ITS Knowledge Base

Commandline-utility to convert messages (USENET-articles or Mails) between the following formats: single files, mbox-format, rnews-batches.

msgcvt.zip Save to your desktop and unzip. See below for instructions on how to use.

Or go to:

How to copy your address book, foward your mail and download your folders.

This file will be in mbox format; which is the most common format for storage of mail messages. An mbox is a single file containing zero or more mail messages. However we have found it every difficult to import this file into your typical mail client such as Thunderbird, Netscape, etc…

I did search and found I could import it in Mozilla Thunderbird (version tested Mozilla Thunderbird 0.5 (20040207))

I downloaded this file “msgcvt.zip”, extracted it into a folder on my local hard drive.

Example: I created a folder called “mbox converter”, copied msgcvt.zip into this folder, extracted files into a folder called “msgcvt”.

You may then go to Start -> RUN-> type cmd
You will then get a command prompt, cd (change directory) to your directory you created that contains the msgcvt folder. Example: c:\mbox converter\msgcvt>
If you were to run a directory search (command “dir”) you will find the below listed files:
cMsgFile.pas
Compiler.inc
cTxtFile.pas
Msgcvt.dpr
Msgcvt.exe

To convert the mbox file you downloaded from the webmail server you would run these commands through your DOS prompt.

Example: c:\mbox converter\msgcvt> msgcvt –ix INBOX[1].inbox.mbox –omw inboxwebmail.mbx

Just so you know what all this means:

Msgcvt –i[input-file]x[treat infile as plain text and convert it into a dummy-message] INBOX[1].inbox.mbox[file you downloaded from webmail] –o[output-file]m [mbox-file]w[windows-lineseparator (CR=LF)]

This will convert your inbox you downloaded from webmail into a format you will be able to import into Thunderbird client.

Example of this: In Thunderbird, you would select “Tools”, “Import”,

Then choose “mail” Click [NEXT]

Then choose Eudora (I know you are not importing from Eudora, it just so happens to be able to read mbx format) Trust me…

Click [NEXT]

Choose the location where your newly converted “inboxwebmail.mbx” file is.

Screen will say that it is importing your mail, then you would [Click] “Finish” you will then see your emailwebmail folder in Thunderbird.

I only tested this a few times with my version of Thunderbird, again this is not a guaranteed solution, but it might help. The best solution to saving your mail is to forward it to a new account, but we wanted to give you options. Thanks and good luck.