# How can I export an Outlook 2003 .pst file to ThunderBird 2



## harsha (Sep 22, 2007)

In my Office PC I had Office Outlook 2003 installed hence I used it as email apps.. I stored all emails under a .pst file format of Default Outlook 2003...

Now I am getting a New Laptop from office So I want to transfer the .pst file to thunderbird...

I have copied the (total folder, had 3 files, one .pst, .obi, .dat each ) .pst file from Office PC (I dont have access to it any more) to my laptop... its Around 58 MB...

My cant afford Office 2003 or 2007, so no option for me to restore that under a Office Outlook, I would like to use Thunderbird...

Please tell me how can I restore that .pst to my thunderbird... I am running Windows XP


----------



## src2206 (Sep 22, 2007)

As you are running XP you have Outlook Express installed by default. So first import the .pst file to OE, then choose Import> Mail from Tools Menu in Thunderbird 2.0.0.6 and choose Outlook Express from the list. This will import all your messages from OE.


----------



## harsha (Sep 22, 2007)

No Outlook is unable to Restore... it cant read from .pst ... !!!! 

*img183.imageshack.us/img183/7377/untitledww7.jpg


----------



## src2206 (Sep 22, 2007)

Thats bad news. .pst is a propietory format and it is quite troublesome to import that format to any other email client save OE.

Do another thing:
Open the .pst file in your office pc using MS Outlook and then export that to .csv (comma separated value) file format. This can be easily imported by either OE or TB.

There are paid softwares available for reading .pst file like : *www.mailnavigator.com/reading_ms_outlook_pst_files.html
but I never used those so it would not be just to comment on that path. 

Hope this helps you.


----------



## MailSavR (Feb 12, 2009)

I tried to move my Outlook mail over to Thunderbird but nothing seems to work.  I tried a Thunderbird plugin with French error messages but that didn't work either.

My problem was made worse because I had PC problems and could only save the pst file from a dying hard drive.  I had to get my email back.  There was information I needed and I had software keys for about 10 programs on it that I never backed up.  After checking dozens of blogs and forums, it seemed the only way to move the data was to have Outlook installed. 

I found a program called pst walker that let me read pst files directly and copy any attachments I need to other locations.  I got all my data back and it saved my contacts too.  I didn't like paying the registration fee but it was better than losing all my contacts and  data in my email.

I must have searched through more than 20 forums and blogs before I found this solution so I'm passing this information along to every site I visited.  I appreciate the help I get from these forums and blogs and I'm happy I can give something back.

MailSavR


----------

