Mail Migration

I bought a newer mac mini - 2009 - with super drive running Snow Leopard.

I want to migrate my mail setup from my old mac mini (OS 10.4.11) to my new mini.

I tried the Migration Assistant but it would not network through the usual ethernet connection so I am moving files via file share.

I can find my mail folders but will the new mail program recognize these folders, passwords etc with file share movement and not migration assistant?

Thank you. Happy holidays.

When linking through ethernet, did you put the old mac into target disk mode?

No

Directions said to make the new Mac the target for receiving the files from the old Mac source.

Specifically, new mac is transferring files from and the other is transferring files to, during MA setup after entering the code because it FOUND the target mac, the network had problems when searching for "information" and reported a network error/failure on the target mac screen.