Wlmail won't end system boots wrong

What version of WLM are you running?

Thanks.

Try repairing Windows Essentials (WE)

go to control panel - programs and features
double click on WE and follow the instructions to repair it.

Interesting - I just tried this and while my WEmail seems to be working fine, the installer claims there is a problem.
There is no "repair in place" option available.
It tells me to uninstall and reinstall from explore.live.com\windows-live-essentials

That was going to be my next suggestion for you anyway, so if you get the same msg
- go ahead and uninstall \ re-install.

I'm going to go ahead and do it as well.

Ok, my situation was different - same version was reinstalled when I went through the exercise.

Now back to the issue you're seeing.
Were the folders you found in the default location or a different location?
default location = %userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail

It sounds as though the contents of WEmail folder were corrupted in some manner. The contacts persisted because they live in the Windows Live folder, not the Windows Live Mail folder.

I'm guessing that the sub-folders for WEmail were inadvertently moved. I've done this on lots of files at various times with drag and drop - I mean to move something and end up moving more than I intended.

Do the folders you imported from still exist?
.

Yeah, I wasn't saying that's what happened...I was just typing out loud.

Those file names look odd for WEmail - they usually begin with the account name and contain part of the login. Your look more like server names.

Oh well, that's not important.

Before you go any further - export your mail to a safe location
click on the menu icon (next to Home" .... Folders.... View...)
and select export email, tehn select email messages
Export format: Windows Live Mail
- it will ask for a folder location. Suggestion - create a new folder in your Documents folder
give it a meaningful name such as ExportMail or MailExport
make sure that the All messages radio button is ticked
and clicked next


Do the same for Accounts - you have to export them one by one.

might as well back up your contacts too - clcik on the contacts icon
click on Home, then export
choose comma separated values(CSV)
give it a name (mycontacts) and a location
now you have to mark each field that you want to export - some are already checked. I haven't found a way to select all fields.
hit next or finish

So now you should have export copies of messages, accounts, and contacts.
Note: exporting contacts does not retain group information

Let me think on the next step to take.
.

Ok, let's see what the system file checker thinks needs repairing

open an elevated command prompt (right click to run as administrator)
type the following and hit enter (it might take more than 15 minutes, depending on what needs repairing)

SFC /scannow

if no problems were found, we can go on to the next thing.
if it finds and fixes errors, reboot your machine and run it again

Let me know when that completes - thanks.