Vista - Location of WL Contacts - not in WL Contacts folder

I'm running Vista Home Premium SP2, 64bit. Upgraded to WLM from WM. Love
WLM so far.

But -- I am yet another user figuring out how to backup WLM. I would like
just the main components of WLM, not "every single thing" including rules,
etc. Just contacts, messages, accounts, and news.
From reading lots of posts, I believe there are 2 methods:

1) Using WLM import/export as explained here: (export to empty folders,
including .csv for contacts)
http://liveunplugged.spaces.live.com...90CA!174.entry

2) Copy the entire folders, i.e. the WLM and WLC folders within
C:\Owner\AppData\Local\Microsoft\
(Gets around issues with csv fields; no extra import/export steps, etc.)

For Option 2, I investigated the file location of my contacts. It is not as
expected, in Owner\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts. The
expected folders are there {long alpha-num}, 6 of them, but they are either
totally empty or contain a DBStore folder with 3 files (contacts.edb,
contacts.pat, edb.chk) whose modified dates are not current - most recent
modification is 2 days ago. I have found that there are several files
(varies in number) that are updated upon changes to messages or contacts, in
Owner.....Windows Live Mail folder. Sometimes, about 6 files will have Date
Modified of the exact date/time I made changes to messages/contacts.
Sometimes only one file reflects the date/time of the last changes. After
making changes to msgs/contacts about an hour ago, only 1 file
(WindowsLiveMail.log) shows the correct date/time of last updates. I have
verified in WLM that the last changes I made to msgs/contacts were saved
properly and show up. But, going by Date Modified, I cannot find the file(s)
that store the changes in either the WLM or WLC folder.

Would appreciate help on finding the location of my contacts... Opinions on
backup options 1 vs. 2 would be helpful also, although I lean toward 2 based
on reports of csv field issues (limited, often mis-mapped, etc.)

Thanks so much in advance!

This program has been mentioned for backups.
http://www.staticbackup.com/
--
Ron Sommer

"madison11" <madison11@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news662E505-AB0B-4C99-8193-CC65A948A7FA@xxxxxx

Thanks Ron. I've looked at staticbackup.com. But, I'd prefer not to use a
3rd party program and do it myself, and from what I can tell from the
staticbackup website, for WLM it backs up messages but not contacts.

Would greatly appreciate any help in finding the location of my Contacts,
since they do not appear to be in the normal location (owner.... windows live
contacts > {xxxxxxxx}, and given the puzzling info I described about files in
WLM folder. Is there something I can search for that would definitively
indicate the Contacts store?

Thanks

How to Backup Windows Live Mail Accounts, Contacts and Messages
http://liveunplugged.spaces.live.com...90CA!174.entry


If you wish to also copy the Contacts database, contacts.edb, it can be found in a hidden folder with a numerical name on your hard
drive. (show protected o/s files *and* hidden files must be enabled).

The root folder is
C:\Users\<your windows logon name>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts

That folders may contain one, three or more numerical named folders with a subfolder called DBStore. The contacts.edb file is
stored in the DBStore folder. WLM automatically generates the numerical named folder and is only unique to a given machine. The
numerically named folder is used to differentiate the contacts for each account(default, live ID, multiple Live Id) since each has
its unique DBStore folder but all use the same filename(contacts.edb) even thought the data in each contacts.edb is different.

The reason why you may have one or more numerical folders is determined by how WLM is operated.
- No Live ID in use..the Default set of contacts is used; One Live ID in use, that Live ID's contacts are in use and WLM would
create 2 numerical named folders(one for primary and one called shadow for syncing).

You can find the association for the Default and/or Live ID contacts numerical named folders by looking in this registry key's
'Data' column:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts\Database
Note: do not be mislead by the pathname in the Name column(see above for actual folder location), that entry actually points to
your userprofile AppData folder.

The contact.edb file can only be read/opened/edited/saved by WLM and WLMsgr...ie you can back it up and copy it etc..but you can't
open it for any real use outside of WLM or WLMsgr.

Tip..If you have a Live ID set of contacts and would like to have the same in the Default account(the Live ID's contacts.edb can be
copied to the Default numerically named DBStore folder(replacing the existing contact.edb)

--
...winston
ms-mvp mail

"madison11" <madison11@xxxxxx> wrote in message news:7A2ECB3D-5D01-427F-9A09-2A54593F0115@xxxxxx

Thanks Winston. First, I have enabled viewing protected system files and
hidden files/folders.

