Q: transferring outlook data from pc to mac
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Dec 14, 2012 2:12 AMby LousyFool,Two ways:
1.) Using the Migration Assistant for Windows. You'll end up with a new user account, and consequently you'll need to move some data from that new user to your good self to then import into Mail and where else.
2.) The good old trick via Thunderbird (requires you have a PC with the data still in Outlook!): Install Thunderbird on the PC, then use it to import the Outlook .pst file. Only mails and contact will make it over, not calendars, notes, etc. Thunderbird saves the mails in Mail-compatible .mbox files, and contacts as Vcards, if nothing has changed dramatically. You just need to bring them over to the Mac, e.g. via USB flash drive.
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Dec 14, 2012 5:53 AMby Julian Bashir,Setup Assistant/Migration Assistant is not working. As I had mentioned, I keep getting an error on my PC with it reading my data - "error preparing your information for transfer." That's why I'm doing things manually.
I tried Thunderbird. I imported the Outlook mailboxes and I verified that the imported mailboxes have the correct number of emails each. Then, when I move the Thunderbird directory profile over to my mac and import using iMail, I get a problem: most of the emails are imported but not all. All the mailboxes are there, but for unclear reasons, iMail only imports a certain number of emails in each mailbox. There is no rhyme or reason to it, but the number imported seems constant, e.g. some mailboxes it won't import any messages while another it will import exactly 20 out of 73 messages, etc.
I've tried the Thunderbird approach several times, and get the same result each time. I've also tried having iMail import as Thunderbird and also import as mbox files - same problem. I read elsewhere that the iMail import function is broken. Is this true? I really need to get the complete mailboxes sent over. Any other effective methods out there? I've heard of the O2M program, but I've heard mixed reviews about it and don't want to waste money and something that might not work.
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Dec 14, 2012 8:53 AMby LousyFool,Hmmm. I trust you did everything "by the book" (= by the links I posted), so just double-checking:
1.) You installed and used the Migration Assistant for Windows - logically on the PC, yes? Everything else also per description in the linked doc, of course?
2.) Same: You installed the Windows version of Thunderbird on the PC, yes?
Now, here is a bit of an unorthodox but practical way... though the long list here tells you how nice it's be to get the Migration Assistant for Windows going...
- In Thunderbird, make sure your mail account(s) are set up as IMAP. Okay, it might take a while until Thunderbird has synced with your server in its present state... (you can perhaps speed it up by downloading only headers, or at least only mail messages and no attachments)... patience...
- The mails from the imported boxes as they had come from Outlook, mark them in groups of say 50-100 to begin with, then drag and drop (or copy & paste) them into the respective IMAP mail folders. They'll sync with the server = upload to it. Allow it time - I guess it's not about rush-rush but rather that all mails arrive at their "new home". As you see it works okay, you can increase the group size, but don't make it more than 150-200 mails per batch.
- I guess I'm assuming that your Apple Mail is also set up as IMAP... please tell me it's true, otherwise you want to (after a fresh backup of the Mac) install your mail accounts again but as IMAP.
- Once done on the PC in Thunderbird, your older mails from there will show up in Apple Mail since Mail syncs with the server in good IMAP style, hopefully without too many duplicates, if any, due to previous successful imports. However, duplicates should be easily deletable in the previously imported folders in Mail.
- Almost last steps, depending on what you prefer, POP or IMAP:
- If you prefer IMAP, and it's already been IMAP before: Eventually you want to make sure that you don't have duplicates in Mail, otherwise proceed as mentioned above. All should be good then.
- If you prefer IMAP, and if you had a POP account before: In Mail, drag and drop your mails from the POP account folders also to the newer respective IMAP folders just as previously in Thunderbird on the PC. When done, delete the POP account.
- You prefer POP: In Mail, drag and drop the mails from the IMAP folders to the respective POP folders in a similar fashion as before in Thunderbird. Make sure all mail bodies and attchments come across. When done, delete the IMAP account.
- Final step: On the PC, best without an Internet connection, delete Thunderbird (first the app, then the mailboxes on the HDD, but not the mails in Thunderbird while on the Internet!), and make sure the accounts in Outlook are disabled.
This last method will take a while, but step by step your getting closer to your goal of having all mails, new and old, available on your Mac (tip: take the opportunity and make it IMAP. From there you can think of archiving strategies for aged and aging messages...
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Dec 14, 2012 10:39 AMby Julian Bashir,Yes to #1 an #2. I may not understand a lot about computers, but I do know how to follow directions. :-) As I had mentioned, the process seemed to be working, only it only imported about 75% of the mail. The problem seems to be on the iMail end - I verified that the Thunderbird profile had the correct number of emails.
I tried Migration Assistant multiple times on my PC - each time getting the error message. I think something about my iTunes library on the external hard drive is causing the error. Since I've moved the iTunes library manually and disconnected that hard drive, maybe I could try it again and see.
Trouble with IMAP - I heard this method is better when you don't have many mails to migraine. I have about 5000 emails or so. Still if redoing MA does not work, I'll give that a try. Sounds like a very time-consuming approach, though...
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Dec 14, 2012 11:20 AMby LousyFool,I have about 5000 emails or so. (...) Sounds like a very time-consuming approach, though...
