Windows 7: windows live essentials error 0x80040609 cannot update it

Ihave been searching for a couple of weeks or more for a solution to this and have tried variou things that were suggested after I googled the error,the last one was uninstall live essentials and reinstall it .....but after I. Uninstalled it, it would not reinstall and now I am left with no email account or any of the other parts of live essentials please can anyone advise me?

What happens when you try the re-install? Have you tried a repair - if you still have WLE in the Control Panel => Programs and features.

Did you download a fresh copy of WLE?

Hi Slartybart, when I try the reinstall which is a fresh downloaded copy it starts to install but then it stops and displays the same error code and stops installing, I have also tried a system restore and it is not functioning either, because I though I might get somewhere by going back to a date before the live essentials update was made but it was not possible to do that.

Have you tried the Eugene R post on Microsoft answers?

He suggests that deleting the "Windows Live" folder from the Program Files (32 or 64 bit) folder and Program Files Common files folder might help.

Good luck.

Gigi,
Google "windows live essentials error 0x80040609"

this thread may be of some use to you, read it all before trying some of the suggestions.

HELP !!! Unable to install Windows Live Essentials 2011 - Vista Forums

OP did google it.

@Gigi: If you still have Windows Live Essentials in Control Panel => Program and Features, try a repair instead of install. There's might be a way to do a repair using the downloaded .msi / .msu but I do not know the option needed (or if you even can do that)

Other things to try if you haven't already (ignore refs to other WLE components)

   Quote: Originally Posted by Nicholas Li

Windows Live Messenger/Essentials error on installation
1. Check the Background Intelligent Transfer Service:

1) Click Start, type services.msc in the Search Bar and press ENTER.
2) Navigate to Background Intelligent Transfer Service.
3) If it is stopped, please start it; if it is started, please stop and restart it. Then, check if it works.

2. Reset Winsock

1) Run “netsh winsock reset” (without quotations) in an elevated Command Prompt, and press Enter.
2) Restart the computer.

After the steps above, please reinstall the LiveMessenger/Essentials and see if it works.

Hope this helps. Thanks.

Nicholas Li - MSFT

There are a few solved related threads - they reference firewall, AV, and C runtime libraries. One last thing - make sure you've run Windows Update and have applied all critical and recommend updates, since some of the related posts mention .Net as well.

As always, good luck.

You could install some other eMail client, or Reinstate WinMail. I don't recommend using WinMail as your client though (and I wrote the updated instructions) - it can be used temporarily until the WLE issue is resolved.

When you configure any temporary client - set the option to "Leave msgs on the server" until you're committed to one client or another. When you finalize which client you'll use, all of your msgs are still on the server and will be downloaded to the new client.

You'll have to configure your login and the server info on what ever client you use - this includes ReWinMail.

@Gigi: Sorry for the multiple posts, as I think about it, I ask different questions.

Are you trying to install just Live Mail or the entire Live Essentials? It might require a bigger hammer - install the entire WLE package, then back off the pieces you don't use. Worth a shot, eh wot?