I have WLM Beta (version 14) on a pc running win xp sp 3

I can't get any of my contacts to import from csv files, from Outlook or
from Hotmail.

If I manually enter a contact it looks fine but when I next open WLM it is
missing again and I have an empty contact list.

I have been in contact with support and they have tried all sorts of things
from reinstalling WLM, to changing my user profile. We have changed registry
entries and done just about everything but no joy.



They referred it on to Global Escalation who tried again without any success.

My last contact was with Alex a Subject Matter Expert from Windows Live
Mail Technical Support.

Still no success.

I am getting desperate.

Does anyone else have this problem? If so how do you solve it? Is it a WLM
bug?

"Ray" <Ray@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:2A609E52-63DD-4358-9612-49C306109927@xxxxxx

>I have WLM Beta (version 14) on a pc running win xp sp 3
>
> I can't get any of my contacts to import from csv files, from Outlook
> or
> from Hotmail.
>
> If I manually enter a contact it looks fine but when I next open WLM
> it is
> missing again and I have an empty contact list.
>
> I have been in contact with support and they have tried all sorts of
> things
> from reinstalling WLM, to changing my user profile. We have changed
> registry
> entries and done just about everything but no joy.
>
> They referred it on to Global Escalation who tried again without any
> success.
>
> My last contact was with Alex a Subject Matter Expert from Windows
> Live
> Mail Technical Support.
>
> Still no success.
>
> I am getting desperate.
>
> Does anyone else have this problem? If so how do you solve it? Is it a
> WLM
> bug?
>

I don't have WLMail beta - so I haven't experienced the problem you
describe. However, contacts management has always been slightly suspect
in WLMail.

I'm sorry, but I cannot offer any suggestions, if your version of WLMail
is working off-line (i.e. without signing into a Live account). When
WLMail is working off-line, the program should display a "local" contact
list.

However, the position should be different, if you have configured WLMail
to sign into an account at live.com, hotmail.com or msn.com (every time
the program starts). In that case, all contacts are stored on a server
at Microsoft, not on your local computer. Consequently, WLMail should
download the up-to-date contact list from the server, every time you
start the program and sign in.

It follows that the best way to manage contacts is to use your Internet
browser to sign into your mail account. Once you have signed into your
mail account at live.com, hotmail.com or msn.com (via the webmail
interface), click on "Contact list", followed by "Options", followed by
"More Options". Then, scroll down to "Import Contacts" - and import the
CSV file.

As a general principle, I have found it is more reliable to make any
additions, deletions or amendments to the contact list via the webmail
interface.

"Bob Lucas" <bob@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:O8zeoKkTJHA.4564@xxxxxx
<snip>

> I'm sorry, but I cannot offer any suggestions, if your version of
> WLMail is working off-line (i.e. without signing into a Live
> account). When WLMail is working off-line, the program should
> display a "local" contact list.
>
> However, the position should be different, if you have configured
> WLMail to sign into an account at live.com, hotmail.com or msn.com
> (every time the program starts). In that case, all contacts are
> stored on a server at Microsoft, not on your local computer.
> Consequently, WLMail should download the up-to-date contact list
> from the server, every time you start the program and sign in.

That's not strictly true, Bob. Contacts, whether 'Default' or Live,
are all stored locally. You can check this by looking in the
Contacts folder in your Store folder; there is a (hidden) Default
folder and one for each Live ID. These contain two (hidden) folders
each, Real and Shadow. One has the local list (including local
amendments), the other the list from contacts.live.com. After a
synchronization, which happens at sign-in and regularly thereafter,
the contents of the two should be identical and tally with those at
contacts.live.com.
--
Noel

Hi,

Ildhound. I have tried online, offline, signed in to Hotmail through WLM and
not signed in. With Hotmail as my default account and with it as not my
default account. With it as my only account and with it not included as an
account.

Bob Lucas. I have just looked at C > Programme Files > Windows Live >
Contacts (show hidden) and the two files you mention are not there.

"Ildhund" wrote:

> "Bob Lucas" <bob@xxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:O8zeoKkTJHA.4564@xxxxxx
> <snip>

> > I'm sorry, but I cannot offer any suggestions, if your version of
> > WLMail is working off-line (i.e. without signing into a Live
> > account). When WLMail is working off-line, the program should
> > display a "local" contact list.
> >
> > However, the position should be different, if you have configured
> > WLMail to sign into an account at live.com, hotmail.com or msn.com
> > (every time the program starts). In that case, all contacts are
> > stored on a server at Microsoft, not on your local computer.
> > Consequently, WLMail should download the up-to-date contact list
> > from the server, every time you start the program and sign in.

