WLM deleted my contacts and I can't re-add them

Hi,

One day, I turned on my Windows Live Messenger v8.5 only to discover that
more than half of my contacts had been deleted and I could not re-add them.
I did not change anything on my computer or install any new programs.
Additionally, my contacts can message me as per usual and if they start the
chat, I can then chat with them but I cannot open a chat with them because
WLM thinks they are all non-messenger contacts, which they aren't.

Basically, my contacts are all listed as "non-instant messenger contacts"
and the software won't let me re-add them as friends. I tried re-installing
WLM, updating the drivers for the program, etc but none of these solved my
problem.

If someone, anyone, can please help me out I would infinitely appreciate it!

Thanks,

Mike

I don't know why some of your contacts appear to have disappeared. If
your Windows Live Messenger login is based upon a hotmail.com, msn.com
or live.com email address / live identity, you could try the following:

1. Sign out of your identity in WL Messenger. Then, sign in again -
which should synchronize contacts with your live identity.

2. Use your Internet browser to log onto your hotmail, msn or live
mail account - and click on Contacts.

3. Edit your contacts via the mail account and add any missing names.
Save your changes and log out.

4. Repeat step 1.



"Mike" <> wrote in message
news:EDBBAB78-FEFC-420D-8421-...
> Hi,
>
> One day, I turned on my Windows Live Messenger v8.5 only to discover
> that
> more than half of my contacts had been deleted and I could not re-add
> them.
> I did not change anything on my computer or install any new programs.
> Additionally, my contacts can message me as per usual and if they
> start the
> chat, I can then chat with them but I cannot open a chat with them
> because
> WLM thinks they are all non-messenger contacts, which they aren't.
>
> Basically, my contacts are all listed as "non-instant messenger
> contacts"
> and the software won't let me re-add them as friends. I tried
> re-installing
> WLM, updating the drivers for the program, etc but none of these
> solved my
> problem.
>
> If someone, anyone, can please help me out I would infinitely
> appreciate it!
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mike

I can also verify this in a sense.
I had tested a previous 9.0 beta and had that same effect. It is also
happening with this third wave beta release.
I went to webmessenger.msn.com and the contacts were missing there as well.
What I have noticed is the newer contacts that have been added are the ones
that have stayed.
When I reported this, I ended up going back to 8.5 and as I suspected, the
contacts showed up. They aren't truely deleted.

I'm hoping that a Messenger dev-person pays attention to this issue since I
think it is going to be a far reaching issue.

Nathan

"Mike" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> One day, I turned on my Windows Live Messenger v8.5 only to discover that
> more than half of my contacts had been deleted and I could not re-add them.
> I did not change anything on my computer or install any new programs.
> Additionally, my contacts can message me as per usual and if they start the
> chat, I can then chat with them but I cannot open a chat with them because
> WLM thinks they are all non-messenger contacts, which they aren't.
>
> Basically, my contacts are all listed as "non-instant messenger contacts"
> and the software won't let me re-add them as friends. I tried re-installing
> WLM, updating the drivers for the program, etc but none of these solved my
> problem.
>
> If someone, anyone, can please help me out I would infinitely appreciate it!
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mike

Try to delete the contact from the "non-instant messenger contacts", and then
try re-add the contact again, I believe it could be work.

(I recommend you have a try on single contact first)

"Mike" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> One day, I turned on my Windows Live Messenger v8.5 only to discover that
> more than half of my contacts had been deleted and I could not re-add them.
> I did not change anything on my computer or install any new programs.
> Additionally, my contacts can message me as per usual and if they start the
> chat, I can then chat with them but I cannot open a chat with them because
> WLM thinks they are all non-messenger contacts, which they aren't.
>
> Basically, my contacts are all listed as "non-instant messenger contacts"
> and the software won't let me re-add them as friends. I tried re-installing
> WLM, updating the drivers for the program, etc but none of these solved my
> problem.
>
> If someone, anyone, can please help me out I would infinitely appreciate it!
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mike

One more thing, out of curiousity, I went to the help and there is a topic
specific to this issue
http://help.live.com/help.aspx?mkt=e...d&query=sutats
"Contacts are missing from your contacts list"

While you can give it a try yourself, you may want to check and make sure
your contacts exist when you go to webmessenger.msn.com.
If they are, the help basically tells you to clear out the contacts cache
and it'll just get rebuilt. That did not happen for me though, but then the
missing contacts also do not appear on webmessenger.

Nathan

"Mike" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> One day, I turned on my Windows Live Messenger v8.5 only to discover that
> more than half of my contacts had been deleted and I could not re-add them.
> I did not change anything on my computer or install any new programs.
> Additionally, my contacts can message me as per usual and if they start the
> chat, I can then chat with them but I cannot open a chat with them because
> WLM thinks they are all non-messenger contacts, which they aren't.
>
> Basically, my contacts are all listed as "non-instant messenger contacts"
> and the software won't let me re-add them as friends. I tried re-installing
> WLM, updating the drivers for the program, etc but none of these solved my
> problem.
>
> If someone, anyone, can please help me out I would infinitely appreciate it!
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mike

I tried the Latest Wave 3 messenger....All the contacts where missing...i
tried to signout, exit, restart my pc..still contacts went missing..

But all the contacts where safe in my hotmail...

ITS A SERIOUS BUG!!!

also, when i uninstalled, and installed windows live messenger 8 all
contacts showed up..

Pls fix it or test this issue.

