Solved Windows Live Mail 2009 - No Contacts

[Bobbob]

Hi, all. I've read a ton of Windows Live Mail lost Contacts posts from all over and still don't know if there might be a solution to my particular situation. I am using WIndows Live Mail 2009 (Build 14.0.8117.0416). I've been using Live Mail for several years ... always locally only ... I've never signed in and don't plan to. It is still set under Connections to 'Stop signing in' just as I set it after its initial install. All of a sudden when I select Contacts folder it says I have no Contacts. When I check the Windows Live Contacts\{...}\DBStore folder, all the appropriate files are there including contacts.edb which is 6M in size. The {...} value appears just as it should in the registry. I use Casper backup which creates a file by file, folder by folder backup. My backup from just a few days ago when I know I had Contacts available because I have used my Contacts list since that backup shows exactly the same files and sizes under the backed up Windows Live Contacts folder. Replacing the current folder with the backup, of course, then makes no difference since they are identical. If the Contact database hasn't changed and the client, wlmail.exe, has a last modified date of 4/16/2010 (so it hasn't changed), I am totally baffled as to why, all of a sudden, wlmail is telling me I have no Contacts. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

It might sound like a daft question Bob but why are you using a 2009 version?? Plus I don't understand why you don't want to sign in I use Hotmail and it is my main account in WLM and I leave it just signed in.

Where your contacts are heaven knows have you tried a system restore?

You might even try these

http://www.superantispyware.com/

http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free/

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/download from bleeping computer

 

[Bobbob]

Thanks for your reply, ICit2lol. I use 2009 because later versions require one to sign in. Since there should be no need for me to sign in to simply send and receive emails, why do they want me to sign in? It's just a means for them to employ spyware and adware without dumping it on our PC's.
I use MS Security Essentials on Windows 7 which has proven to be quite effective. I have Malwarebytes scheduled to run twice a day which has always come up clean in the last several years since I've had my current setup. I run Noscript with Firefox for Internet browsing. I only allow cookies for a few sites that are worth doing so to me. I have a program that daily deletes all temporary files including all browser files. If I was noticing any other problems with Malwarebytes still coming up clean, I would try an anti-spyware and adware cleaner. I used to run such regularly but they never came up with anything. The situation I have doesn't seem to me to be the type of problem caused by anti-spyware or adware unless, of course, it was an unintended occurrence due to a program bug.
I was actually wondering more if, perhaps, MS included something in an update to try to force people still on 2009 to upgrade to a version that accomplishes their goal of forcing people to sign in. I was wondering if anyone else had experienced a similar occurrence around the same time.
But, still, I thank you for your reply.

 

[robinb9]

Fwi. Later versions you do not have to sign in with WLM

 

[robinb9]

Also if you update maybe when it installs it might find your lost contacts

I have WLM 2012 on one of my test computers and I do not use my live mail account there just my Comcast account and I have around 10 clients who have WLM and none are signed in

 

[Bobbob]

Thank you for your reply, robinb9. I have read differently ... that people have had to set it up to automatically sign in so that they aren't asked to every time they run the client. But I've also read that WLM, latest version as of Jan 2010 (doesn't say which one) has an option under Options, Mail, Connection of 'Do not sign in'. Would you mind confirming for me that 2012 does, indeed, have that option? Thanks!
I also read that there are 2 'Live ID' services that must be running with WLM 2011, anyway, even if Messenger (now defunct I guess) isn't installed. Some people have reported these services having a negative impact on performance though I realize they may or may not really know.
I do agree with you that updating could possibly restore my Contacts ... that was my first inclination. But, first, I started reading to see what kind of problems people are having with newer versions and there are a number of things that people don't like over 2009. I realize I may not be able to stay with 2009 forever but I'm a bit older and forever for me may not be that far away.

 

[robinb9]

Thank you for your reply, robinb9. I have read differently ... that people have had to set it up to automatically sign in so that they aren't asked to every time they run the client. But I've also read that WLM, latest version as of Jan 2010 (doesn't say which one) has an option under Options, Mail, Connection of 'Do not sign in'. Would you mind confirming for me that 2012 does, indeed, have that option? Thanks!
I also read that there are 2 'Live ID' services that must be running with WLM 2011, anyway, even if Messenger (now defunct I guess) isn't installed. Some people have reported these services having a negative impact on performance though I realize they may or may not really know.
I do agree with you that updating could possibly restore my Contacts ... that was my first inclination. But, first, I started reading to see what kind of problems people are having with newer versions and there are a number of things that people don't like over 2009. I realize I may not be able to stay with 2009 forever but I'm a bit older and forever for me may not be that far away.

You are asked to sign in the first time but you can check off a box to not bother you again, and the box will s top popping up.
Windows Live Mail 2011 has the option, I am not on the computer right now that has wlm 2012, but WLM 2011 i will tell you is a bit more stable than 2012 because 2012 has a problem sending group contacts so if you were going to send group contacts in one email, you can still pick up the 2011 version here:
Download Windows Live Essentials 2011 from Official Microsoft Download Center

I have 2011 on 7 computers from ones that are 8 yrs old to ones that are brand new, I have it on my windows 8 tablet that only has 2 gigs of ram and nothing barks when it is opened nor does it on any other of my machines. I have windows live mail 2012 on a computer that is possessed, but WLM 2012 opens and works fine, it is on there to test with Microsoft because of the group contact issue, but other than that it works fine.

 

[Bobbob]

Thanks, again, robinb9. I might give 2011 a try. Thanks for the heads-up on 2012. I did some research regarding your possessed PC and the best solution I came across was a holy water coolant system - seems worth a try to me.
I'm really not trying to be difficult, but, as far as I can tell, there are two possible options available. One is to check off a box to not be bothered again to sign in but the client still signs in - it just does it automatically. This, I don't want. The other option is 'Do not sign in' and that is the option I want available. I'm sure it's just me, but from your response, I'm still wondering whether 2011 specifically has the 'Do not sign in' option. If that were confirmed for me, then I would be more apt to try 2011 though I still don't like adding the 2 LiveID services especially when I shouldn't need them. I realize I need them because MS wrote the client to require them but that's really the problem for me - MS wrote them and is insisting they be running even though they shouldn't be needed if I'm not signing in. Why is MS so insistent on them? What do they really do? Not that I don't trust MS or anything like that.

 

[robinb9]

No the client does not sign into WLM Again all you do is when it is open for the first time you uncheck the box to sign in and the next time you open it, the box should not pop in again
Again I have 4 clients on it. All 4 have no live mail account and they check email every day
It is your choice to upgrade, and I think you will have less problems, you cannot use it the way it is now anyway with no contacts, the worse is you will be no worse off then you are now

 

[Bobbob]

OK. Thanks so much, robinb9. Your information was very helpful.

I'll mark this closed even though a cause for the loss of the Contacts was never really determined. Hopefully, just a one time glitch.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hmm interesting ideas Robin myself I have used WLM since 2010 and right up to now the contacts have gone across platforms ie Windows 7 and Windows 8 and the WLM year changes. Maybe and I am guessing the Hotmail account keeps it in some sort of memory bank?

Anyway the problem for Bob seems to have been resolved eh?

 

[robinb9]

yup