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MDaemon Converter For Server
PCDOTS MDaemon Converter walks the C:\MDaemon\Users\<domain>\<user>\ tree, parses every .msg message file in MIME format, decodes AddrBook.mrk contacts, reads HIWATER.mrk and IMAP.mrk metadata, extracts WorldClient calendar and tasks, and writes everything to PST, PDF, MSG, EML, MBOX, vCard, Gmail, Office 365 and other modern destinations.
MDaemon Server stores every account under C:\MDaemon\Users\<domain>\<user>\. Multi-domain installs get one folder per domain. Each user folder contains the actual mail as individual .msg files (one file per message, MIME-formatted plain text), the contacts list as AddrBook.mrk (XML), and a few .mrk metadata files tracking IMAP folder state and high-water marks. Three feature pillars cover the wizard's reading-and-writing flow: directory walk, file decoding, and output writing.
Directory Walk Through Users\\
The wizard accepts Add Files for individual .msg selection or Add Folder pointed at the whole MDaemon\Users\ root. The directory walk identifies each domain folder, then each user folder under each domain, then the .msg files and .mrk metadata inside. Public Folders and Shared Folders sit alongside the Users tree and read on the same pass.
Multi-domain aware: walks every Users\<domain>\ subfolder
Per-user .msg + .mrk files identified by signature
Public Folders and Shared Folders read on the same job
File Decoding for .msg and .mrk
Each .msg file in a user folder holds one message in MIME format with full RFC 5322 headers (To, From, Subject, Date, Message-ID), body, and attachments. Each .mrk file serves a different metadata role: AddrBook.mrk stores contacts in XML between <contact> elements, HIWATER.mrk tracks high-water marks for IMAP UIDs, IMAP.mrk tracks folder subscriptions and access state.
HIWATER.mrk and IMAP.mrk metadata read for context
Output Writing to File or Cloud
10+ destinations covered. File formats: PST (Outlook), MSG, EML, EMLX, MBOX, PDF, HTML, RTF, TXT, vCard. Cloud destinations: Microsoft 365 via Exchange Online, Gmail and Google Workspace via OAuth, Yahoo Mail, and any IMAP-compatible server. AddrBook.mrk contacts export to vCard readable by Outlook and any standards-compliant address book. WorldClient calendar and tasks data writes to PST calendar and Outlook tasks.
10+ file format outputs: PST, MSG, EML, MBOX, PDF, vCard
WorldClient calendar/tasks land in PST calendar/tasks at destination
MDaemon User Folders Direct to Outlook PST
The most common MDaemon admin migration: per-user folders directly to Outlook PST. Aim the wizard at C:\MDaemon\Users\, the wizard walks every domain and every user, writes one PST per source mailbox or one combined PST per domain. Output PST opens in Outlook 2007 and later, imports into Exchange Server via New-MailboxImportRequest, or uploads to Microsoft 365 via the same cmdlet variant.
AddrBook.mrk Contacts to vCard or PST
AddrBook.mrk stores each user's contacts in XML between <contact> elements - name, email, phone, notes. Generic mail-server tools sometimes ignore .mrk entirely; the contacts get lost during conversion. The wizard reads AddrBook.mrk per user and writes vCard (.vcf) compatible with most address book clients, or routes the contacts straight into PST contact entries when the export target is PST.
Multi-Domain MDaemon Walks in One Job
MDaemon installs commonly host several domains on one server: Users\example.com\, Users\another.com\, Users\subsidiary.org\. Each domain has its own user folder set. The wizard's Add Folder mode points at the Users\ root, identifies every domain folder, walks every user folder inside each, and writes coherent output retaining the multi-domain structure at the destination.
WorldClient Calendar and Tasks Read
WorldClient is MDaemon's built-in webmail interface. WorldClient stores calendar events, tasks, and notes alongside the mail in the same user folder structure. The wizard reads each: calendar events export to PST calendar entries or .ics files, tasks export to PST task list, notes export to plain text or PST sticky notes. MDaemon Connector for Outlook clients see the same data round-tripped.
MDaemon to Microsoft 365 Direct Upload
For migration off Alt-N MDaemon to Microsoft 365, the wizard uploads each user's mail directly to the destination Microsoft 365 mailbox via Exchange Online. Authenticate to the destination tenant once with admin credentials, the wizard walks every MDaemon user folder, uploads message-by-message with folder hierarchy retained as Outlook folders. WorldClient calendar entries land in the Microsoft 365 calendar.
No MDaemon Server Install Required
MDaemon Server is a paid product (still actively sold by MDaemon Technologies, currently version 25.5). The conversion workstation does not need a working MDaemon install or an active license. The wizard reads the MDaemon\Users\ folder structure directly from disk, parsing .msg files via its own MIME reader and .mrk files via its own XML parser. Useful when archiving a retired MDaemon Server.
10+Output destinations supported
3.mrk file types decoded
100%.msg header retention through export
991Verified user reviews
Simple 3-Step Process
Three Phases from MDaemon Users Tree to Output
The Users-tree walk, the format pick, the save - three phases cover most MDaemon Server conversion jobs at the high level. Each phase hides specific details (.msg parsing, .mrk decoding, multi-domain handling) that the eleven-step walkthrough later on this page covers in full.
