Windows Live Mail Won't Open Saved .eml Files in Windows 8

Anonymous
2013-07-17T06:07:00+00:00

Running on Windows 8 with Windows Live Mail.  If you save an email to a file it is saved with an .eml file extension.  These files can then be saved anywhere (i.e. your desktop).

Then when double clicking the file the mail client (Windows Live Mail) would open with the email in the Inbox.  Old Outlook clients worked the same way.  I've had this working AOK with Windows 7 for some time.

With the same scenario under Windows 8 the Windows Live Mail client opens but the email is no where to be found.

The file association is AOK:  .eml = Windows Live Mail  (from File "Set Associations" screen).

Even just saving the email to a file from the client (Windows Live Mail) and then immediately trying to select it again does not work (after deleting the original email from the client).

Windows for home | Other | Email and communications

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Anonymous
2013-07-17T11:54:16+00:00

 Then when double clicking the file the mail client (Windows Live Mail) would open with the email in the Inbox.  Old Outlook clients worked the same way.  I've had this working AOK with Windows 7 for some time.

 

With the same scenario under Windows 8 the Windows Live Mail client opens but the email is no where to be found.

 

The file association is AOK:  .eml = Windows Live Mail  (from File "Set Associations" screen).

 

Even just saving the email to a file from the client (Windows Live Mail) and then immediately trying to select it again does not work (after deleting the original email from the client).

Double clicking the file will open the file.  It will not be in the Inbox.

Windows Live Mail will be partially running.  Access to Windows Live Mail will require starting Windows Live Mail with the shortcut.

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Anonymous
2013-07-28T20:21:18+00:00

I've no idea of the significance of the hash key. I'm fairly sure you don't need it, and it will be entered automatically by the program that does need it when necessary. 

Right-click on the .eml key that's causing problems and select Permissions. Use the Advanced options to give your user account full control of the key. Then try changing the Progid again. If you're still barred, use the advanced options to take ownership of the key.

Ensure also that WindowsLiveMail.Email.1 is listed under OpenWithProgids (with zero-value binary data).

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-07-26T20:14:01+00:00

    Hi Firedog,

    I agree that it's unlikely that the .eml files are the culprit, but just to rule everything out I sent a sample of 3 .eml files to Eugene & Ron per their request earlier via a private message opened by Ron.  And yes, I can view these files with Notepad/Notepad++ as you suggested.

    The entries at HKCR\WindowsLiveMail.Email.1\shell\open\command do indeed now match HKLM\WindowsLiveMail.Email.1\shell\open\command:

     HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts.eml\UserChoice is as follows:

    If you would be so kind as to explain how to "... deny access to Outlook while we sort this out." I would be happy to do that.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-07-26T18:24:04+00:00

    Registry entries are still AOK, as before,.

    Errr... as I said once before, they're clearly not AOK, or you wouldn't be having this problem.

    The entries now seem to be as they should be in HKLM. Again, as I said before, the ones in HKCR are a compilation of those in HKLM and HKCU, with the latter taking preference in case of a conflict. Is

    HKCR\WindowsLiveMail.Email.1\shell\open\command the same as

    HKLM\WindowsLiveMail.Email.1\shell\open\command

    ?

    Do you have an entry at

    HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts.eml\UserChoice?

    If so, is it also WindowsLiveMail.Email.1?

    Have you checked all three places in default programs since uninstalling System Mechanic? In particular, is the file type for .eml files correct? While you're there, it may help to deny access to Outlook while we sort this out.

    By the way, it's highly unlikely that there's anything wrong with the .eml files themselves. They're only simple text files that you can open with Notepad to check for yourself. If you have access to the same message at the server, e.g. via webmail, can you see the message source there? If so, you could compare the two. In Windows Live Mail, pressing Ctrl-F3 will show you the message source (the underlying .eml file displayed as text).

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-07-26T04:11:55+00:00

    Eugene,

    I have uploaded a sampling of 3 .eml files per your request in the private message you created.

    Thanks,

    Jess

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