Windows Live Mail opens but will not display

[jazzmammal]

First time user here. This is a very useful forum, I've already learned a few things.

 

Here's my problem. Suddenly for no reason that I can see WLM will not display. It opens normally but instead of displaying it goes to the system tray. It shows it's running in Task Manager>Processes. I've been corresponding with MS on the Live forum for 6 days with no solution. I feel like I'm talking to a wall with those people. The solutions they offered are these:

 

1. WLM repair. Did that, no help.

2. Try End Process in Task Manager. Did that, no help.

3. Told me WLM is likely corrupted so I need to uninstall/reinstall and they gave me detailed instructions including a registry hack to remove it from the registry before reinstalling.

 

The problem with #3 is saving all my emails and contacts first. I use WLM as a client and any time WLM is open including now when I can't see it any emails that arrive are immediately removed from my ISP's server and now are stored within WLM. MS graciously gave me detailed instructions three times how to go into WLM to do the save functions of all that ignoring my problem of not being able to go into WLM in the first place.

 

My question here is what is the name of the folder that has all that data and then how do I copy it so when I reinstall WLM I can restore it? I've asked that question on the MS forum for three days now and three different mods don't or can't read the question. They keep telling me the path is the usual user/programs/Windows Live Mail and that's it but no name of the actual folder and how to access it. It was suggested on another forum to change my folder view to show hidden folders and I did that but there's only three folders in the Windows Mail directory and none of them are data. Oh, and there's no 'Windows Live Mail' directory. There's Windows Live>Mail and there's Windows Mail. No data in either of those.

 

Bob

[RandyL]

WLM messages are in C:\Users\user name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail

Try doing a straight copy/paste

 

Windows 7 contacts are in C:\Users\username

[jazzmammal]

Try doing a straight copy/paste

 

A quick question, a copy/paste of what? The entire WLM folder and all it's contents or some of the folders inside? Also since I can't get into WLM to check, how do I restore all the data when I finish the reinstall?

 

Bob

[RandyL]

Inside of the C:\Users\user name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail directory is the names of the email accounts. They might not be exactly the same names but they are there. Once you locate that folder you will see the different WLM folders inside such as inbox, sent items etc.

 

Inside of those folders are the email messages. They will have strange names such as 1CD0366B-00000075. Just out of curiosity see what happens if you open one. Maybe the message will open if WLM client does not. Copy and save them.

 

Also in the C:\Users\user name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail directory is the Storage Folders in case you moved any messages there.

 

Once you reinstall WLM go back to C:\Users\user name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail and copy them back to the appropriate folder. I have moved messages in this way and it works. However I didn't reinstall WLM first but I see no reason why it should not. I just can't gaurantee it personally.

 

WARNING: Do not delete messages manually from this folder or you might have trouble deleting them from WLM.

 

As for the Contacts WLM uses the Windows 7 Contacts so you shouldn't have to do anything there but if you want to be safe you can copy that folder to a different location.