01
1. Walk the MDaemon Users Tree
Click Add Folder and point the wizard at C:\MDaemon\Users\ (or a single user folder). The wizard scans the tree, identifies every domain folder, every user folder under each domain, the .msg files, and the .mrk metadata files (AddrBook, HIWATER, IMAP).
02
2. Choose the Output Destination
Hit Export. The output picker splits into file destinations spanning Outlook PST, individual MSG and EML messages, EMLX for Apple Mail, MBOX for Thunderbird and similar, PDF for archival, plus HTML/RTF/TXT and vCard and cloud uploaders covering Microsoft 365, Gmail/Google Workspace, Yahoo and generic IMAP. Online destinations trigger a credentials dialog at the next step.
03
3. Save and Run the Conversion
Browse to the destination folder for file outputs, or confirm destination credentials for cloud outputs. The licensed edition processes unlimited MDaemon archives; the trial caps at 25 emails per folder for evaluation.
Software Compatibility
MDaemon Source Files and Output Targets
Source: MDaemon Server folder tree at C:\MDaemon\Users\<domain>\<user>\ with individual .msg message files (MIME format) and .mrk metadata files (AddrBook for contacts, HIWATER and IMAP for folder state). Destination: ten file-format writers covering PST, the MSG/EML/EMLX message-per-file formats, MBOX, PDF, HTML, RTF, plain-text TXT, and vCard and 4 cloud services (Gmail, Office 365, Yahoo Mail, IMAP). 14 total destinations covering every common MDaemon-to-elsewhere migration path.
Input File Formats / Servers
Specialized and Tested Across Every Common Email Source
The MDaemon Converter for Windows walks the C:\MDaemon\Users tree and reads .msg messages plus .mrk metadata files from MDaemon Server. Whether the data sits in orphan files on a hard drive or behind an IMAP login, the converter handles it natively without needing the original software installed.
Browse the full list of input file MDaemon Server source files (Users tree, .msg, .mrk) and output destinations the MDaemon converter reads and writes.
Email File Formats8 formats
Format
Full Name
Type
Description
PSTInput & Output
Personal Storage Table
Microsoft Outlook
Primary Outlook data file containing emails, contacts, calendar, tasks, and notes.
OSTInput
Offline Storage Table
Microsoft Outlook
Offline cached copy of Exchange mailbox data. Supports inaccessible or orphaned OST files.
MBOXInput & Output
Mailbox Format
Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Eudora
Universal text-based mailbox format used by dozens of email clients and servers (see IETF RFC 4155 specification).
EMLInput & Output
Email Message
Multiple clients
Individual RFC 822 email message files. Widely supported by Windows Mail, Outlook Express, and others.
MSGInput & Output
Outlook Message
Microsoft Outlook
Single Outlook email message in Compound Document File format. Retains all metadata.
OFTInput
Outlook File Template
Microsoft Outlook
Outlook email template files. PCDOTS converts OFT templates to any supported format.
OLMInput
Outlook for Mac Archive
Mac Outlook
Native archive format for Outlook on macOS. Contains emails, contacts, and calendar data.
DBXInput
Outlook Express Mailbox
Outlook Express
Legacy email storage format used by Microsoft Outlook Express (discontinued in 2006).
Desktop Email Clients9 clients
Email Client
Platform
Storage Format
Conversion Support
Microsoft Outlook
Windows / Mac
PST, OST, OLM
Full: emails, contacts, calendar, tasks, notes, attachments
Mozilla Thunderbird
Windows / Mac / Linux
MBOX
Full: all folders, subfolders, attachments, filters
Mailbird
Windows
Local profile store
Full: all mailbox data including multiple accounts
eM Client
Windows / Mac
Local database file
Full: messages, contacts, calendar, attachments
Mailspring
Windows / Mac / Linux
Local profile store
Full: all email data and account configurations
Postbox
Windows / Mac
MBOX
Full: Thunderbird-compatible MBOX format
Windows Live Mail
Windows
EML + WLMX
Full: all message folders and account data
Eudora
Windows / Mac
MBX (MBOX variant)
Full: legacy Eudora mailbox files
IceWarp
Windows / Linux
Proprietary
Full: direct IceWarp server data export
Cloud & Webmail Services7 services
Service
Type
Direction
Auth Method
Gmail / Google Workspace
Cloud Webmail
Input & Output
OAuth 2.0 / App Password
Microsoft Office 365
Cloud Business
Input & Output
OAuth 2.0 / Modern Auth
Yahoo Mail
Cloud Webmail
Input & Output
App-specific Password
iCloud Mail
Cloud Webmail
Input & Output
App-specific Password
Hotmail / Outlook.com
Cloud Webmail
Input & Output
OAuth 2.0
Google Takeout
Export Archive
Input
Takeout ZIP / MBOX
Any IMAP Server
Universal Protocol
Input & Output
IMAP / SSL / TLS
Email Servers5 servers
Server
Type
Storage Format
Notes
Zimbra
Open Source Server
Zimbra TGZ
Supports Zimbra Community & Enterprise editions
MDaemon
Windows Mail Server
MDaemon MAI
Direct MDaemon user folder access, no export needed
Kerio Connect
Business Mail Server
Kerio IMAP Store
Converts Kerio data stores directly without server access
Communigate Pro
Enterprise Server
Communigate CGP
Supports all Communigate mailbox folder structures
Lotus Notes / HCL
IBM/HCL Platform
NSF
Via intermediary conversion. Contact support for enterprise plans.
Output Destinations13 outputs
Output Format
Category
Best Used For
PST
Email File
Importing into Microsoft Outlook on any Windows PC
MBOX
Email File
Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Postbox, or any MBOX-compatible client
EML
Email File
Windows Mail, individual email archiving, or web uploads
MSG
Email File
Saving individual Outlook messages with full metadata
PDF
Document
Legal archiving, compliance, sharing non-editable email records
HTML
Document
Web-based email viewing, readable in any browser
CSV
Spreadsheet
Extracting email data for analysis in Excel or Google Sheets
vCard (VCF)
Contacts
Exporting contacts to any address book or CRM
ICS
Calendar
Exporting calendar events to Google Calendar, Apple Calendar
TXT
Plain Text
Simple archiving, text analysis, or importing into databases
Gmail
Cloud Service
Direct migration. Emails appear in Gmail inbox immediately
Office 365
Cloud Service
Direct migration to Microsoft 365 business mailboxes
IMAP Server
Protocol
Any IMAP-compatible server: Dovecot, Postfix, Exchange, etc.
Advanced Filters
What Else the Wizard Surfaces From the MDaemon Tree
Beyond per-user mail and contacts, an MDaemon Server install holds several auxiliary directories. Public Folders: shared folders prefixed with # or Public Folders/, accessible to multiple users with ACL-controlled permissions. Shared Folders: per-user folders shared with other accounts via Access Control Lists. Archives directory: \MDaemon\Archives\ holds inbound/outbound copies if MDaemon's Email Archiving feature is enabled. The wizard surfaces each in the navigation tree.
For investigative work the wizard exposes underlying file content alongside the rendered MDaemon view. Hex view for byte-level inspection of suspect .msg files, raw RFC 5322 source for header forensics on individual messages, AddrBook.mrk XML view showing the raw <contact> element tree, attachment listings with MIME type and original filename. Useful when an MDaemon user folder has corrupt files mixed with intact ones.
Search across the entire MDaemon Users tree rather than per-user. Boolean queries combine sender, recipient, subject keyword, body content, attachment name, date range and message size. The match list spans every .msg file under every user under every domain in the loaded MDaemon root. Useful for compliance discovery against MDaemon archives where the original WorldClient interface is no longer available because the MDaemon install has been retired.
PCDOTS MDaemon Converter v3.4
Smart Search
Why Users Switch to PCDOTS
Five MDaemon Conversion Problems and Their Resolutions
Five recurring problems MDaemon admins hit when migrating user folders out of MDaemon Server. Each maps to a specific resolution path the wizard exposes. Skip ahead to the situation that matches the immediate blocker.
Problems You're Facing
MDaemon Server retired but archive needs readingA long-running MDaemon Server install was decommissioned; the user data lives on a backup at C:\MDaemon\Users\ on retired hardware. The MDaemon license has expired and reinstallation is not an option. The wizard reads the Users tree directly from disk, parses .msg files via its own MIME reader and AddrBook.mrk via its own XML parser. No MDaemon Server license needed at the conversion workstation.
Migrating to Microsoft 365 but per-user mailboxes are scatteredA multi-domain MDaemon install hosts several hundred user folders across multiple domains. Each user needs to land in their corresponding Microsoft 365 mailbox with calendar and contacts. Manual per-user migration is impractical. The wizard authenticates to the Microsoft 365 tenant, walks every Users\<domain>\<user>\ folder, and uploads to the matching destination mailbox in one batch with one credentials prompt.
AddrBook.mrk contacts being lost during conversionMDaemon stores per-user contacts in AddrBook.mrk (XML between <contact> elements). Generic IMAP-archive tools ignore the file because IMAP does not surface contacts; the address book gets lost. The wizard reads AddrBook.mrk per user, decodes the XML, exports to vCard (.vcf) or directly to PST contacts entries when PST is the destination. Each user's contact list lands intact at the receiving platform.
Per-message .msg files in the thousands per userMDaemon stores each message as one .msg file per email. Long-time MDaemon users accumulate thousands of .msg files in their Users folder. Per-file processing is impractical. The wizard's Add Folder mode points at the user folder (or the Users root for whole-server jobs), walks every .msg in one batch, and writes the output sequentially with per-file progress reporting.
WorldClient calendar entries not surviving the exportGeneric mail-server tools migrate IMAP mail folders but skip the WorldClient extras: calendar events, tasks, notes. Users land at the destination platform with no calendar history. The wizard reads WorldClient calendar files alongside the .msg mail in each user folder, exports calendar events to PST calendar entries or .ics files, exports tasks to PST task list. Calendar history survives the platform change.
How PCDOTS Fixes It
Reads MDaemon Users tree directly from diskAim PCDOTS at the MDaemon\Users\ folder root. The wizard walks the directory tree, identifies every domain folder, every user folder under each domain, every .msg file inside, and the .mrk metadata files. No MDaemon Server install needed. Works on offline archives from retired servers and on backup-restored Users trees.
Carries every component, not only mailEvery MDaemon component reads out: .msg mail messages with full RFC 5322 headers, AddrBook.mrk contacts XML, HIWATER.mrk and IMAP.mrk metadata, WorldClient calendar events and tasks, Public Folders, Shared Folders. The destination format determines which components survive (PST and Microsoft 365 carry all; vCard carries contacts only; some destinations carry mail only).
Direct MBOX to Gmail migration in a single click.Connect your Gmail account inside the converter. PCDOTS pushes the messages straight into your inbox without a download and re-upload step.
Filters by sender, date, subject for scoped jobsBulk MDaemon migrations rarely target the entire archive. Date range by sent and received timestamps. Sender or recipient match by email address or domain. Subject keyword. Message size cap. Attachment presence. Each filter combines; the export writes only the matching subset. Useful for compliance discovery against a date range or per-sender legal hold.
Direct cloud delivery to Microsoft 365 and GmailFor cloud destinations the wizard skips the PST intermediate entirely. Microsoft 365: Exchange Online destination, OAuth admin auth, uploads to per-user mailboxes keeping folder hierarchy. Gmail or Google Workspace: OAuth or app-specific password, per-user mailbox upload with MDaemon folders as Gmail labels. Yahoo, IMAP: standard IMAP upload to any IMAP-capable server.
Real-World Applications
Six Reasons Admins Walk the MDaemon Users Tree
MDaemon Server is an active product (current release v25.5 from October 2025), but admins still need to convert the underlying user folder tree out of MDaemon for several recurring reasons: cloud migration to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, server consolidation onto Exchange, departed-employee mailbox handoffs, compliance archives, and the occasional retirement of a long-running MDaemon install. Six common patterns below cover the bulk of customer support tickets.
MDaemon Server to Microsoft 365 Cloud Migration
A multi-domain MDaemon install moves to Microsoft 365. Per-user mailboxes need to land in their corresponding Microsoft 365 mailbox with WorldClient calendar entries in the destination calendar and AddrBook.mrk contacts in Outlook contacts. The wizard authenticates to the Microsoft 365 tenant once, walks every Users\<domain>\<user>\ folder, uploads to the matching destination mailbox via Exchange Online, and drops calendar/contacts in the right places.
PST to Office 365Exchange migration
Compliance Archive of MDaemon User Folders
A regulator or auditor requests email correspondence from a date range across all users on the MDaemon Server. The wizard walks the entire Users\ tree, applies date-range and sender filters, exports the matching .msg files to per-user PST for legal hold or combined PDF for regulator submission. Each output file labelled by user and domain for chain-of-custody traceability.
PDF exportGDPR compliance
Departed Employee Mailbox Handoff
An employee leaves the company; their MDaemon mailbox needs to land with a successor. The successor uses Outlook, not WorldClient. The wizard walks Users\<domain>\<departed-user>\, exports to PST for direct Outlook import, or directly into the successor's Microsoft 365 mailbox via Exchange Online. WorldClient calendar and AddrBook.mrk contacts move alongside the mail.
Corrupted PSTForensic recovery
Server Consolidation Onto Exchange
A multi-server organisation consolidates email onto a single Exchange Server (or Exchange hybrid + Microsoft 365). The MDaemon install is one of several servers being retired. The wizard walks the MDaemon Users tree per domain, exports to PST per mailbox, and the Exchange admin imports the PSTs to the consolidated server via New-MailboxImportRequest with one cmdlet invocation per mailbox.
MBOX to PSTEML to MSG
MDaemon to Google Workspace Migration
An organisation moves email from MDaemon to Google Workspace. The wizard authenticates to the destination Google admin account, walks the MDaemon Users tree, uploads each user's mail directly to the matching Google Workspace mailbox via OAuth and IMAP. MDaemon folder hierarchy retained as Gmail labels. AddrBook.mrk contacts export to Google Contacts via vCard.
HIPAAHealthcare archives
Retiring MDaemon Server Archive
A long-running MDaemon Server is being retired. The hardware is being decommissioned, the MDaemon license being cancelled. Before the workstation goes offline, the admin needs every user's mail and contacts in archival format stored on the company file share. PDF and PST per user folder, written to a tagged share location, gives years of correspondence durable storage independent of any future MDaemon decision.
Contact extractionCRM enrichment
Why Customers Choose This Tool
Eight Things This Wizard Knows About MDaemon Server
The MDaemon converter category divides into roughly three groups. Generic IMAP-archive tools: connect to MDaemon as an IMAP client and download to .eml or .mbox - works but loses AddrBook.mrk contacts and WorldClient calendar entries. MDaemon Connector for Outlook: synchronizes per-user mail with Outlook live but does not export to a portable archive. Standalone Windows tools: PCDOTS, BitRecover, SysTools. Eight specific MDaemon-aware capabilities below explain what separates PCDOTS from the standalone field.
Reads MDaemon's Flat-File Storage Layout
MDaemon's storage is a flat-file structure: each message a separate .msg file, contacts in AddrBook.mrk, IMAP state in IMAP.mrk. Generic IMAP-archive tools sometimes treat MDaemon as a black box and only retrieve what IMAP exposes. The wizard reads the underlying file layout directly - faster, more complete, and works on offline archives where the MDaemon Server is no longer running.
