backed up WLMB file, needs restoring !!!

[vovski]

hi i recently re-installed my win 7, after backing everything up.. when i tried to restore my e-mails the import folder on live mail could not find them !!! yet when i go to my windows live mail back up folder i can see there is a file name 'live mail' which is 194MB !!! and a WLMB file type... i have tried to run it - nothing.. i have tried to copy n paste straight into windows live mail - nothing... i have tried the import function it finds the folder but not the 'live mail' WLMB file.. please please please could anybody please help me, i have some very important e-mails saved yet cannot retrieve them , although i know they must be in that file somewhere as its 194MB... please any help in an easy simple format please.... thank you in advance
Vovski

 

[richc46]

An alternative approach might be to go to windows.old, everything should be there, too.

If you did a clean install (format) the file will not be there.

You will find windows.old, if you click on your C drive. It will be one of the folders.

 

[vovski]

hi richard, i did a clean install, any other ideas !!! i know im a bit of a novice/geek but surely if i can see the file and it has 194Mb there must be some way of opening it... why would it of stored it as a WLMB file anyway ?? i backed up the pc as recomended yet now i cant open my files !!!!
HELP !!! HELP !!! HELP !!!

 

[richc46]

What mail client did you have, Outlook, Windows Live? How did you back up? What software did you use to back up?

 

[vovski]

hi richard i had windows live, i backed it up 2 ways firstly i used the back up and restore function on windows and stored all files and folders on my pc onto my freecom hard drive.. the files are a 22.2Gb size and are a MediaID type.. i also copy and pasted all e-mails to a separate e-mail folder, these also are the WLMB type.. i did a restore of all files nd folders and all were restored, except for my e-mails which i can not open !!!!!
HELP !!! HELP !!! HELP !!!

 

[richc46]

Good Morning

You had Vista? You did not use Windows Easy Transfer?

 

[vovski]

hi richard, i was firstly using vista ultimate, i then installed windows 7 ultimate on top of vista, i encountered a few problems with the installation so i was told to do a clean install which i did.. hence backing everything up with windows back up and restore.. i know this may be a stupid question but are there no programs out there which will simply open that WLMB file ???
thank you

 

[richc46]

I do not know if this is the easiest way, but it is a way with a high problablity of working. From back up and restore, restore all of your doucments in the normal fashion. From the restoration use Windows Easy Transfer to Transfer to the preferred locaton. Just type Widows Easy Trasfer In search to get started. It my opinion that you cannot use import, export from a back up and restore. You must actually restore. After you actually restore, you may even be able to use import, export.

 

[myzr7]

vovski
Have you tried to take owmership of the folder and files that you want to restore?
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1911-take-ownership-shortcut.html

 

[vovski]

hi richard, just tried that option, transfer finds the folder but does not see the WLMB file inside it !!! yet when i manually go to the destination folder i find the WLMB file staring me in the face !!!!!

 

[richc46]

If you have the option to take ownership as suggested by myzr7, give that a try. If you do have the option, myzr7 had an excellent idea.

As I think of other solutions, I will keep you advised.

 

[vovski]

thanks myzr7 yes have just tried your suggestion, again the program finds the folder but does not see or reckognise the 194MB WLMB file inside of it !!! yet when i manually go to the destination folder i find the WLMB file staring me in the face !!!!!

​

 

[richc46]

Let direct our attention to the copy and paste. Can't you get to those folders, even one at a time, and then copy to a new folder? They will not be in the Email Client, but you will have them. Save them with the .eml extension.

 

[vovski]

hi, have just tried changing the extension from WLMb to eml, when i did it with windows live and tried to open it it just opened a new message window... when i tried to import the file from the mail folder it came back with this message !!!!!
Message could not be displayed

Windows Live Mail encountered an unexpected problem while displaying this message. Check your computer for low memory or low disk space and try again.


it looks like it may have saved all my messages as 1 ??? please help dont want to lose all my messages...
have just tried opening it with thunderbird by making it my default email program, that just opens up a new window with alot of garbled text containing squares and various symbols..

 

[richc46]

Vovski, I can see that you are really upset about this, but rest assured that I and everyone else at the Forum, will try their best to help you. I will think about your situation and give you any ideas that I may come up with. In the meantime, others may come by and offer suggestions. I am confident that your mail will be saved.

 

[myzr7]

vovski, Have you gone to the windows hotmail site online to see if your emails are stored in the cloud? You have a live.com or a hotmail address?

 

[vovski]

thanks for your re-assurance, hope your right !!!!
thanks

 

[vovski]

hi myzr7, no dont have a hotmail or live.com address...

 

[vovski]

hi, have you all forgotten about me ?????

 

[vovski]

hi, have you all forgotten about me ?????