Whatever happened, it was the Live Messenger update install process that
ran, and yes I assumed that the "Mail" update that was happening was Windows
Live Mail, but when the install was complete, my desktop had dropped several
application icons, my task bar was reconfigured, my Windows Mail email
configuration was reinitiated and my IE-8 home page was changed to MSN (even
though I had unchecked the box that asked if I wanted MSN to be my home
page). I was able to find my old email folders and files, so I knew they
were still safe, just not viewable. I probably could have reconfigured
Windows Mail and imported them or just pointed to them to get them back, but
I chose to Restore. My major worry was that Restore evidently does not
process personal files, so if my stored emails and folders had been wiped
clean (as back in the "old days") there would be little likelihood of
restoring them.
After I "Restored," everything was back to my original configurations of
that morning.
But, there was no mistaking, the Windows Live update, which included
Messenger, was the culprit, and it was somewhere within the configuration
selections that did the damage. In fact, having backed up everything safely
on another disc, I redid the update installation but unchecked all the
options boxes. I watched the flashing messages, and once again I saw many
of the same changes and installs take place as they had before (the messages
do not differentiate between Windows Mail and Windows Live Mail -- they only
say "Mail"). In this case, I asked that the toolbar not be added. Since I
do not use Outlook, I left the associated box unchecked in both instances.
There was no confusion, no interruption, no "hiccup" in the process, either
time, but one of the options that was left checked caused unintended
consequences.
Microsoft and Windows have been known to release buggy updates before, and I
believe this one to be buggy.
"RalfG" <> wrote in message
news:...
> The Live Messenger update doesn't update Windows Mail (I'm typing this in
> Windows Mail as
> the updater is running). The most recent updates I can see for Windows
> Mail were only the junk mail filter on Feb 12
> and the same again back in Jan and December. If anything the installer for
> Live applications
> could install or update Windows Live Mail or some of the other Live
> programs.
> Windows Live Mail is a separate email program which does not replace
> Windows
> Mail and News or change its accounts/message folders.
>
> You might have mistaken a newly installed Live Mail icon for Windows Mail,
> in which case your old
> email settings and messages should still be intact. Look in your programs
> menus for the Windows Mail (E-mail icon). Windows Live Mail might have
> been moved to the top
> of the Start menu in place of it. The icon should indicate whether it is
> Windows E-mail or Live Mail.
>
> Okay the updater just finished.... no restart was required. As expected
> Windows Mail wasn't touched but Windows Live Mail was updated along with
> Messenger. Live Mail appearance changed somewhat but accounts are still
> intact. A new Live Call icon was added to the Windows Live folder but no
> other Live apps were installed despite all the downloads while the updater
> was running. My IE7 start page was not touched.
>
> IE8 is still a beta so finding problems with it is to be expected. You
> might have installed something more than the Messenger/Live updates,
> something that required a restart or altered IE8.
>
>
>
> "Tim Cole" <> wrote in message
> news:4C7B692D-BC2C-4BB3-8D8C-...
>> I'm not sure which group to go to -- I welcome courteous direction.
>> I signed on this afternoon and received a notice that Windows Live
>> Messenger had a pending update -- I allowed it.
>> Pretty soon, during the long install, I noticed that other MS apps were
>> flashing across the time line -- apps that had little or nothing to do
>> with Messenger. After restart, I wanted to check my email (Windows
>> Mail -- was Outlook Express) and found that all my settings were gone, as
>> well as all my stored emails and folders and that I had to set up my
>> accounts again. I only remained in Mail long enough to write this post,
>> because I fully believe all my emails and setups are still on this
>> machine
>> somewhere and only need to be synced in.
>> Also, my auto-completes were disabled, my IE homepage was changed to MSDN
>> (even thought I had specifically unchecked that box in the Messenger
>> update install). I had to rebuild my task bar.
>> Why did all this happen? Was I a victim of a hox? a virus? (I have
>> Comcast's McAfee) a "getting-to-be-typical" Microsoft update disaster?
>> Did anyone else experience this?
>> And can someone steer me to the folder where email files are stored?
>> My specs: Gateway T-series laptop with 4Gb RAM, 250Gb HD 40% filled,
>> Vista SP1, and IE-8 RC1.
>
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