Multi-Domain Walk in One Job
MDaemon Server commonly hosts multiple domains on one install: Users\example.com\, Users\subsidiary.com\, Users\branch.org\. Each domain has its own user folder set with separate AddrBook.mrk contacts. The wizard walks every domain in one job, keeps the multi-domain structure at the destination, and writes per-domain output where the destination platform supports separate domains.
Decodes AddrBook.mrk XML to Contacts
AddrBook.mrk is XML wrapped around <contact> elements - name, email, phone, notes per contact. Generic mail-server tools sometimes ignore .mrk entirely; the contacts get lost during conversion. The wizard reads AddrBook.mrk per user, decodes the XML structure, output as vCard 4.0 (.vcf) files (one .vcf per user) readable by major address book clients, or merged into PST contact entries when PST is the chosen destination.
Single Tool Spans 10+ Output Targets
Ten file-format writers and four cloud uploaders share the same output picker - PST through vCard for files, Microsoft 365 through generic IMAP for live accounts. A common pattern with rival tools is staging output as PST and re-importing into Microsoft 365 from there; the direct cloud writer skips that intermediate entirely, cutting migration time roughly in half on cloud-bound jobs.
WorldClient Calendar and Tasks Read
WorldClient stores calendar events, tasks, and notes alongside mail in the same per-user folder structure. The wizard reads each: calendar events export to PST calendar entries or .ics files, tasks export to PST task list, notes export to plain text or sticky notes. MDaemon Connector for Outlook clients see the same data round-tripped at the destination.
Filter Trim by Sender, Date, Subject
For scoped exports, apply filters before the export step: date range (sent and received timestamps), sender or recipient match (email address or domain), subject keyword, message size cap, attachment presence. Each filter combines with the others. The export targets only the matching subset of the MDaemon archive.
Standalone Tool, No MDaemon License
MDaemon Server is a paid product (still actively sold by MDaemon Technologies, current release v25.5 from October 2025). The conversion workstation does not need a working MDaemon install or an active license at the receiving end. The wizard reads the Users\ folder structure directly from disk, parsing .msg files via its own MIME reader and .mrk files via its own XML parser.
Compatible With Windows 7 Through Windows 11
Runtime support spans every Windows release that MDaemon Server itself runs on - workstation editions back to Vista (and XP via the legacy installer) plus the full Windows Server line through 2022. The single dependency is .NET Framework 4.5 which most MDaemon hosts already have. The wizard installs cleanly on the same hardware MDaemon ran on, useful when migration happens in place before the host is decommissioned.
Technical Specs
System and Software Requirements
What you need to run the MDaemon Converter for Windows, plus the trial limitations.
Software Name
PCDOTS MDaemon Converter
Current Version
3.4
Processor
Pentium-class or higher
RAM
Minimum 2 GB
Hard Drive Space
100 MB free space
Operating System
Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP. Server 2019, 2016, 2012, 2008, 2003 and earlier.
Trial limitation: the demo edition exports up to 25 emails per folder so you can verify accuracy on real data before purchasing. The full edition has no limits and ships with a lifetime license.
Trial vs Full
Trial vs Licensed Edition for MDaemon Conversion
Trial and licensed editions are the same binary - identical Users-tree walker, identical .msg MIME parser, identical AddrBook.mrk XML reader, identical destination targets. The trial limits the output writer to twenty-five emails per IMAP folder per export. Licensed edition runs $99 one-time per workstation; the license is perpetual and ships lifetime updates as the MDaemon Server storage layout evolves between major versions.
MDaemon converter alternatives split into roughly three categories. Generic IMAP-archive tools: connect to MDaemon as an IMAP client and download to .eml or .mbox - works for mail but loses AddrBook.mrk contacts and WorldClient calendar entries. MDaemon Connector for Outlook: synchronizes per-user mail with Outlook live but does not export to a portable archive. Standalone Windows tools: PCDOTS, BitRecover, SysTools. The matrix below compares the standalone field on dimensions that matter for MDaemon Server conversion.
Feature
Best ChoicePCDOTS
Other Paid ToolsAid4Mail, Stellar, etc.
Free Tools / Online
MDaemon Users Folder Tree (.msg + .mrk)
25+
10 to 40+
2 to 5
No MDaemon Server Install at Workstation
Yes
Partial
No
Whole Users Tree in One Job
Yes
Yes
No
Cloud Upload to Microsoft 365, Gmail, Yahoo
Yes
Partial
No
Live .msg Preview With Headers
Yes
Partial
No
Hex View and Raw RFC 5322 Source
Yes
Partial
No
Date, Sender, Subject, Size, Attachment Filters
Yes
Limited
No
Attachment + AddrBook.mrk Contacts
Yes
Partial
No
Free Trial Available
Yes
Yes
Yes
Lifetime License
Yes
No
N/A
Multi-Domain MDaemon Walk Aware
Yes
Varies
No
24x7 Customer Support
Yes
Limited
No
30-Day Refund Policy
Yes
Varies
N/A
Starting Price
$99
$99 to $200+
Free (limited)
Matrix sourced from competitor product documentation as of October 2025. Standalone field includes BitRecover MDaemon Converter, SysTools MDaemon Converter, and several smaller utilities; the cells reflect each vendor's stated capability for the MDaemon Users tree specifically. Reviewer count: 991 verified responses across G2, Capterra and Trustpilot.
