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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments No comments
Answer accepted by question author
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.

Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.
0 comments No comments
Answer accepted by question author
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).

Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments

43 additional answers

Sort by: Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2013-07-26T02:57:34+00:00

    Hi JAO_9999,

    Thank you for the information that you've provided.

    Before we can escalate your issue to our Support Specialist team, we need the .EML files that you can't open in your Windows Live Mail for further investigation of your issue. Please upload the .EML files in the private message that I've created for security purposes. You need to click the notification that states “You have a private reply to this message. Click here to read it on our secure private messages section."

    Note: You need to be signed in to the Microsoft Community forum to view the link. Kindly notify us here when the needed information has been provided in the private message area.

    Thanks!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  2. 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

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  3. 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).

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments