Cannot delete some mail after uninstalling Windows 10

Question

I down loaded Windows 10 and it did not recognise my internet connection, BT Help said it was a software problem so I uninstalled it. Now my windows live mail is corrupt. I can not delete any mail dating from the time W10 was installed. Has anyone got the answer? I am also fed up with the W10 and windows 11 explorer icons popping up every time I log in asking me to down load them and I can not remove them!

Casjazz

[Original title: Widows !0 corrupted my Windows live Mail]

Answer 1

... this time was successful, much appreciated.

I did know I was looking for a "folder" and not a "file",

OK, but other programs - notably Outlook Express and Office Outlook - do store messages in a file, not a folder. You might have been thinking that this program from the same stable acted in a similar way.

... is it safe to delete the original folder that was renamed?

If you're quite happy about the way things are now in the program, you don't need the old folder any longer. However, it would be good to ensure that your store folder is being properly backed up, now that you know where it is.

Answer 2

Thank you Firedog, this time was successful, much appreciated. Oh, and I did know I was looking for a "folder" and not a "file", I just happened to use the wrong word. my mistake lay in my copy and paste of the store folder path. Now all I need to know please, is it safe to delete the original folder that was renamed?

Thank you for your time

Casjazz

Answer 3

... computer couldn't even find the file that the data was supposed to be stored in.

You weren't looking for a file, you're looking for a folder. If you'd followed steps 1 and 3 above, there wouldn't be anything to find - it's there in the path you copied. The folder is called by default Windows Live Mail, but this is user-configurable, so it's not certain that that's what it's called in your case.

... the only course of action is to uninstall live mail and start again.

That won't make any difference! The problem is not with the program files - which is all that uninstalling and re-installing will affect - but with the store folder, which won't be touched by that procedure.

Please try to follow the instructions again, being very careful to carry out the steps exactly as written. If there's a step that doesn't work as expected, please post back and explain in detail what went wrong.

Answer 4

Thanks Firedog,  Your instructions were very easy to follow but unfortunately nothing has worked, computer couldn't even find the file that the data was supposed to be stored in. I have tried to repair Windows essentials as well to no avail. I think the only course of action is to uninstall live mail and start again.

Thank you for your time and effort to help me, very grateful.

Casjazz

Answer 5

I can not delete any mail dating from the time W10 was installed.

Which operating system are you using now? It looks as if many of those who revert to Windows 7 from Windows 10 experience a corruption of the store folder (the folder where messages, calendars and account settings are stored). Depending on how complicated your store folder is (many accounts, many calendars, many messages in many folders), it may be simplest just to create a new store folder and repopulate it:

1. While viewing your message list in Windows Live Mail, press Ctrl-Shift-O for Options. On the Advanced tab, click Maintenance and then Store folder. Copy the path shown for the location of the store folder.
2. Close down Windows Live Mail and wait a few minutes (the program will continue to run in the background while it does its housekeeping).
3. Press Windows key + E to open an Explorer window, then paste or type the path you copied at (1) into the address bar and press Enter. This should open your store folder.
4. Right-click on the folder name in the navigation pane and select Rename. Call it Live Mail Backup.
5. A repair should check that all the program files are present and correct and properly registered where necessary. To do this, close all running programs, then press Windows key + R, type wlarp and press Enter. In the window that opens, select Repair all Windows Essentials programs:

 

When it's finished, reboot the computer. 6. Launch Windows Live Mail and wait until the program settles down before doing anything. Then press Ctrl-Shift-T to start the Add your email accounts wizard and follow the prompts to add your email accounts again. 7. Click once on Working online on the status bar and disconnect from the Internet to prevent interference from email downloads, then use File > Import messages (Alt-F I) and point the wizard at the Live Mail Backup folder. Don't interfere while the import is going on. 8. Leave the program alone for some time (an hour or two, or even overnight) to allow it to re-index all your messages, then close it down and wait again for half an hour for the program to do its housekeeping. 9. Re-launch the program and look for your messages under Imported folder in Storage folders. Taking it gently, drag folders out of Imported folder and drop them in the location you want them. Again, give the program plenty of time to re-index messages in their new location.