Video Tutorial
Watch How to Convert Emails in 5 Minutes
A short walkthrough showing every step of the conversion workflow on a real source mailbox, from launch to verified output.
5 min walkthrough
YouTube
Real Performance Numbers
MDaemon Conversion Performance Reference
Two data sources feed the numbers below. The first is internal regression test runs against synthetic MDaemon Users trees: one-user single-domain to 500-user six-domain to a stress test with one million .msg files spread across a hundred IMAP folders. The second is post-migration customer survey responses (991 valid responses) reporting on satisfaction, output accuracy, and whether the wizard ran end-to-end without operator intervention.
85%
Customer Satisfaction
93%
Output Accuracy
99%
Successful Test Runs
How It Works
Eleven-Step MDaemon Conversion Walkthrough
Standard eleven-step procedure for converting MDaemon Server's Users folder tree (.msg messages, AddrBook.mrk contacts, WorldClient calendar) to any of the 14 supported destinations, deeper than the three-phase quick guide above. Each step references the corresponding wizard dialog and screenshot. Operator time per conversion: 5-90 minutes depending on user count, message volume, and destination (cloud uploads slower than file outputs due to network throughput).
Open the wizard via the Start menu shortcut on the conversion workstation. Two action buttons appear at top of the source-selection panel: Add Files for picking individual .msg files and Add Folder for ingesting an entire MDaemon Users tree. The tree pane stays empty until something is loaded.
Add the MDaemon Users Folder
Hit Add Folder, navigate to C:\MDaemon\Users\ (or to a single example.com\alice\ folder if only one mailbox is in scope). Auto-detection identifies each domain subfolder, the user folders inside, the .msg messages, and the .mrk metadata; non-MDaemon files in the tree are skipped automatically.
Walk the Domain and User Tree
After ingest finishes, the navigation pane fills in with hierarchy: top-level domain nodes, user nodes beneath, and IMAP folder structure (Inbox, Sent, Drafts, plus user-named folders) one level deeper. Per-folder message counts and aggregate size in MB display alongside each node.
Preview Individual MDaemon Messages
Selecting any node in the tree renders its content in the right-hand pane. Per-message: complete header block (every RFC 5322 field MDaemon stored), rendered MIME body, attachment manifest with file types and byte counts. Two extra view modes (hex and raw 5322 source) sit behind tabs for spot-checking message integrity.
Apply Filters and Search
Filters narrow the export below the entire archive: a date-range picker, address-or-domain match for sender and recipient, a substring match for subjects, a size threshold, an attachment-required toggle. Filters compose with Boolean AND, and the resulting match count refreshes against the entire loaded Users tree before the export commits.
Configure Component Coverage
Per-user MDaemon data splits into discrete components: the mail itself (.msg files), AddrBook.mrk for contacts, calendar events from WorldClient, tasks, notes, and any Public or Shared folder content the user has access to. Each component is an independent toggle in the export configuration. Skipping mail and writing only AddrBook to vCard, for example, runs a contacts-only job.
Pick a File Format or Cloud Destination
Click Export on the toolbar. A two-column dialog appears: the left column lists file destinations such as PST and PDF; the right column lists live cloud accounts such as Microsoft 365 and Gmail. Picking a cloud destination prompts for credentials at the following step; file destinations skip straight to a folder browser.
Configure Output and Authenticate Cloud
File outputs: a folder browser pops, pick the destination directory and confirm. Cloud outputs: a vendor-specific auth handshake fires - Microsoft OAuth for 365, Google OAuth for Workspace, an app password prompt for Yahoo. Tokens stay in memory only for the running session and clear when the wizard exits.
Execute the Conversion Job
Pressing Save kicks off the conversion. Worker threads process user folders one at a time, with two progress bars on screen: outer bar for user folders completed against total, inner bar for .msg files processed within the current user. A live log captures each item with status; failures (typically truncated .msg files from old archive media) are noted with the byte offset where parsing stopped.
Confirm the Conversion Job
A "Job Complete" dialog appears once the worker queue empties. For trial runs, the writer stopped at twenty-five emails per IMAP folder; licensed runs ran to completion. The dialog offers a one-click Open Folder shortcut for file destinations, or a sign-in link to the destination web client for cloud destinations.
Spot-Check the Conversion Result
Open the result in its native client - Outlook for PST output, the Microsoft 365 or Gmail web interface for cloud uploads, any PDF reader for archive PDF. Verification checklist: per-user IMAP folder structure made it through, attachment payloads match source byte counts, contacts from AddrBook.mrk appear in the destination address book, WorldClient calendar entries surface on the destination calendar at correct dates and times.
Independent Validation
Reviewed and Awarded by Trusted Software Sites
Independent third-party verification of PCDOTS MDaemon Converter against documented MDaemon Server folder structure parsing capabilities. Each award sources from the original publisher (Software Informer, Softpedia, Soft32, FileHippo). The aggregate rating combines 991 verified reviewer responses since the most recent major release.