>
> That's not strictly true, Bob. Contacts, whether 'Default' or Live,
> are all stored locally. You can check this by looking in the
> Contacts folder in your Store folder; there is a (hidden) Default
> folder and one for each Live ID. These contain two (hidden) folders
> each, Real and Shadow. One has the local list (including local
> amendments), the other the list from contacts.live.com. After a
> synchronization, which happens at sign-in and regularly thereafter,
> the contents of the two should be identical and tally with those at
> contacts.live.com.
> --
> Noel
>
>

"Ray" <Ray@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:FD345480-6A41-4165-9A62-0A399CA25DCB@xxxxxx

> Ildhound. I have tried online, offline, signed in to Hotmail
> through WLM and
> not signed in. With Hotmail as my default account and with it as
> not my
> default account. With it as my only account and with it not
> included as an
> account.

Sorry, I can't help you with the beta. You're not alone with this
problem so you might like to compare notes with others* experiencing
it. Have you moved your Store folder from its default location?
--
Noel
* (although when I checked the results of my search, it turned out
that most of the threads on this topic were started by the same
poster)

Why would you look in Program Files for Contacts?
WLM stores the Contacts in the store folder.
In XP it is
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail

The program files to open Contacts are in the Program Files\Windows
Live\Contacts folder.
--
Ronald Sommer

"Ray" <Ray@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:FD345480-6A41-4165-9A62-0A399CA25DCB@xxxxxx

> Hi,
>
> Ildhound. I have tried online, offline, signed in to Hotmail through WLM
> and
> not signed in. With Hotmail as my default account and with it as not my
> default account. With it as my only account and with it not included as an
> account.
>
> Bob Lucas. I have just looked at C > Programme Files > Windows Live >
> Contacts (show hidden) and the two files you mention are not there.
>
> "Ildhund" wrote:
>

>> "Bob Lucas" <bob@xxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:O8zeoKkTJHA.4564@xxxxxx
>> <snip>

>> > I'm sorry, but I cannot offer any suggestions, if your version of
>> > WLMail is working off-line (i.e. without signing into a Live
>> > account). When WLMail is working off-line, the program should
>> > display a "local" contact list.
>> >
>> > However, the position should be different, if you have configured
>> > WLMail to sign into an account at live.com, hotmail.com or msn.com
>> > (every time the program starts). In that case, all contacts are
>> > stored on a server at Microsoft, not on your local computer.
>> > Consequently, WLMail should download the up-to-date contact list
>> > from the server, every time you start the program and sign in.

>>
>> That's not strictly true, Bob. Contacts, whether 'Default' or Live,
>> are all stored locally. You can check this by looking in the
>> Contacts folder in your Store folder; there is a (hidden) Default
>> folder and one for each Live ID. These contain two (hidden) folders
>> each, Real and Shadow. One has the local list (including local
>> amendments), the other the list from contacts.live.com. After a
>> synchronization, which happens at sign-in and regularly thereafter,
>> the contents of the two should be identical and tally with those at
>> contacts.live.com.
>> --
>> Noel
>>
>>

Importing contacts for Live ID used for signing on to WLM can done via the Hotmail interface, if the WLM import is not
functioning.
- your might first before doing anything when the wave 3 beta is installed, consider closing both WLM and WLMsgr(if open or
installed) and also ensure both are not running via Task Manager, then delete your contacts folder.
===
Both WLMail and WLMsgr use a common contact folder in wave3 beta

This kb article shows how to delete the contact store
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/958574

Vista
C:\Users\Windows_log-on_name\Contacts\Messenger_e-mail_address
C:\Users\Windows_log-on_name\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts

XP
C:\Documents and Settings\Windows_log-on_name\Contacts\Messenger_e-mail_address
C:\Documents and Settings\Windows_log-on_name\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts
===

Note from what I can tell the first location in each is hold-over from the RTW versions and not used in the beta version, but
available for those that might have mixed builds(beta and rtw on the same system, same profile).


