Migrating away from AOL

timbim_2

I'm trying to migrate someone off their reliance on the AOL service, and get them using thunderbird for email. The hurdles I have encountered are that the emails that they have saved onto their PC in AOL cannot be restored into an online folder that can then be downloaded into thunderbird, and I cannot seem to find the file AOL keeps the emails in. Is there any way of recovering them without just forwarding them back to the account so that I can then just download them and archive in thunderbird? Sorry if that was a bit confusing, but I'm totally stumped!

mjmal51

I presume you know that if the person moves from AOL that they can keep their e mail address and all its history? It was a concern for me when I changed ISP but turned out fine.

timbim_2

Ah no, I want to get them out of the AOL browser "expereience" for good. It's terrible!

ormus

aol calls them pfc files. you can get a free prog/s that will extract the files and save them to anywhere you like.
eg:
http://mark0.net/soft-pfcex-e.html

spud17

I also had this AOL problem on someones PC and set them up with Thunderbird.

The thing is that AOL uses imap as opposed to POP, this means in simple terms that the mail stays on the server.

Thunderbird can be set to imap with the settings from AOL, they hide them, but try HERE and down a little.

timbim_2

I can get that set up, I already have, I just want to transfer the old, archived emails as well.

timbim_2

For a large number of emails that need to be sorted and refered to by date it might not work. Certainly not ideal.

mjmal51

timbim wrote: »

Ah no, I want to get them out of the AOL browser "expereience" for good. It's terrible!

I realise that but they will be accessing their e mails from IE or Firefox, or whatever, not the AOL browser.

timbim_2

No, Thunderbird.

spud17

timbim wrote: »

For a large number of emails that need to be sorted and refered to by date it might not work. Certainly not ideal.

PITA I realise, but since these are not downloaded to the PC (imap), then suggest you open email, then use, right click and "save as".