How to save/open MS Outlook mail in Mac OS?

My old computer was an Dell running Windows XP. I used Outlook as my mail program. I would now like to transfer all of those saved messages from the inbox in Outlook over to my Mac running 10.5.8 with MS office 08. Currently I use Yahoo mail (all online), so I don't have a mail program. I have tried to copy the entire inbox onto a USB key and move them over, but Entourage or Mail will not read the saved messages at all. It just opens a blank message. How can I do this? There must be an easy way.

Try O2M

I recently tranferred all my Outlook mail folders from Win XP to Mail using the utility O2M by Little Machines. Worked like a breeze.

Mark

Did you use the free trial version? I'm wondering if that will do what I need.

O2m

No. I purchased a license ($10) as I needed to transfer mail from two PCs to two different MBPs over a few months so opted to buy the software. Not sure about the limitations, if any, on the trial version if you only need to do this once for a single Mac.

Mark

Does it move all the attachments and essentially replicate the outlook set up in Mail?

O2m

You can elect to import the attachments with the mail messages and it replicates the folder structure you choose to export from Outlook. You can also import your contacts into the Mac's Address Book app and your calendar into iCal. All very simple and painless.

Mark

I emailed Little Machines and asked how much the trial version would allow me to do. I just need to use it once.

I install and run this on the Windows machine, correct? Their website is not the best.

O2m

Yes, you install on the Windows PC and use O2M to create the data files to export. Then you can transfer these files to your Mac using one one the many techniques available.

Mark

I ran the trial version and it didn't work. It stepped me though everything in XP, but then when I go to open the message in Mac using either Mail or Entourage, it just opens a blank message. I'm using a memory key with a new mail folder just for this transport. The log says it converted 5 messages, but they are not on the key??? All I see is one called personal_folders_mbox

O2m

Did you follow the following directions from the O2M User Manual to import your mbox into Mac Mail:

1. Start up Apple's Mail program. Once it starts, you should be able to see all of your mailboxes, which look like folders, on the left side of the application, in a blue box. If you can't see the mailboxes, click on View, then Show Mailboxes to display your mailboxes.
2. Next, click on File, then Import Mailboxes.... The Import window opens. Choose mbox files, and then click the Continue button.
3. Navigate to the folder on your Macintosh where the mbox file(s) you want to import are located. Now select the folder containing the MBOX file (not the MBOX file itself — the MBOX file will not be selectable), then select the Choose button.
4. Mail will scan the folder you chose and show you a list of importable mbox files. Choose the files you want to import and click the >> button to start the import. When you're done, click >> to exit.
5. Find the folder in Mail called Import and open it. You'll find your imported mbox folders inside. You can rename the folders, or move the mail from them to other folders just by dragging.

After trial and error I figured it out. Now I know why I don't use Mail. Its not very intuitive. I'm about to purchase the program now so I covert over all 350 or so important messages. How long does the o2m key stay good for?

As far as I can tell, its good indefinitely.

At $10, I'd say it's a no-brainer.

PS. Give Mail more of a chance -- it's actually pretty awesome. If you have questions, let us know.