Note: Known Issue, hopefully resolved in the next public release
Importing contacts when not using a Live ID(hotmail, msn, live.com) account does not work for importing to the 'Default'
account(ie.. some content may appear, names but not email addresses)
- If you wish to use WLM beta without a Live ID signon then
a. remove the beta and reinstall the rtw version(get.live.com)
b. enter data manually




--
...winston
ms-mvp mail


"Ray" <Ray@xxxxxx> wrote in message news:2A609E52-63DD-4358-9612-49C306109927@xxxxxx

> I have WLM Beta (version 14) on a pc running win xp sp 3
>
> I can't get any of my contacts to import from csv files, from Outlook or
> from Hotmail.
>
> If I manually enter a contact it looks fine but when I next open WLM it is
> missing again and I have an empty contact list.
>
> I have been in contact with support and they have tried all sorts of things
> from reinstalling WLM, to changing my user profile. We have changed registry
> entries and done just about everything but no joy.
>
> They referred it on to Global Escalation who tried again without any success.
>
> My last contact was with Alex a Subject Matter Expert from Windows Live
> Mail Technical Support.
>
> Still no success.
>
> I am getting desperate.
>
> Does anyone else have this problem? If so how do you solve it? Is it a WLM
> bug?
>

Reply to Ron Sommer. Thanks. I have now located the contact file and it
contains 5 folders. They are are all named with a string of numbers and
symbols no actual name. They are all 4.95 mb in size and they are all empty
when I open them.

"Ron Sommer" wrote:

> Why would you look in Program Files for Contacts?
> WLM stores the Contacts in the store folder.
> In XP it is
> C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Application
> Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail
>
> The program files to open Contacts are in the Program Files\Windows
> Live\Contacts folder.
> --
> Ronald Sommer
>
> "Ray" <Ray@xxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:FD345480-6A41-4165-9A62-0A399CA25DCB@xxxxxx

> > Hi,
> >
> > Ildhound. I have tried online, offline, signed in to Hotmail through WLM
> > and
> > not signed in. With Hotmail as my default account and with it as not my
> > default account. With it as my only account and with it not included as an
> > account.
> >
> > Bob Lucas. I have just looked at C > Programme Files > Windows Live >
> > Contacts (show hidden) and the two files you mention are not there.
> >
> > "Ildhund" wrote:
> >

> >> "Bob Lucas" <bob@xxxxxx> wrote in message
> >> news:O8zeoKkTJHA.4564@xxxxxx
> >> <snip>
> >> > I'm sorry, but I cannot offer any suggestions, if your version of
> >> > WLMail is working off-line (i.e. without signing into a Live
> >> > account). When WLMail is working off-line, the program should
> >> > display a "local" contact list.
> >> >
> >> > However, the position should be different, if you have configured
> >> > WLMail to sign into an account at live.com, hotmail.com or msn.com
> >> > (every time the program starts). In that case, all contacts are
> >> > stored on a server at Microsoft, not on your local computer.
> >> > Consequently, WLMail should download the up-to-date contact list
> >> > from the server, every time you start the program and sign in.
> >>
> >> That's not strictly true, Bob. Contacts, whether 'Default' or Live,
> >> are all stored locally. You can check this by looking in the
> >> Contacts folder in your Store folder; there is a (hidden) Default
> >> folder and one for each Live ID. These contain two (hidden) folders
> >> each, Real and Shadow. One has the local list (including local
> >> amendments), the other the list from contacts.live.com. After a
> >> synchronization, which happens at sign-in and regularly thereafter,
> >> the contents of the two should be identical and tally with those at
> >> contacts.live.com.
> >> --
> >> Noel
> >>
> >>

>

Please can you clarify before I delete anything. I have now read thr kb
article and found that contacts are stored in 2 places.

Looking at C > Doc & Settings > Username >Local Settings >Applications

>Microsoft > Windows Live Mail > Contacts

On opening that file it contains a folder called Default.

Opening that all my contacts are there. But none show in the contact list of
WLM.

Should I delete this as it seems to contain the contacts?

In the other location C:\Documents and Settings\JULIE SHIMIZU\Local
Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts

As I said earlier it just contains 5 oddly named empty folders

"...winston" wrote:

> Importing contacts for Live ID used for signing on to WLM can done via the Hotmail interface, if the WLM import is not
> functioning.
> - your might first before doing anything when the wave 3 beta is installed, consider closing both WLM and WLMsgr(if open or
> installed) and also ensure both are not running via Task Manager, then delete your contacts folder.
> ===
> Both WLMail and WLMsgr use a common contact folder in wave3 beta
>
> This kb article shows how to delete the contact store
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/958574
>
> Vista
> C:\Users\Windows_log-on_name\Contacts\Messenger_e-mail_address
> C:\Users\Windows_log-on_name\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts
>
> XP
> C:\Documents and Settings\Windows_log-on_name\Contacts\Messenger_e-mail_address
> C:\Documents and Settings\Windows_log-on_name\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts
> ===
>
> Note from what I can tell the first location in each is hold-over from the RTW versions and not used in the beta version, but
> available for those that might have mixed builds(beta and rtw on the same system, same profile).
>
>
> Note: Known Issue, hopefully resolved in the next public release
> Importing contacts when not using a Live ID(hotmail, msn, live.com) account does not work for importing to the 'Default'
> account(ie.. some content may appear, names but not email addresses)
> - If you wish to use WLM beta without a Live ID signon then
> a. remove the beta and reinstall the rtw version(get.live.com)
> b. enter data manually
>
>
>
>
> --
> ...winston
> ms-mvp mail
>
>
> "Ray" <Ray@xxxxxx> wrote in message news:2A609E52-63DD-4358-9612-49C306109927@xxxxxx

