"A problem has occurred while trying to open this message."

I was successfully able to execute the instructions. I am now unable to open WIndows Live. I get the message - "Windows Live Mail could not be started. The application was unable to open Windows Live Mail message store. Your windows Live Mail mailbox data is currently being used by another program, such as Virus scanner. Close the program and wait for it to complete its operation and then open windows Live Mail again (0x800C0155, 2]". Has the mail database crashed? Can you please respond ASAP?

This happens to almost everyone who tries the defragmentation routine. The problem is this: esentutl makes a copy of the index file (Mail.MSMessageStore) and tries to defragment it. If the process is successful, the defragmented file is copied back to where it originally came from - but its owner has changed, because it was the System user account that created the file while the procedure is being run by administrator. So the normal user account doesn't have permissions to write to this file, which causes the error you're seeing. To correct this,

1. Log on to Windows with an administrator account and ensure that no programs are running.
2. Use Explorer to navigate to your store folder, probably at

C:\Users{user}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mailwhere {user} is the Windows user having the problem.**** 3. Right-click on Mail.MSMessageStore and select Properties. 4. On the Security tab, click Advanced, then open the Owner tab.

If the Current owner box doesn't contain your normal Windows user account, click Edit then *Other users or groups.*Type the name of your normal Windows user account into the Enter the object name... box and click Check names. The official name of the account should appear in the format {computer name}{username}.

Click OK, select this username in the Change owner to box then *OK.*Open the Permissions tab and click Change permissions. 5. Click Add and type the name of your normal Windows user account into the Enter the object name... box and click Check names. The official name of the account should appear in the format {computer name}{username}.

Click OK, select this username in the Permissions box and click Edit.

Select the checkbox labelled Full control in the Allow column. 6. Click OK three times to close all dialogue boxes. 7. Launch Windows Live Mail.

If you get stuck anywhere, Cancel your way out and report back.

Hi barry paton,

I will be happy to assist you in resolving your issue with regard to being unable to open email messages in Windows Live Mail.

It is possible that Mail.MsMessageStore file was corrupted. Please follow the steps below on how to repair the file:

1. Restart the computer (this is to ensure that Live Mail is fully shut down, and that none of it's components are in use when the computer starts)
2. Click Start, type CMD but do not press enter
3. You will see cmd.exe in the search results, right click on it and select Run as Administrator - type your admin password if asked, and if UAC pops up asking permission, allow it
4. You should now see the command prompt, with the following displayed:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]

Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>

5. Copy the following (press Ctrl+C):

esentutl.exe -d "%userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail\Mail.MSMessageStore"

Note: the "" are necessary

6. Right click in the command prompt Window, and select Paste, so you now see the following:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]

Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>esentutl.exe -d "%userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail\Mail.MSMessageStore"

7. Press enter. esentutl will now defragment the Live Mail database file
8. Once done, you can close the command prompt, and restart the PC again

If the issue persists, please notify us.

Thank you.

Hi. I was not able to open one important email in my draft folder. A flag popped up saying " A problem has occurred while trying to open this message. A problem has occurred. Please try again." ... I googled this wording and found this post. It was suggested that "Mail.MsMessageStore file was corrupted. Please follow the steps below on how to repair the file:" as above.  I did. Now I can't open my Windows Live Mail program. After several seconds a flag pops up: "Windows Mail could not be started. The application was unable to open the windows mail message store. Your Windows Mail mailbox data is currently being used by another program, such as a virus scanner. Close the program or wait for it to complete its operation, then open Windows Mail again. (0x800C0155,2)."

Now what? How do I open my Windows Live Mail program? I don't know how to un-do or reverse the above CMD exe -- esentutl.exe -d "%userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail\Mail.MSMessageStore" -- if that would do it.

Thank you.

The solution is in the post immediately before yours ...

Thanks for that, but I'm terrible at this stuff, could you please guide me a bit?

Use Explorer to navigate to your store folder, probably at

C:\Users{user}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail*where {user} is the Windows user having the problem.*****

How do I get there, and once I get there, does my user name appear automatically, or do I have to add something? Is it the name of my email account/my name?

thanks