"Nathan" wrote:

> One more thing, out of curiousity, I went to the help and there is a topic
> specific to this issue.
> http://help.live.com/help.aspx?mkt=e...d&query=sutats
> "Contacts are missing from your contacts list"
>
> While you can give it a try yourself, you may want to check and make sure
> your contacts exist when you go to webmessenger.msn.com.
> If they are, the help basically tells you to clear out the contacts cache
> and it'll just get rebuilt. That did not happen for me though, but then the
> missing contacts also do not appear on webmessenger.
>
> Nathan
>
> "Mike" wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > One day, I turned on my Windows Live Messenger v8.5 only to discover that
> > more than half of my contacts had been deleted and I could not re-add them.
> > I did not change anything on my computer or install any new programs.
> > Additionally, my contacts can message me as per usual and if they start the
> > chat, I can then chat with them but I cannot open a chat with them because
> > WLM thinks they are all non-messenger contacts, which they aren't.
> >
> > Basically, my contacts are all listed as "non-instant messenger contacts"
> > and the software won't let me re-add them as friends. I tried re-installing
> > WLM, updating the drivers for the program, etc but none of these solved my
> > problem.
> >
> > If someone, anyone, can please help me out I would infinitely appreciate it!
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Mike

Same problem here. Is there a solution about this?

"Guruparan" wrote:

> I tried the Latest Wave 3 messenger....All the contacts where missing...i
> tried to signout, exit, restart my pc..still contacts went missing..
>
> But all the contacts where safe in my hotmail...

+1 Here - same problem and deleting the cache did not work for me.

contact categories seem to be the same between WLMessenger and WLMail betas
- but the contacts are not syncing properly. frustrating issue - but i'm sure
it will be addressed soon. in the meantime - people might want to back off to
the previous version.


"Mike" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> One day, I turned on my Windows Live Messenger v8.5 only to discover that
> more than half of my contacts had been deleted and I could not re-add them.
> I did not change anything on my computer or install any new programs.
> Additionally, my contacts can message me as per usual and if they start the
> chat, I can then chat with them but I cannot open a chat with them because
> WLM thinks they are all non-messenger contacts, which they aren't.
>
> Basically, my contacts are all listed as "non-instant messenger contacts"
> and the software won't let me re-add them as friends. I tried re-installing
> WLM, updating the drivers for the program, etc but none of these solved my
> problem.
>
> If someone, anyone, can please help me out I would infinitely appreciate it!
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mike

I also have the same problem; with WLM9 Beta I have no contacts anymore, but
they still exist when I use webmessenger.msn.com. I deleted the contacts
cache as the Help suggested, but with no difference.


"rock603" wrote:

> +1 Here - same problem and deleting the cache did not work for me.
>
> contact categories seem to be the same between WLMessenger and WLMail betas
> - but the contacts are not syncing properly. frustrating issue - but i'm sure
> it will be addressed soon. in the meantime - people might want to back off to
> the previous version.
>
>
> "Mike" wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > One day, I turned on my Windows Live Messenger v8.5 only to discover that
> > more than half of my contacts had been deleted and I could not re-add them.
> > I did not change anything on my computer or install any new programs.
> > Additionally, my contacts can message me as per usual and if they start the
> > chat, I can then chat with them but I cannot open a chat with them because
> > WLM thinks they are all non-messenger contacts, which they aren't.
> >
> > Basically, my contacts are all listed as "non-instant messenger contacts"
> > and the software won't let me re-add them as friends. I tried re-installing
> > WLM, updating the drivers for the program, etc but none of these solved my
> > problem.
> >
> > If someone, anyone, can please help me out I would infinitely appreciate it!
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Mike

This kind of worked...I could get all of my contacts organized again into the
groups I had them in in the 1st place and some contacts have magically
reappeared on my contact list as actual WLM contacts (and not "non-instant
messenger contacts) but others as still listed as "non-instant messenger
contacts" and I am positive that these people have used WLM in the last 135
days or whatever it is, so it's not like their account was deleted on their
end.

"Bob Lucas" wrote:

> I don't know why some of your contacts appear to have disappeared. If
> your Windows Live Messenger login is based upon a hotmail.com, msn.com
> or live.com email address / live identity, you could try the following:
>
> 1. Sign out of your identity in WL Messenger. Then, sign in again -
> which should synchronize contacts with your live identity.
>
> 2. Use your Internet browser to log onto your hotmail, msn or live
> mail account - and click on Contacts.
>
> 3. Edit your contacts via the mail account and add any missing names.
> Save your changes and log out.
>
> 4. Repeat step 1.
>
>
>
> "Mike" <> wrote in message
> news:EDBBAB78-FEFC-420D-8421-...
> > Hi,
> >
> > One day, I turned on my Windows Live Messenger v8.5 only to discover
> > that
> > more than half of my contacts had been deleted and I could not re-add
> > them.
> > I did not change anything on my computer or install any new programs.
> > Additionally, my contacts can message me as per usual and if they
> > start the
> > chat, I can then chat with them but I cannot open a chat with them
> > because
> > WLM thinks they are all non-messenger contacts, which they aren't.
> >
> > Basically, my contacts are all listed as "non-instant messenger
> > contacts"
> > and the software won't let me re-add them as friends. I tried
> > re-installing
> > WLM, updating the drivers for the program, etc but none of these
> > solved my
> > problem.
> >
> > If someone, anyone, can please help me out I would infinitely
> > appreciate it!
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Mike
>
>
>