> > I have WLM Beta (version 14) on a pc running win xp sp 3
> >
> > I can't get any of my contacts to import from csv files, from Outlook or
> > from Hotmail.
> >
> > If I manually enter a contact it looks fine but when I next open WLM it is
> > missing again and I have an empty contact list.
> >
> > I have been in contact with support and they have tried all sorts of things
> > from reinstalling WLM, to changing my user profile. We have changed registry
> > entries and done just about everything but no joy.
> >
> > They referred it on to Global Escalation who tried again without any success.
> >
> > My last contact was with Alex a Subject Matter Expert from Windows Live
> > Mail Technical Support.
> >
> > Still no success.
> >
> > I am getting desperate.
> >
> > Does anyone else have this problem? If so how do you solve it? Is it a WLM
> > bug?
> >

>

I have now deleted

C:\Documents and Settings\user name\Local
Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts

I then restarted WLM and guess what. Still no contacts. It has replaced the
folder with a new version this time containing 2 sub folders but both are
empty.

"Ray" wrote:

> Please can you clarify before I delete anything. I have now read thr kb
> article and found that contacts are stored in 2 places.
>
> Looking at C > Doc & Settings > Username >Local Settings >Applications

> >Microsoft > Windows Live Mail > Contacts

>
> On opening that file it contains a folder called Default.
>
> Opening that all my contacts are there. But none show in the contact list of
> WLM.
>
> Should I delete this as it seems to contain the contacts?
>
> In the other location C:\Documents and Settings\JULIE SHIMIZU\Local
> Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts
>
> As I said earlier it just contains 5 oddly named empty folders
>
> "...winston" wrote:
>

> > Importing contacts for Live ID used for signing on to WLM can done via the Hotmail interface, if the WLM import is not
> > functioning.
> > - your might first before doing anything when the wave 3 beta is installed, consider closing both WLM and WLMsgr(if open or
> > installed) and also ensure both are not running via Task Manager, then delete your contacts folder.
> > ===
> > Both WLMail and WLMsgr use a common contact folder in wave3 beta
> >
> > This kb article shows how to delete the contact store
> > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/958574
> >
> > Vista
> > C:\Users\Windows_log-on_name\Contacts\Messenger_e-mail_address
> > C:\Users\Windows_log-on_name\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts
> >
> > XP
> > C:\Documents and Settings\Windows_log-on_name\Contacts\Messenger_e-mail_address
> > C:\Documents and Settings\Windows_log-on_name\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts
> > ===
> >
> > Note from what I can tell the first location in each is hold-over from the RTW versions and not used in the beta version, but
> > available for those that might have mixed builds(beta and rtw on the same system, same profile).
> >
> >
> > Note: Known Issue, hopefully resolved in the next public release
> > Importing contacts when not using a Live ID(hotmail, msn, live.com) account does not work for importing to the 'Default'
> > account(ie.. some content may appear, names but not email addresses)
> > - If you wish to use WLM beta without a Live ID signon then
> > a. remove the beta and reinstall the rtw version(get.live.com)
> > b. enter data manually
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > ...winston
> > ms-mvp mail
> >
> >
> > "Ray" <Ray@xxxxxx> wrote in message news:2A609E52-63DD-4358-9612-49C306109927@xxxxxx

> > > I have WLM Beta (version 14) on a pc running win xp sp 3
> > >
> > > I can't get any of my contacts to import from csv files, from Outlook or
> > > from Hotmail.
> > >
> > > If I manually enter a contact it looks fine but when I next open WLM it is
> > > missing again and I have an empty contact list.
> > >
> > > I have been in contact with support and they have tried all sorts of things
> > > from reinstalling WLM, to changing my user profile. We have changed registry
> > > entries and done just about everything but no joy.
> > >
> > > They referred it on to Global Escalation who tried again without any success.
> > >
> > > My last contact was with Alex a Subject Matter Expert from Windows Live
> > > Mail Technical Support.
> > >
> > > Still no success.
> > >
> > > I am getting desperate.
> > >
> > > Does anyone else have this problem? If so how do you solve it? Is it a WLM
> > > bug?
> > >

> >