4.6
Average across all reviews
1,408
Verified user reviews
4
Editor's Choice awards
Editor's Pick
5.0
Software Informer
"100% Clean Award for error-free and virus-free email conversion across formats and sources."
100% Clean Award
5-Star Rated
5.0
Softpedia
"Earns a 5-star rating for ease of operation and smooth email conversion."
100% Free Award
Top Rated
4.5
Soft32
"4.5 stars: an all-in-one solution for converting email files to multiple output formats."
Editor's Review
Verified Safe
5.0
FileHippo
"100% Clean Award for secure and safe email conversion."
Safety Verified
100% authentic. Every award above is verified directly from the issuing publisher's site. PCDOTS does not pay for placement, reviews or ratings.
Quick Definition
What Is the MDaemon Converter?
An MDaemon Converter reads the on-disk folder tree that MDaemon Mail Server creates for each account - the per-user directories under C:\MDaemon\Users\<domain>\<user>\ - and writes the messages and contacts inside out to a different format or platform. MDaemon itself remains an active commercial product (v25.5 was the October 2025 release from MDaemon Technologies), but the storage layout has stayed essentially stable since the Alt-N era: one .msg file per message in MIME, plus a small set of .mrk sidecars (AddrBook for contacts, HIWATER and IMAP for index state). The PCDOTS implementation parses each file family with its own reader, supports multi-domain MDaemon hosts, and writes ten file destinations alongside live uploads to Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Yahoo and any IMAP server.
Quick Verdict
Best for: MDaemon admins running Microsoft 365 or Exchange cutovers, IT teams handing off departed-employee mailboxes, and archive specialists moving retired MDaemon hosts to durable formats before decommissioning.
Free trial: writer caps at twenty-five emails per IMAP folder; no payment information collected.
Price: $99 one-time payment for a lifetime license.
Platforms: any Windows release MDaemon Server itself supports (workstation 7 through 11; Server 2008-2022).
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars across 991 reviewer responses on G2, Capterra and Trustpilot platforms.
Privacy: conversion runs entirely on the local workstation; no MDaemon mailbox contents transit PCDOTS infrastructure at any point.
FAQs
MDaemon Conversion Reference Questions
Twelve reference questions covering MDaemon Server conversion: storage layout (Users folder tree, .msg files, .mrk metadata), common export targets (Outlook PST, Microsoft 365), and capabilities around multi-domain support, AddrBook.mrk contacts, attachments, and Public Folders. Sourced from real admin support tickets.
Do I need MDaemon Server installed at the workstation?
No. The wizard reads the MDaemon\Users\ folder structure directly from disk, parsing .msg files via its own MIME reader and .mrk files via its own XML parser. The conversion workstation does not need a working MDaemon Server install or an active license. Useful when the source MDaemon Server has been retired, when conversion happens on a backup-restored archive, or when the receiving end is a clean Windows machine that never had MDaemon installed.
What are .msg and .mrk files in MDaemon?
Inside each C:\MDaemon\Users\<domain>\<user>\ folder, MDaemon Server stores email and metadata in two file families. .msg files are individual email messages - one file per email, MIME-formatted plain text with full RFC 5322 headers, body, and attachments inline. .mrk files are metadata: AddrBook.mrk for contacts (XML between <contact> elements), HIWATER.mrk for IMAP UID high-water marks, IMAP.mrk for folder subscriptions and access state. The wizard reads both file families.
How do I convert MDaemon mailboxes to Outlook PST?
Open the wizard, click Add Folder, point at C:\MDaemon\Users\ (or a single user folder for per-user export). The wizard walks the tree and lists every domain, every user under each domain, with .msg counts. Click Export, pick PST from the file format menu. Choose one PST per user or one PST per domain. Set destination folder, click Save. Output PST opens in Outlook 2007 and later, or imports into Exchange Server via New-MailboxImportRequest.
How do I migrate MDaemon to Microsoft 365?
Add the MDaemon Users folder to the wizard. Hit Export, pick Office 365 from the cloud destinations. Authenticate to the destination Microsoft 365 tenant via OAuth 2.0 with admin credentials. The wizard maps each MDaemon user (e.g., [email protected]) to the matching Microsoft 365 mailbox by primary email address, uploads message-by-message via Exchange Online with folder hierarchy retained as Outlook folders. WorldClient calendar entries land in the destination calendar, AddrBook.mrk contacts populate Outlook contacts.
Are WorldClient calendar entries part of the export?
Yes. WorldClient is MDaemon's built-in webmail interface; calendar events, tasks, and notes live alongside the mail in the same per-user folder structure. The wizard reads each: calendar events export to PST calendar entries or .ics files for Google Calendar import, tasks export to PST task list, notes export to plain text or PST sticky notes. MDaemon Connector for Outlook clients see the same data round-tripped at the destination platform.
What does the free trial do and how is it limited?
Trial caps the writer at 25 emails per folder. Walking the Users tree, viewing previews of .msg files and AddrBook.mrk contacts, configuring filters and destinations all work without restriction. Licensed edition is $99 one-time, perpetual, single-workstation, no recurring fees. Full installer download free; license key unlocks unlimited output.
Where does MDaemon store user mail by default?
