Migrating from Outlook using POP to Outlook using IMAP on new PC

[goombawaho]

I just want to confirm this procedure because I have managed to frog this up a few times and I don't want to do it again in an upcoming upgrade. Nothing has been done yet.

Old PC running Outlook 2007, everything stored in PST
Lots of folders for email storage created
Set to "Leave a copy of messages on the server" (indefinitely)

New computer with Outlook 2016, Outlook to be configured as IMAP
1. Uncheck setting on old computer "Leave a copy of messages on the server"
2. Run Send/Receive in Outlook on old computer to pull all messages off server
3. Transfer PST files to new PC
4. Set up IMAP account on new computer, let it run and sync
5. Use import function in Outlook 2016 to get messages and folders into IMAP account on new PC
6. Let new Outlook sync again

I just want to make sure of two things. Getting all the old custom folders into the IMAP account and not getting duplicates - thus the "remove from server" step.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[ChrisHirst]

This is a 'walk-through' I have sent to one of our clients who are moving their office staff and sales reps from POP3 to IMAP, to accommodate their office IT updates moving from desk-bound machines (MACs) to MacBooks iPads and iPhones.

Switching from POP3 to IMAP Accounts.

Pre-amble.

POP3 downloads all messages from the server inbox to the email client local storage. This has the disadvantage of not allowing messages to be accessed by other mail clients.

IMAP leaves all messages on the server so can be accessed by many devices, the disadvantage of this is it uses space on a mail server very quickly.

Unfortunately there is no way for mail clients to change from POP to IMAP directly, this is due to the limitations of the technologies involved.

Process.

Open your mail client.

Stop your mail client from automatically collecting messages.

Create a new account using IMAP as the protocol with the same user and server details as your POP account.

Then Move or Copy all messages you need available from the POP inbox to the IMAP inbox (This may take several minutes to complete)

IF you need your 'sent items' available at all times and all devices, move or copy these as well.

If you have 'archive' folders you can recreate this structure ONLY as 'inbox' sub-folders to have them all available.


Unless you have moved ALL messages do NOT delete the POP account as this will delete any stored messages, provided that automatic collection is turned off it will not interfere with IMAP.

Chris.

Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
Time flies like an arrow, however, fruit flies like a banana.

Never mind these jesus character, stars had to die for me to live.

 

[goombawaho]

What I'm concerned about most is the email left on the server. They are all in the Gmail INBOX via "left on server" setting but have since been put into folders in Outlook 2007. So, what about just deleting the emails from the online mailbox since we don't want those there when the IMAP client hits the mailbox for the first time and the Outlook already has all of them in folders in an organized manner?

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[ChrisHirst]

Sure; you can do whatever you want with the existing messages in Outlook. If they are not required to be accessible via IMAP just leave them as a 'archive' PST, and then the user can download and move messages from IMAP into the PST(s) when they outlive their 'online' usefulness.

Chris.

Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
Time flies like an arrow, however, fruit flies like a banana.

Never mind these jesus character, stars had to die for me to live.

 

[goombawaho]

You got it backwards. I DO need all the old messages in Outlook folders to be put back into the IMAP mailbox. I want to avoid re-downloading from the live gmail box, so that's why I was going to delete the online messages. To avoid duplication. Then use the Outlook PST as a source to put the folders back.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[ChrisHirst]

Technically each 'folder' is a separate IMAP mail box that has to be 'subscribed' to, and whatever is already in the IMAP mail boxes will not be 're-downloaded', by default IMAP does NOT actually 'download' anything, the IMAP client only reads the message headers and displays them.

Chris.

Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
Time flies like an arrow, however, fruit flies like a banana.

Never mind these jesus character, stars had to die for me to live.

 

[goombawaho]

Just to close this out, this is what I did and it was successful:

Run Outlook Send/Receive one last time
Disable "remember password" on email account
Shut down Outlook
Open web mailbox and delete all email messages in online mailbox (because they are already in the PST file)
Copy PST files to new computer but leave them on old computer
Set up IMAP account in Outlook on new computer
Run import on old PST file to get all old emails back



"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.