[SOLVED] Windows Live Mail problem after Win 10 Upgrade

[LedHed]

Hello all,
I upgraded a Win 7 box to Win 10 for a client this past Thursday. He was unable to be there, so I couldn't ask him any questions. I made a complete backup of the hard drive with Macrium Reflect before I started.

He called last night and told me that his Windows Live Mail isn't working, his emails are missing and, of course, he needs them.

The computer had Office 2010 and I assumed he was using Outlook for email. I have a couple of questions before I go back tomorrow morning:

Does anyone know if the emails are still there? If so, how can I get them to show up again?

Would reinstalling Windows Live Mail bring everything back?

Of course, I don't want him to continue using Windows Live Mail. I will suggest alternative email clients after I get these emails back. I just need some advice on how to proceed.

Thank you in advance,
Andy Buford

 

[Diggs]

Is he running a POP3 or IMAP account? If IMAP then just hook him up to his account again. Live Mail can be restored by just copying the Live Mail folder(s) over from his old install into his new. (Google the details.)

 

[britechguy]

@Diggs has taken the words out of my mouth, and gives yet another example of why anyone on POP3 who has the option to use IMAP access instead should be changed over to it.

IMAP allows you to dump e-mail clients and/or computers at will and have everything "automagically" reappear just by setting up an account again. And, lets face it, the vast majority of folks today want to be able to access their e-mail from more than one device these days and have all those devices remain in sync. That's a built-in feature of IMAP access.

By the way, although I don't recommend Windows Live Mail as a client, either, there are some who just will not give it up. If you need to reinstall it I archived the final Windows Live Mail (Windows Essentials) 2012 (ZIP format) installer about a week before it was taken down from the Microsoft site.

 

[Porthos]

I made a complete backup of the hard drive with Macrium Reflect before I started.

Mount the drive and use Fab's on it. It will grab the profile.

 

[LedHed]

I forgot to mention that I don't know if he is using POP3 or IMAP. I didn't actually set this up for him. Someone else did it a few years ago. I'm hoping it's IMAP.

@Porthos: I was thinking about doing that. Thanks for the advice.

@britechguy: Thanks for the installer. Much appreciated.

I really need to get better at checking things out before I start. Thank you all. I am supposed to go back sometime tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.

 

[Your PCMD]

with Macrium Reflect before I started

Licensed?

Also, whats @Diggs & @Porthos mentioned.

 

[LedHed]

Licensed?

Also, whats @Diggs & @Porthos mentioned.

Yes. They purchased their own copy, on my recommendation, a few months ago.

 

[britechguy]

Yes. They purchased their own copy, on my recommendation, a few months ago.

Given that the description of the problem implies a home user, they could be using Macrium Reflect Free (although it's confirmed they aren't) and that's perfectly suitable, too.

I have no general reason to presume that anyone is using cracked/hacked software without some direct indication, and since Macrium and many other backup utilities have free versions for home users it's even less likely that they would be.

 

[LedHed]

Update:
So, I went there this morning. I misunderstood the voicemail he left me over the weekend. Windows Live Mail was doing something peculiar. All of the emails he received prior to the upgrade could still be opened. All emails he received after the upgrade (around 8 emails) would give a message stating they could not be opened because the system was low on resources. I checked the account settings and his email was set up with IMAP. I switched him over to Thunderbird, he was very thankful.

Now, about Macrium. I am a one-man shop. Because I have limited time/resources I recommend Macrium to all my customers, most of them listen. I use it myself (yes, it's licensed,) and I believe in it. If I'm doing an onsite upgrade/repair that I think is particularly risky, AND that customer already has Macrium, I'll image the drive right there. If they don't, I usually take the computer back to my shop and image it with DDRescue instead. This system has worked for me more times than I can count.