Win Live Mail Contacts

Where does Live Mail keep the folder with all contacts in it! My Live Mail
folder in Programs Files has a Contacts folder, but nothing in it!

In XP, C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts

There will be one folder for the default (not signed in to Live) contacts
and 2 folders for each Live ID.
The contacts are now stored in a edb database file.
--
Ron Sommer
MS MVP-Mail

" Larry Ralph" <> wrote in message
news:#...
>
> Where does Live Mail keep the folder with all contacts in it! My Live Mail
> folder in Programs Files has a Contacts folder, but nothing in it!

In Vista and Windows 7

C:\Users\<your windows logon username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts

The folder names(numerical) below Windows Live Contacts are visible but the subfolder DBStore which holds the contact database
file(contacts.edb) is a protected operating system file. Configure Windows Explorer to show Hidden files and folders and Show
protected operating system files.

If I may ask, what do you plan on doing with the hidden folder and/or contents ?

--
...winston
ms-mvp mail

" Larry Ralph" <> wrote in message news:#...
>
> Where does Live Mail keep the folder with all contacts in it! My Live Mail folder in Programs Files has a Contacts folder, but
> nothing in it!

Hey Winston..

Ok finally got the file. The only problem is I have 3 such folders and I am
trying to determine which is the current one. I think I know which because
I edited my contacts in Win Live Mail and watched the file to update the
time stamp and only one folder did that! On the other hand I looked at the
export file in the online portion aand it was not current to my changes made
recently. In other words the online contacts was not being changed as I
changed my WLM Contacts!

Thanks, you have been very helpful!

Hello Larry,

On XP the Windows Live Mail contacts folder is:
C:\Documents and Settings\<your username>\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts

Windows Live Mail does not store contacts as individual files. All contacts
for each Live ID or the default(No Live ID signon to Windows Live) are
stored in a single file(contacts.edb). That single file is located in a
numerically named folder's subfolder called DBStore.
All folders(DBStore and its subfolders) below the numerically named folder
are hidden, protected operating system files(Windows Explorer needs to be
configured to show hidden and protected operating system files).


...winston


--
Wishing you a Wonderful Christmas Season, and a Happy and Healthy New Year
from our little community of Indian Oaks, Florida!!
Best Regards, Larry Ralph


"...winston" <> wrote in message
news:#83#...
> In Vista and Windows 7
>
> C:\Users\<your windows logon username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows
> Live Contacts
>
> The folder names(numerical) below Windows Live Contacts are visible but
> the subfolder DBStore which holds the contact database file(contacts.edb)
> is a protected operating system file. Configure Windows Explorer to show
> Hidden files and folders and Show protected operating system files.
>
> If I may ask, what do you plan on doing with the hidden folder and/or
> contents ?
>
> --
> ...winston
> ms-mvp mail
>
> " Larry Ralph" <> wrote in message
> news:#...
>>
>> Where does Live Mail keep the folder with all contacts in it! My Live
>> Mail folder in Programs Files has a Contacts folder, but nothing in it!
>

In WLMail, are you logged in and do a sync?
--
Ron Sommer
MS MVP-Mail

" Larry Ralph" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Hey Winston..
>
> Ok finally got the file. The only problem is I have 3 such folders and I
> am trying to determine which is the current one. I think I know which
> because I edited my contacts in Win Live Mail and watched the file to
> update the time stamp and only one folder did that! On the other hand I
> looked at the export file in the online portion aand it was not current to
> my changes made recently. In other words the online contacts was not
> being changed as I changed my WLM Contacts!
>
> Thanks, you have been very helpful!
>
> Hello Larry,
>
> On XP the Windows Live Mail contacts folder is:
> C:\Documents and Settings\<your username>\Local Settings\Application
> Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts
>
> Windows Live Mail does not store contacts as individual files. All
> contacts for each Live ID or the default(No Live ID signon to Windows
> Live) are stored in a single file(contacts.edb). That single file is
> located in a numerically named folder's subfolder called DBStore.
> All folders(DBStore and its subfolders) below the numerically named folder
> are hidden, protected operating system files(Windows Explorer needs to be
> configured to show hidden and protected operating system files).
>
>
> ...winston
>
>
> --
> Wishing you a Wonderful Christmas Season, and a Happy and Healthy New Year
> from our little community of Indian Oaks, Florida!!
> Best Regards, Larry Ralph
>
>
> "...winston" <> wrote in message
> news:#83#...
>> In Vista and Windows 7
>>
>> C:\Users\<your windows logon username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows
>> Live Contacts
>>
>> The folder names(numerical) below Windows Live Contacts are visible but
>> the subfolder DBStore which holds the contact database file(contacts.edb)
>> is a protected operating system file. Configure Windows Explorer to
>> show Hidden files and folders and Show protected operating system files.
>>
>> If I may ask, what do you plan on doing with the hidden folder and/or
>> contents ?
>>
>> --
>> ...winston
>> ms-mvp mail
>>
>> " Larry Ralph" <> wrote in message
>> news:#...
>>>
>>> Where does Live Mail keep the folder with all contacts in it! My Live
>>> Mail folder in Programs Files has a Contacts folder, but nothing in it!
>>

