Changing providers

[~Melissa~]

DH & I have decided to change service providers for our internet/email. I'm just wondering if there is an easy way to transfer all our saved emails & address book over to the new email account?

Also wondering about bookmarks. Can we transfer them over or will we have to document them & set them all up again once we get the new account happening?

thanks

[kat13]

I'm sorry a huge non help here - my DH did that about a yr back and he just sat and copied and pasted. Took him ages, but he has saved it as a word file and adds to it every now and again just incase

[kirrily]

Bookmarks are part of your web browser, nothing to do with your ISP, so that shouldn't change.

What program do you use to check your email? Unless you use webmail, it is usually just a case of changing your server settings in the preferences of your email client (program) so you log onto the new system instead of the old one. If you've downloaded all your messages to your computer instead of leaving them all on the web server, then they should all be kept for you when you make the changeover, as will your address books etc.

If you have to change web browser or email client, then you will need to migrate data, but you shouldn't need to do that if you're only changing ISP.

[~Melissa~]

Thanks Kirrily, that's exactly what I wanted to hear

We're only changing ISPs but for some silly reason, I still thought that everything would be lost & we would need to start all over. I'm glad that's not the case

Silly question alert
How do I know if my messages are saved on my computer or the web server?

[kirrily]

Originally Posted by ~Melissa~

How do I know if my messages are saved on my computer or the web server?

The technical way is: In your account settings in your email client, there will be an option to leave messages on the server. In Thunderbird, it's Account settings> Server settings > Leave messages on server (checkbox). If that is all unchecked, then that means you're downloading them.


The quick and easy way is: To disconnect the internet and open your email client and see if your old messages are there!

[~Melissa~]

Thanks

Every morning when I turn the pc on, the email messages are all there before I connect to the net so it should all be ok then. That's a big relief.

Now I just have to hope that the whole changeover goes smoothly & I don't have any downtime 6 weeks until exams & 4 assignments/essays to finish before then, I just can't afford to be without my net!

[kirrily]

If all else fails and you do have downtime, go buy a $20 prepaid dialup kit and use that. That's my backup plan if I ever lose the internet but still have a phone connection!

[~Melissa~]

That's a great idea. Thanks again

[kirrily]

No problem! Good luck with the uni work!

[*~Melinda~*]

You'll need to send an email to everyone in your address book (that you want to hear from anyway!) to let them know that your email is changing and to use the new one as the old email addy will be cancelled.