As you may have noticed from my post, I was aware of the contacts.edb files
within the same root path you gave, within the {xxxxxxx} folders. I
understand about the multiple folders to accommodate multiple multiple live
ids.

(By the way, I could see them all *before* enabling view protected system
files, with only hidden files enabled.)

The problem is, as I explained in my post, is that I am doubting if my
contacts.edb files(s) are the "real" contact files. This is because they are
never updated (per the "date modified" field), even though I make very
frequent updates to my contacts through WLM. The contacts.edb files have not
been updated in 4 days, since I installed WLM, and I have made changes every
day, many times a day.

If the contacts.edb files do not reflect a modified date/time of when
changes are actually made (they're many days old) does that mean they are the
"real" contacts file.... or not....?

Thank you for any help.

I'm on Vista at the moment..

Here is what I see at this end..

For my Live ID in use for signing on to Windows Live the contacts.edb file found its numerical folder\DBStore folder is dated today
about an hour earlier. I have not made any changes to it and that would be the approximate time I opened WLM today after a cold
restart of Windows.

For my Default DBStore(no Live ID in use) that contacts.edb is dated yesterday, the last day that I toggled off Signing In.


--
...winston
ms-mvp mail

"madison11" <madison11@xxxxxx> wrote in message news:31643F4A-5F39-4C60-A6C1-A9251CBB62F3@xxxxxx

Thanks for the reply, Winston. It's a step toward an answer.

As I mentioned, none of the contacts.edb files, within {xxxxxxx} > DBStore,
are updated more recently than 5 days ago (when I installed WLM) even though
I make frequent, multiple contacts updates every day. The modified date/time
never changes; the files are static.

However, in my WLM folder, there are around 7 files that are continuously
updated with modified dates of exactly when I exited WLM last (after making
changes). There is a "tmp.edb" file that is kept constantly current -- which
I thought might be involved in contacts since it has the edb file extension,
like contacts.edb.

Based on this information about my files, combined with your observations at
your end, what would you conclude about my contacts.edb file(s)? [Since you
are the expert.] --> If Vista and WLM is operataing properly, should the
contacts.edb file(s) reflect the date/time that changes were last made to the
contacts? Would you conclude that my contacts.edb files are truly storing my
contacts since those files are never updated?

Thanks alot.

Just jumping in to observe that when I make a change (add a new
contact) to a non-default contacts list, the file edb.chk gets
modified. I'm not about to shut down and restart WLMail just to
check, but I shouldn't be surprised to discover that changes are
stored temporarily in this file (or log files, depending on the
nature of the change) and only get written to contacts.edb on
signin/signout/shutdown. I haven't looked, either, to see whether
'compacting the database' does anything with contacts - I suspect
not.
--
Noel


"madison11" <madison11@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:84404592-06EA-4CD1-9B9C-4785EC57C9F4@xxxxxx

Noel, thanks so much for the info, that helps. Yes, for me that file
(edb.chk) is updated with every contacts change- and more. I have 6 files
in the WLM folder that are always kept updated with the date/time I exit WLM
(WindowsLiveMail.log, edb.log, Mail.MSMessageStore, tmp.edb, edb.chk,
RssFeeds.xml. However, the contacts.edb and contacts.pat files within the WL
Contacts folder, in the {xxxxxx}>DBStore folders are *never* updated, and
that is location where contacts should be stored per everything I've seen on
the Vista support sites and forums.

Having clearly non-standard technical behavior occurring in the background
(my Windows Live Contacts folder appears to be dead) makes me wonder if my
WLM is working properly in general and/or if problems could arise in the
future, with updates, upgrades, or whatever. I wonder if any of the WLM
experts could kindly comment.

If all your contacts are present for all Live ID's in the web interface(contacts.live.com)...close WLM, delete the local Live ID
contacts folders(main and shadow per the folder names found in the earlier discussed registry key), then open WLM and sign on with
each Live ID to syncrhonize contacts from the web to WLM locally.

Fyi...test each Live ID prior to performing the above by accessing both
account.live.com
mail.live.com (not necessary if not a Hotmail.com, msn.com, or live.com Live ID)
contacts.live.com

--
...winston
ms-mvp mail

"madison11" <madison11@xxxxxx> wrote in message news:8BEADF78-03C0-4DA5-91AD-3E0C20EB7B9D@xxxxxx