This reg key tells you the names of each numerical folder
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts\Database

Ignore the path names, they are not exactly as shown(WLM is smart enough to convert them to the actual user profile location)

The current is always in the DBStore folder for the respective Live ID or the default account(no Live ID used to sign on to Windows
Live)


--
...winston
ms-mvp mail

" Larry Ralph" <> wrote in message news:...
> Hey Winston..
>
> Ok finally got the file. The only problem is I have 3 such folders and I am trying to determine which is the current one. I
> think I know which because I edited my contacts in Win Live Mail and watched the file to update the time stamp and only one
> folder did that! On the other hand I looked at the export file in the online portion aand it was not current to my changes made
> recently. In other words the online contacts was not being changed as I changed my WLM Contacts!
>
> Thanks, you have been very helpful!
>
> Hello Larry,
>
> On XP the Windows Live Mail contacts folder is:
> C:\Documents and Settings\<your username>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts
>
> Windows Live Mail does not store contacts as individual files. All contacts for each Live ID or the default(No Live ID signon to
> Windows Live) are stored in a single file(contacts.edb). That single file is located in a numerically named folder's subfolder
> called DBStore.
> All folders(DBStore and its subfolders) below the numerically named folder are hidden, protected operating system files(Windows
> Explorer needs to be configured to show hidden and protected operating system files).
>
>
> ...winston
>
>
> --
> Wishing you a Wonderful Christmas Season, and a Happy and Healthy New Year from our little community of Indian Oaks, Florida!!
> Best Regards, Larry Ralph
>
>
> "...winston" <> wrote in message news:#83#...
>> In Vista and Windows 7
>>
>> C:\Users\<your windows logon username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts
>>
>> The folder names(numerical) below Windows Live Contacts are visible but the subfolder DBStore which holds the contact database
>> file(contacts.edb) is a protected operating system file. Configure Windows Explorer to show Hidden files and folders and Show
>> protected operating system files.
>>
>> If I may ask, what do you plan on doing with the hidden folder and/or contents ?
>>
>> --
>> ...winston
>> ms-mvp mail
>>
>> " Larry Ralph" <> wrote in message news:#...
>>>
>>> Where does Live Mail keep the folder with all contacts in it! My Live Mail folder in Programs Files has a Contacts folder, but
>>> nothing in it!
>>

Yes I sync!

--
Wishing you a Wonderful Christmas Season, and a Happy and Healthy New Year
from our little community of Indian Oaks, Florida!!
Best Regards, Larry Ralph


