MS Outlook to Unix Mailbox Conversion mini HOWTO: Introduction

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## 1. Introduction

While several programs exist to convert some formats such as Microsoft Outlook Express to Unix formats, Outlook users have a bit more of a challenge. One way to convert uses Mozilla Mail under Windows; another involves a more complicated method. Both are explained in this miniHOWTO.

The database format that Outlook uses for .PST files, called Jet, is documented at:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/techart/olexcoutlk.htm

## 1.1 Copyright

Copyright (c) 2001-2004 by Greg Lindahl

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license may be found at:

http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html

I request that corrections and/or comments be forwarded to the document maintainer. If you're considering making a derived work other than a translation, I request that you discuss your plans with the current maintainer.

## 1.2 Disclaimer

Use the information in this document at your own risk. I disavow any potential liability for the contents of this document. Use of the concepts, examples, and/or other content of this document is entirely at your own risk.

All copyrights are owned by their owners, unless specifically noted otherwise. Use of a term in this document should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark.

Naming of particular products or brands should not be seen as endorsements.

You are strongly recommended to take a backup of your system before major installations, and backup your system at regular intervals.

Do not place your cat in a running microwave oven.

## 1.3 News

1.01: Fixed minor typo in inetd/xinetd startup instructions.

1.1: Added information about Kmailcvt, Mozilla, and how to get Outlook to talk to IMAP servers if it's in Exchange mode.

1.2: Added details about using Mozilla to do this same task

1.2.1: Fixed formatting typo.

1.2.2: Relicensed under the GFDL, more minor typo fixes.

1.3: Yet more minor fixes.

1.4: Information about TNEF stuff from Scott Phelps (thanks!)

## 1.4 Other ways of doing this

A list of conversion utilities, many commercial, may be found at:

http://www.emailman.com/conversion/index.html

I've had a claim that the program Kmailcvt now converts Outlook mailboxes. However, I'm not 100% sure that this claim is true, since Kmailcvt definitely converts Outlook Express mailboxes, which are completely different from Outlook mailboxes. So, if you figure this out, please let me know.

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