas?

p.s. I am doing all of this from an external HD attached to the computer.

Message was edited by: pastormick

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