I have simply moved the entire directory c:\pmail and all subdirectories around from desktop to laptop and back. works fine

I have been using PMail for years and recently upgraded my Win98 box to PMail 4.41.
Now I need to migrate PMail to an XP box which has 4.41 already installed (though I haven't used it yet).

The forums are full of posts on this topic, and most suggest copying C:\Pmail to the new box and *then* installing PMail on the XP. I could do that, but the wrinkle is that the two PCs have different directory structures. The XP install has the executables under C:\Pmail\Programs, and the mailboxes under \Admin; on the Win98 box pretty much everything is C:\Pmail.

What's the best way to accomplish a transfer? I am willing to uninstall PMail from the XP box and then copy all of C:\Pmail to it before re-installing PMail. But which directory structure will reign supreme? And if the old version wins out, will that affect future upgrades?

[quote user="Paul in NJ"]I have been using PMail for years and recently upgraded my Win98 box to PMail 4.41.
Now I need to migrate PMail to an XP box which has 4.41 already installed (though I haven't used it yet).

The forums are full of posts on this topic, and most suggest copying C:\Pmail to the new box and *then* installing PMail on the XP. I could do that, but the wrinkle is that the two PCs have different directory structures. The XP install has the executables under C:\Pmail\Programs, and the mailboxes under \Admin; on the Win98 box pretty much everything is C:\Pmail.

What's the best way to accomplish a transfer? I am willing to uninstall PMail from the XP box and then copy all of C:\Pmail to it before re-installing PMail. But which directory structure will reign supreme? And if the old version wins out, will that affect future upgrades?


[/quote]

If you do the move and then upgrade then you'll maintain the old mail directory structure and this will not cause you any problem with later upgrades.  I've been using c:\pmail since PMail for MSDOS in the early 90's and just keep upgrading over it.  I've moved the mailbox structure from system to system, including Linux, without problems.

My problem is similar but slightly different.

My pc runs WinXP Home edition, SP3.  Almost 2 weeks ago my system failed to the extent I opened a case with Microsoft Tech Support.  The Tech spent a lot of time attempting to diagnose and repair but, alas, it became necessary for me to reinstall the OS to a clean disk.

Since I was faced with a complete system rebuild, I purchased a new disk for the C: drive, and had the original disk installed in the system as the F: drive.

A new WinXP was installed with all its updates etc and over the past week I've been reinstalling all my user applications and all goes well, except for Pmail.  You probably know where this is going!

I was not succesful installing a new Pmail system on the new C: drive and getting all my email, identies, preferences, etc., available to the new Pmail system on the new C: drive.  As expected, I'm not able to acces the original Pmail application on the current F: disk, ie the original disk that I replaced.

All suggestions and directives are not only very much appreciated, but are critically needed.

thanks and best regards - ragsman

I was not successful installing a new Pmail system on the new C: drive

and getting all my email, identities, preferences, etc., available to the

new Pmail system on the new C: drive.  As expected, I'm not able to access the original Pmail application on the current F: disk, ie the

original disk that I replaced.

Go to the WinPMail  program directory on the F: drive and run pconfig.exe.  Change the Standalone HOME and NEW mail directory drive letter from c: to f:  Save and exit.  Run the program winpm-32.exe in the same directory and it should work.  You will need to create a new shortcut pointing to this directory.

Hello Paul in NJ,

Thanks for the help.  Your directive got me on the right track and all is working perfectly.

Best regards and good luck - ragsman

Well, I can't take the credit as I'm just the one who started the

thread; thank Thomas. I successfully

migrated my office PMail directory configuration from Win98 to

XP and have had no trouble with upgrades, just as Thomas said.

And, at home,

I did the same going from XP to Windows 7 (which truthfully ain't half

bad), and am now running PMail 4.51. Thanks, Thomas!

(And thanks, of course, to David Harris, who is a genius.)