Windows 7: Windows Mail to Windows Live Mail - Import Incomplete

Hi there,

I have - quite stupidly, as I now think - installed Windows Seven on my old Vista on my Laptop without thinking about the Mail program at all. That is: neither did I make a backup nor did I export contact lists from Windows Mail, etc.

I was, however, able to import most of the stuff from Windows Mail into Windows Live Mail anyway. I took ownership of both Windows Mail folders (in C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files(x86) including subs 'n files, and tried the import function in Windows Live Mail - three times, I think.

I can't really tell whether or not all my messages are there, yet I can say for sure that what I find in the Storage Folders section in Windows Live Mail reproduces only a part of the filing system I had established in Windows Mail. That is to say: A lot of the folders I used to have in Windows Mail are simply missing. Are the messages that used to be in there missing, too? No idea so far... they might be in the Inbox or somewhere else.

To be sure, I have everything, that is: all my messages, on my webmail-account. Yet it took me forever to work out my huge filing system (including all the message rules, etc.) in Windows Mail which allows me to have more folders than my webmail account that is for some reason limited to 258 folders. So even although I know that in the end I do have all the messages on my webmail, I would just hate to have to do all that work again! Thus I'd just love to "simply" get my Webmail stuff imported as it was.

Any ideas what I might have done wrong? ...what I could do to retrieve the missing folders?

Alternatively: Is there any way to "simply" (I know what you're thinking...) reactivate Windows Mail in Windows 7 so that I can start over by properly exporting everything from there?

I have found some related topics but did not see anyone having this particular problem. If I simply overlooked it, sorry! At any rate: I'd appreciate any help you can offer!

Thanks!
Raja

If you did a custom install and did not format, look for a windows.old folder, it contains everything.

Nope, no such folder, although I did not format... :-(

If there is no windows.old. Did you do a upgrade v a clean install? If you did not have to reinstall your programs it was an upgrade

It was most definitely an update.
As I said in the first post, I was actually able to import a lot of stuff from my former Windows Mail, yet, strangely enough, not all of it.
I cannot find a windows.old folder, but I wonder: As I was able to import the stuff, is it not possible to just reactivate Windows Mail? As importing the mails worked at least somewhat (i.e. partially), it seems to me that the material is still all there (although I don't know where, exactly)...

Try this, bring up windows live mail, go to file.
In file you will see import. Go to import You will see messages

In messages you will see windows mail, try to see if you can import. If this is what you alreday did, I suggest back up everything, delete all the mail and try again.

Hopefully the mail is still in the system and it will import. Again, I suggest, before you try anything back up what you have.

If this works or does not work, make weekly back ups of your doucments, weekly system restore back ups and monthly system image back up. We will help you with any of these procedures if you so desire. Till then, I wish you luck with your mail.

I think this is just the case with a custom install, but bring up live mail. On the left side you will see sent mail, etc. At the bottom is there an archives folder? If so all the mail is there. As I work with other problems, this one sticks in my mind. I truly would like to solve this one. I feel that the answer is close, but just out of sight.