Backup the mailboxes and restore them onto a different server - is it possible?

[tarquel]

Hi all

I am in the process of switching my host from having a shared reseller account, to the new dedicated server I have with a different provider.

Is it possible to backup the mailboxes of a domain, and... [once I have transfered the domain over] ...restore them onto the domain on the new dedicated server?

The reseller account I have uses CPanel and the new dedicated server has DirectAdmin.

My thought is that if i did a full site backup within cpanel and downloaded the file, I could then somehow [and this is the bit i'm unsure of] import them somehow.

The users have been using Neomail out of the 3 that are in cpanel, and in DirectAdmin, i have SquirrelMail and UebiMiau installed.

Anyone care to suggest the easiest route to take?

Cheers
Nath

[nobaloney]

Does CPanel backup the user mailboxes? If so then search these forums for a cpanel to DA converter.

Jeff

[tarquel]

Hi again

The trouble lies in:

a) the previous host is a reseller account on shared hosting... so i have SSH, but not root access - thus i cant run a convert script i believe.

b) the previous host uses maildir's as opposed to mailboxes so I am trying to find a way to alter the config on the new server to use maildirs instead of a mailbox file - but as yet, i cant find it.

i've found something that should help with exim - http://www.hants.lug.org.uk/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?LinuxHints/ConvertFromMboxToMaildir - but I take it that the vm-pop3d service has something to do with all this too right?

Is there a way to change the config on vm-pop3d, or is there a way to use something else?

I've got a thread relating to my problem in the following thread on a different forum that may help shed light on my situation:

http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=560826

Cheers
Nath.

[nobaloney]

Please read the CPanel to DA thread on these forums; my understanding is it can be run on either system.

I don't think it'll care what mail format the previous host uses; I think it converts CPanel to DA irregardless.

However I can't guarantee that. It's certainly worth a try.

You can't use the script you found at http://www.hants.lug.org.uk/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?LinuxHints/ConvertFromMboxToMaildirwww.hantslug.org.uk without a lot of changes because it's for a generic exim setup; it doesn't take into account the DA-specific stuff. Also it requires procmail, and the DA-specific exim.conf doesn't use procmail.

Have you looked for and found the CPanel to DA conversion information on these forums? If so, where are you stuck? Have you tried it?

For further help/suggestions from me please refer in your reply to the specific post you followed or tried to (and/or couldn't) follow.

I know we can do the conversions for you, but we're not cheap :) .

Jeff

[hostpc.com]

Just a caution note... be careful if one system uses MBOX and one uses MailDIR ... they're not interchangable (easily)

Just something to watch out for.

[tarquel]

Ahhhh....

That's what I was trying to do lol

Isn't there a step-by-step to changing the server's system/settings to use maildir's instead of mbox(es)?

As then I could import them easily i would have thought.

jlasman - been looking at the script now - first time i saw it, i read it wrong lmao i must have been tired ;)

The full backup from cpanel of the domain/account in question is about 110MB - should take a while to download / upload lol [poor d/l speed on the old host ;)]

Going to bed - im shattered, but any thoughts are welcome still.

Cheers
Nath