By default, MDaemon stores user data at C:\MDaemon\Users\<domain>\<user>\, where <domain> is the email domain (e.g., example.com) and <user> is the local part of the address (e.g., alice for [email protected]). Multi-domain installs get a separate folder per domain. Each user folder contains the user's .msg files, .mrk metadata files, and WorldClient calendar/tasks data. The default storage path is configurable via MDaemon's administration console under Mail Folder & Groups.
Are message attachments retained through conversion?
Yes. MIME attachments on .msg files extract from each message and either embed inline (PDF, DOCX, PST embedded objects) or save to sibling folders (Markdown, HTML). MDaemon's .msg files store attachments in the same MIME multipart structure as RFC 5322 mail, so attachment fidelity is straightforward. Attachment original filenames retain through the export. Useful for compliance archives where attachment evidence needs to survive the platform change.
Are MDaemon Public Folders and Shared Folders included?
Yes. Public Folders (shared folders prefixed with # or Public Folders/ on the MDaemon Server) and Shared Folders (per-user folders shared with other accounts via Access Control Lists) read on the same job as the per-user Users tree. The wizard surfaces each in the navigation tree and routes them to the destination - either as separate top-level folders at the destination, or as per-user folders depending on destination platform conventions.
Can the wizard handle multi-domain MDaemon installs?
Yes. MDaemon commonly hosts several domains on one server: Users\example.com\, Users\subsidiary.com\, Users\branch.org\. Each domain has its own user folder set with separate AddrBook.mrk contacts. The wizard's Add Folder mode at the Users\ root walks every domain in one job, preserves the multi-domain structure at the destination, and writes per-domain output where the destination platform supports separate domains (Microsoft 365 multi-tenant, Google Workspace multi-domain).
Does this software run on Mac?
No. The wizard is Windows-only: Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP, and Windows Server 2008 through 2022. .NET Framework 4.5 is the only runtime requirement. Since MDaemon Server itself runs only on Windows, the conversion workstation is typically Windows already - either the original MDaemon host or a separate admin workstation with access to the MDaemon Users folder via UNC path or restored backup.
Does AddrBook.mrk contacts conversion work too?
Yes. AddrBook.mrk stores per-user contacts in XML between <contact> elements (name, email, phone, notes per contact). The wizard reads the file alongside the .msg mail and lands as vCard 4.0 (.vcf) for any standards-compliant address book client, or as native PST contact entries inside the per-user PST output. Each user's contact list lands intact at the receiving platform. Public Folders contacts (shared address books) export the same way.
Customer Stories
MDaemon Conversion Reports From the Field
Three MDaemon conversion reports below: a 487-user multi-domain MDaemon-to-Microsoft-365 migration over one weekend, a three-server MDaemon consolidation onto Exchange via per-user PST output, and a 12-year departed-employee mailbox handoff with WorldClient calendar and AddrBook.mrk contacts intact at the receiving end. Reviewer identities verified by hosting platforms (G2, Capterra, Trustpilot).
G2 Reviews
4.7
412 reviews
Capterra
4.6
287 reviews
Trustpilot
4.6
521 reviews
Software Suggest
4.5
188 reviews
"
"487 MDaemon users migrated to Microsoft 365 in one weekend."
A multi-domain MDaemon Server install hosting 487 user mailboxes across 6 domains needed to land in Microsoft 365 over a single migration weekend. The MDaemon Server itself was 14 years old, original install date pre-dating the company's current IT team. Each user had thousands of .msg files plus AddrBook.mrk contacts plus WorldClient calendar entries. PCDOTS read the C:\MDaemon\Users\ tree directly, mapped each MDaemon user to their matching Microsoft 365 mailbox by primary email address, and uploaded everything via Exchange Online with folder hierarchy retained as Outlook folders. WorldClient calendar entries landed in the Microsoft 365 calendar; AddrBook.mrk contacts populated Outlook contacts. Total operator time: 8 hours setup, 36-hour batch run unattended, 2 hours of spot-checking on Monday morning.
EML to PSTFolder hierarchy preservedBulk conversion
GF
IantheSenior IT Administrator · California, United States
Verified review · G2
MDaemon Server consolidated onto Exchange in one batch
Our IT consolidation project moved three legacy MDaemon installs onto a single new Exchange Server. About 200 user mailboxes spread across the three MDaemon servers, each with their own multi-domain user folder structure. PCDOTS walked each MDaemon Users tree, exported one PST per user, and the Exchange admin imported them via New-MailboxImportRequest in batch. Three days of work compressed into a single overnight unattended batch run.
Server consolidationPer-user PST output
KJ
La RowEmail Operations Lead · New Town, Sydney, Australia
Verified · Capterra
Departed-employee MDaemon mailbox handed off intact
A senior team member retired after 12 years; their MDaemon mailbox needed to land with their successor who works in Outlook, not WorldClient. PCDOTS walked just that user folder under Users\our-domain.com\, exported to PST with WorldClient calendar entries and AddrBook.mrk contacts included. The successor opened the PST in Outlook on first try with the entire 12-year correspondence history searchable, calendar entries on their calendar, contact list on their contacts.
Convert Your MDaemon Server Trial Edition, No Card Required.
Download PCDOTS MDaemon Converter, convert up to 25 emails per folder and verify the wizard handles your exact MDaemon Users tree. Upgrade only when you are satisfied with the result.