Yes, though it depends less on the number of mails as more on the size of them and your Internet bandwidth as it's about uploading, and eventually later syncing (downloading) a certain data volume. Okay, the fact that it's individual mail messages instead of a single large file doesn't really help...
Good luck. Looking forward to hearing back.
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Dec 14, 2012 12:13 PMby Julian Bashir,OK, quick update. It appears Windows Migration Assistant is now working on my PC. The only thing I did differently is disconnect my external hard drive with the iTunes media library on it, and delete the iTunes library files from my music directory. Apparently something about the iTunes library being on an external hard drive makes WMA go crazy. This of course I am now able to do because I got the iTunes library moved over to my mac.
So, now WMA seems to work, and on the Mac side, I get a prompt asking me what information I want migrated over. I deselect everything and only select what appears to be the email information. These include three categories:
mail.comcast.net (something in parenthesis here, I forget what)
mail.comcast.net (Windows Live Pop server)
Other messages
The first two are 0 KB in size while the third is 25 KB in size -- very odd since the Thunderbird profile was 2 GB when I did it that way. I assume that "Other messages" refers to the emails themselve while the other two are just account information - however, I'm not sure why I have two comcast accounts. ANyway, I decide to go through with it and see what happens. Now I run into a major snag - it looks like Migration Assistant on the Mac is trying to import the data into a new user account - ugh!
At this point, it gives me the option to "skip user," "continue" (which I think will write the information to a new user account) or "cancel." I tried "skip user," and I got a message after 1 second saying that the information had been imported - but where? I checked in the iMail program, and there was nothing there.
Is there some way to make Migration Assistant import the messages into an existing user account?
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Dec 14, 2012 12:20 PMby LousyFool,Now I run into a major snag - it looks like Migration Assistant on the Mac is trying to import the data into a new user account - ugh!
I had "warned" you already in my first post under point 1.) that
You'll end up with a new user account, and consequently you'll need to move some data from that new user to your good self
-- see link here and above.
So, no big issue...
It should all go well at your end, so I can go zzzzzzz, yes? It's very late here...
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Dec 14, 2012 12:56 PMby Julian Bashir,Yes, get your zzz's. I need you to be refreshed and ready to go tomorrow in case my problem isn't fixed :-)
I'll try the wma import and copy the files from the new account. I'm still puzzled though as to why the WMA is registering my messages as being 25kb in size....
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Dec 15, 2012 11:28 AMby Julian Bashir,Well, I tried Migration Assistant again. It created the new account but.... not email that I can see in the new account's iMail App. It did prompt me for the password to the comcast.net mail server which I usually use, so the account information is apparently setup. I didn't dload any email because the message import did not work, and I did not want to have to merge more mailboxes.
So I guess my only remaining options are to try importing via an IMAP account? Since the problem seems to be on the iMail side, I'm guessing that getting a program like O2M probably won't work. I have repeatedly verified that Thunderbird is properly extracting the correct number of emails.
I'm really befuddled by this.
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Dec 15, 2012 12:18 PMby LousyFool,Julian Bashir wrote:
Well, I tried Migration Assistant again. It created the new account but.... not email that I can see in the new account's iMail App.
Frankly, I'm not sure where MA puts the emails. I'd be surprised if they'd pop up in Mail immediately without the need to be imported there! So, I'm not surprised if you can't see them in Mail, yet.
But you can search for them:
(a) In that new account, open a Finder window and type ".mbox" into the search field (without the quotes but with the dot. Any files with the suffix .mbox popping up? No worries if not, they could be in the User Library.
(b) So then, in that Finder window and with it being active in the foreground, go into the hidden User Library:
- Click on Go in the menu bar, then press and hold the Option key (making the Library accessible in the Go menu) and click Library.
Now again, type ".mbox" into the search field and make sure that in the Search toolbar "Library" is selected.
Now there should be .mbox files. Anything looking like from Outlook?
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Dec 17, 2012 2:56 PMby Julian Bashir,Option (a) didn't work - there were no files with that extension (I had to remember not to use the * wild card, obviously another holdover from my PC days). I'll remember to try option (b) when I get home, hopefully after I've finished a bit more xmas shopping. Though I must admit that, with the speed with which it supposedly transferred my mailboxes (practically instantaneous), I'm still suspicious that it didn't really work.
Also, I appreciate the help, and if it seems like I'm asking a ton of questions, it's only because I'm moving over huge amounts of data, know from experience how mistakes can cause one to have to spend more time later fixing them, and this is my first Mac and its interface is still not intuitive to me because I'm used a more PC-like behavior (but I'm learning fast). I usually just jump into computers without calling for help, but this is the first time I've been in a situation like this and having to divide my time between huge data transfers and kids/family (my last computer was years ago before I even had kids). Anyway, feel free to just ignore me if my questions are causing a headache, but I do appreciate the help so far. :-)
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by rkaufmann87,Dec 17, 2012 2:58 PM
rkaufmann87
Dec 17, 2012 2:58 PM
in response to Julian Bashir
Level 9
(58,956 points)
Photos for MacJulian,
Have you called AppleCare, you have 90 days of free telephone support. They can probably help you through all of your questions. The phone number is in your owner's manual.
