Summary:

• An uninstall/reinstall procedure for Windows Live Mail(WLM) that supplements the normal removal method using Add-Remove Programs(XP) or Programs and Features(Vista)
• This method is extensive in removing the program but also deletes select registry settings, the WLM Message Store folder and the WLM default installation program folder
• Review the method , the *asterisk* items(additional comments), the impact and understand the consequences prior to use

Reference:

• Windows Live Mail Desktop Newsgroup
  • Compliments of Peter R. in the thread  'Re: The signing in" box freezes at startup'

Quote

1.    After backing up your messages & accounts through the export options, uninstall WLM through Control Panel.

2.   Use Regedit (or your favorite registry editor) to delete the registry Keys (if they exist)*

• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail desktop
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail desktop

3.    Now navigate to your WLM Message Store folder** and rename it

• So you can keep it as a backup - messages can be dragged from the message store to your WLM interface as a method of importing them, or you can import messages directly by Browsing to your old(renamed) Message Store with File->Import->Messages->Windows Live Mail->Next->Browse...
• Also, if any extra spellchecking languages have been installed, or you want to re-use your custom dictionary, then the contents of the "Proof" folder (within the default location Storage Folder) should be backed up so you can restore it after the reinstall. Furthermore, after the reinstall, if inclined, you could try putting your old Message Store back in place by renaming it again).

4.    Go to the 'Windows Live Mail' 'Program Files' folder (C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Mail) and delete it.

5.    Run Windows Live Beta Remover*** if necessary.

6.    Reboot your computer.

7.    Now install WLM and import your accounts and messages.  It may be best to disable any AntiVirus program you are running while installing WLM and running it for the first time.

 

Asterisk Items:
*Note that because the registry keys are deleted, messages, accounts, and message rules will be imported again from Outlook Express/Windows Mail, so if you do not want this to happen, first delete them from those redundant mail clients.

**To find the location of your message store, go:  Tools->Options...->Advanced [tab]->Maintenance->Store Folder  (the default location is a hidden folder). If you have moved your Storage Folder from its default location, you should also rename the old Storage Folder which remains in the default location.

The default location of Windows Live Mail's Message Store is:

Vista:  %localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail

• (C:\Users\<Windows user account>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail)
  

XP:   %userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail

 

• (C:\Documents and Settings\<windows user account>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail)

***The  Windows Live Beta Remover may be helpful if you have installed Windows Live beta programs previously, as it removes all the old beta installers

• See:  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940065
• Download:  http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/3/0/23036331-516d-4c7e-b9ac-31554a2fec06/wl-beta-remove.zip

  \End Quote

Revision:

May 22, 2008:  Original Published Date (bullets, hyperlinks, formatting added to original quote)

May 23,2008:  Revised Title(from 'Compleat' to 'Complete') after lexical and stipulative input from Messrs. Peter and Noel Webster ;)

May 24, 2008:  Windows Live Tags added

Summary:

• Windows Live Mail's Version 2008 release does not include an option to choose an alternate UK English SpellCheck
• The method below provides the ability to add the option for the UK English SpellCheck and also retain the US English SpellCheck
• This method is ***not necessary or applicable*** for Windows Live Mail 2009

Reference:

How to create English (UK) as an additional spellchecker in WLM

• Compliments of Bob Lucas - posted in the Microsoft public newsgroup Windows.Live.Mail.Desktop

Quote

After a lot of trial and error, I have discovered a way of including the English (United Kingdom) spellchecker as an ADDITIONAL language option, without losing the default English (United States) spellchecker.

1. The Language ID for English (US) is 1033 (or 0409 in hexadecimal).

2. The language ID for English (UK) is 2057 (or 0809 in hexadecimal).

3. With Windows XP and later, set the folder options to “Show hidden files and folders”.

4. All additional spellcheckers are installed in a folder called “Proof” in “%userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail”, which includes a separate folder for each language.

• The name of each different language folder is “prf00xx” or prf0xxx, where “xx” or "xxx" is the hexadecimal code for each language.

5. In “%userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail”, create a new folder named “prf0809” (hexadecimal for English (United Kingdom)) - and create a further sub-folder named “1”.

6. Then, open the folder “%programfiles%\Windows Live\ Mail\Proof\prf009\2”.

• This folder contains the basic spellchecker files for various versions of the English language.
• Copy the three files, mssp3en.lex; MSSpell3.DLL and spell.ini from “%programfiles%\Windows Live\ Mail\Proof\prf009\2” to “%userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail\prf0809\1” (i.e. one of the folders you created previously).

7. Then, right click on “spell,ini” (in “prf0809/1”) and change Lang=1033 to Lang=2057. Save “spell.ini”.

8.  Finally, open Windows Live Mail and click on Tools / Options / Spelling.

• The updated list of installed spell checkers should include English (United Kingdom), in addition to English (United States). Set whichever version you prefer as the default spellchecker.

/ End Quote

Revisions:

May 10, 2008: Original Published Date (bullets added to original quote for clarity)

May 24, 2008: Corrected typographical errors(mine); Windows Live Tags added

July 20, 2009: Updated Title and Summary to clarify applicability to **only** Windows Live Mail 2008

Summary:

How to resolve an unsuccessful migration of messages from Outlook Express(OE) by utilizing Windows Live Mail's(WLM) Import function.

