I am so technologically challenged that I don't even know what 'CSV' means.
It looks like I'll just have to get a case of cold beer and some snacks and just go through the contact list one a time. Good thing I don't do this for a living.
Thanks for you efforts. Maybe Microsoft will eventually come with fixes to the idiosyncrasies of Windows 8 Live Mail. I heard a rumor that a service pak will be coming out in July. One can but hope it helps.