"Ron Sommer" <> wrote in message
news:...
> In WLMail, are you logged in and do a sync?
> --
> Ron Sommer
> MS MVP-Mail
>
> " Larry Ralph" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> Hey Winston..
>>
>> Ok finally got the file. The only problem is I have 3 such folders and I
>> am trying to determine which is the current one. I think I know which
>> because I edited my contacts in Win Live Mail and watched the file to
>> update the time stamp and only one folder did that! On the other hand I
>> looked at the export file in the online portion aand it was not current
>> to my changes made recently. In other words the online contacts was not
>> being changed as I changed my WLM Contacts!
>>
>> Thanks, you have been very helpful!
>>
>> Hello Larry,
>>
>> On XP the Windows Live Mail contacts folder is:
>> C:\Documents and Settings\<your username>\Local Settings\Application
>> Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts
>>
>> Windows Live Mail does not store contacts as individual files. All
>> contacts for each Live ID or the default(No Live ID signon to Windows
>> Live) are stored in a single file(contacts.edb). That single file is
>> located in a numerically named folder's subfolder called DBStore.
>> All folders(DBStore and its subfolders) below the numerically named
>> folder are hidden, protected operating system files(Windows Explorer
>> needs to be configured to show hidden and protected operating system
>> files).
>>
>>
>> ...winston
>>
>>
>> --
>> Wishing you a Wonderful Christmas Season, and a Happy and Healthy New
>> Year from our little community of Indian Oaks, Florida!!
>> Best Regards, Larry Ralph
>>
>>
>> "...winston" <> wrote in message
>> news:#83#...
>>> In Vista and Windows 7
>>>
>>> C:\Users\<your windows logon username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows
>>> Live Contacts
>>>
>>> The folder names(numerical) below Windows Live Contacts are visible but
>>> the subfolder DBStore which holds the contact database
>>> file(contacts.edb) is a protected operating system file. Configure
>>> Windows Explorer to show Hidden files and folders and Show protected
>>> operating system files.
>>>
>>> If I may ask, what do you plan on doing with the hidden folder and/or
>>> contents ?
>>>
>>> --
>>> ...winston
>>> ms-mvp mail
>>>
>>> " Larry Ralph" <> wrote in message
>>> news:#...
>>>>
>>>> Where does Live Mail keep the folder with all contacts in it! My Live
>>>> Mail folder in Programs Files has a Contacts folder, but nothing in it!
>>>

The registry also has 3 of the contacts.edb files in 3 different DBStore
folders. The time stamps are all within a 4 day period. So the one I checked
with yesterdays time stamp still has yesterdays time and one of the other
contacts.edb files has today's date! They are all the same size! So now I
am not as sure on which one is the most current file??

--
Wishing you a Wonderful Christmas Season, and a Happy and Healthy New Year
from our little community of Indian Oaks, Florida!!
Best Regards, Larry Ralph


"...winston" <> wrote in message
news:...
> This reg key tells you the names of each numerical folder
> HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts\Database
>
> Ignore the path names, they are not exactly as shown(WLM is smart enough
> to convert them to the actual user profile location)
>
> The current is always in the DBStore folder for the respective Live ID or
> the default account(no Live ID used to sign on to Windows Live)
>
>
> --
> ...winston
> ms-mvp mail
>
> " Larry Ralph" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> Hey Winston..
>>
>> Ok finally got the file. The only problem is I have 3 such folders and I
>> am trying to determine which is the current one. I think I know which
>> because I edited my contacts in Win Live Mail and watched the file to
>> update the time stamp and only one folder did that! On the other hand I
>> looked at the export file in the online portion aand it was not current
>> to my changes made recently. In other words the online contacts was not
>> being changed as I changed my WLM Contacts!
>>
>> Thanks, you have been very helpful!
>>
>> Hello Larry,
>>
>> On XP the Windows Live Mail contacts folder is:
>> C:\Documents and Settings\<your username>\Local Settings\Application
>> Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts
>>
>> Windows Live Mail does not store contacts as individual files. All
>> contacts for each Live ID or the default(No Live ID signon to Windows
>> Live) are stored in a single file(contacts.edb). That single file is
>> located in a numerically named folder's subfolder called DBStore.
>> All folders(DBStore and its subfolders) below the numerically named
>> folder are hidden, protected operating system files(Windows Explorer
>> needs to be configured to show hidden and protected operating system
>> files).
>>
>>
>> ...winston
>>
>>
>> --
>> Wishing you a Wonderful Christmas Season, and a Happy and Healthy New
>> Year from our little community of Indian Oaks, Florida!!
>> Best Regards, Larry Ralph
>>
>>
>> "...winston" <> wrote in message
>> news:#83#...
>>> In Vista and Windows 7
>>>
>>> C:\Users\<your windows logon username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows
>>> Live Contacts
>>>
>>> The folder names(numerical) below Windows Live Contacts are visible but
>>> the subfolder DBStore which holds the contact database
>>> file(contacts.edb) is a protected operating system file. Configure
>>> Windows Explorer to show Hidden files and folders and Show protected
>>> operating system files.
>>>
>>> If I may ask, what do you plan on doing with the hidden folder and/or
>>> contents ?
>>>
>>> --
>>> ...winston
>>> ms-mvp mail
>>>
>>> " Larry Ralph" <> wrote in message
>>> news:#...
>>>>
>>>> Where does Live Mail keep the folder with all contacts in it! My Live
>>>> Mail folder in Programs Files has a Contacts folder, but nothing in it!
>>>