 

More Information:

Reference: Windows Live Email Support Blog, May-2-2008

• Messages/Accounts not successfully migrating from OE to WLM   (click to read)

 

Comments:

• The method in the provided article imports folders and messages from an existing account(s) in OE
• It does not import or create the source(OE) email account in the destination WLM client(see Note)
• Folders are imported to sub-folders in WLM's Storage Folders\Imported Folders\Local Folders

• Messages present in OE's default folders(Inbox, Drafts, Deleted Items, Outbox, Sent Items) will be present, if successful, in each respectively named folder
• User created folders in OE can also be successfully migrated(e.g. 'Save' folder in above picture)
• Note: Since the import does not import\create the email account in WLM, the user must manually create the email account(if not already present, and also any user created folders) or optionally import the email account using a previously created/saved OE *.iaf file as source.
• Once OE's messages are imported they can remain in that location, or moved to a user created folder within an email account(WLM by design creates a folder structure for each unique email account), or moved to user created folder within the Storage folders. 

 

Moving Messages from the Imported Storage Folder(s) Location to an Email Account:

1. Drag the message from an imported folder to a sub-folder in an existing/created email account , or
2. Select a message(or group of messages) in an imported folder, then right click to make the context menu's options available(e.g. Move to folder or Copy to folder), then choose the option of your choice to move or copy the message to the desired location(i.e. a user created folder in the email account)

Note: The above methods for managing/archiving messages within an email account's sub-folders in WLM might be perceived as consistent with archiving messages in in OE's Local Folders, though this approach may not be the most secure place:

• Removing(deleting) an email account in WLM also removes/deletes all folders and messages from WLM's message store on the hard drive, thus the following optional method(see below) is highly suggested.

 

Moving Messages from the Imported Storage Folder(s) Location to another user created Storage Folder:

1. Drag the message from an imported folder to a folder/sub-folder in the Storage folder, or
2. Select a message(or group of messages) in an imported folder, then right click to make the context menu's options available(e.g. Move to folder or Copy to folder), then choose the option of your choice to move or copy the message to the desired location(i.e. a user created folder, e.g. SaveMail, in the Storage folders)

Note: Utilizing the Storage folder has the following benefits.

• The Storage Folders(and sub-folders) are not removed/deleted from WLM message store when an email account is deleted, thus inherently more secure
• A common location for archiving important messages external to an email account's default folders(i.e. Inbox, Drafts, Sent, etc)
• Message rules for Pop3 email accounts can also move messages to this location
• Easier to backup important archived messages instead of individual email accounts(e.g. The SaveMail folder and its' three sub-folders)

 

Revisions:

May 3, 2008: Original Published Date

May 24, 2008: Windows Live Tags added

Summary:

• Windows Live Mail does not include a File Export option to move messages to Vista's Windows Mail email client
• The traditional 'Drag and Drop' method is one work-around capable of achieving that task

Step 1:  Drag Messages from Windows Live Mail to an Explorer Folder

Create a new folder using Windows Explorer on the desktop(e.g. WLMDragEmail)
Create sub-folders in the new folder with identical names as the folders in your Windows Live Mail email account
- Inbox, Outbox, Sent, etc (including any user created folders)
Open Windows Live Mail
Resize each window to fit on the desktop(one for the new folder and one for Windows Live Mail)
Switch to Windows Live Mail and select messages from a Windows Live Mail folder e.g Inbox
- Control A can be used to Select All
Drag those messages to the identical named sub-folder in the earlier created Windows Explorer folder.
Repeat for each Windows Mail folder(Outbox, Sent, etc including any user created folders)
Close Windows Live Mail

Step 2:  Drag Messages from an Explorer Folder to Vista's Windows Mail

Open Vista's Windows Mail
Resize again to show two windows--the Explorer folder and Windows Mail
Ensure an email account is created (including any user created folders)
Drag the messages from the Windows Explorer folder(s) to the like named folder(s) in Windows Mail

Revisions:

May 3, 2008: Original Published Date

May 24, 2008: Summary Content Updated; Windows Live Tags added

Notice:

1. The entry below('Summary and thereafter') will become obsolete as will WebDAV access effective Sept 1, 2009.  On June 2, 2009 Microsoft announced that WebDAV would finally cease to function(effective Sept 1, 2009).
2. For options that should be done prior to the Sept 1, 2009 WebDAV retirement see --> Changes for Accessing Hotmail using the WebDAV Protocol
3. Microsoft notifications can be found here

“Important info if you access Hotmail using Outlook, Outlook Express, or Entourage”

and

 "Continuing DAV protocol retirement" 

• You may also have received notification via an email if your Hotmail account(hotmail.com or msn.com) was using the WebDAV protocol.

 

Summary:   The content below is only being made available for archival purposes.

• Microsoft announces delay/postponement of previously scheduled transition deadline(June 30th, 2008) for accessing Hotmail accounts using the WebDAV protocol in Outlook Express and Outlook(03/07)

 More Information:

Compliments of the Windows Live Mail Support Team on May 5th, 2008

Windows Live Hotmail Technical Support Blog: Responding to Customer Feedback – Disabling DAV

Note: The above notification(May 5th, 2008) postpones this prior notice(April 17th) about disabling the WebDAV protocol

• Microsoft Announces Changes for Accessing Hotmail with Outlook Express

Comments:

Http servers(see below) supporting the WebDAV protocol in Outlook Express and Outlook(2003/2007) for Hotmail.com and Msn.com accounts when configured for sending/retrieving will continue to function after June 30th, 2008 and until notified otherwise.

Http Servers Capable of Accessing the WebDAV protocol

Account Type/Domain	Server Name
MSN.COM	http://oe.msn.msnmail.hotmail.com/cgi-bin/hmdata
HOTMAIL.COM	http://services.msn.com/svcs/hotmail/httpmail.asp

Revisions:

May 5, 2008:  Original Published Date

May 8, 2008:  Added Link on original notification(now delayed) regarding disabling WebDAV protocol 

May 24, 2008:  Windows Live Tags added

July 21, 2009: Updated to reflect (a) WebDAV retirement/deprecation effective Sept 1, 2009 and (b) blog entry previous content obsolescence