Export messages fails using Windows Live Mail 16.4.3528.0331 on Windows 8.1

Anonymous
2016-02-12T21:45:50+00:00

I am using Windows Live Mail Application Version 2012 (Build 16.4.3528.0331) on a Windows 8.1 laptop.

I am buying a new laptop which will come with Windows 10.  I am trying to export the emails from two of the three accounts I have in the current application to back them up and to hopefully import to the Windows 10 email application.  (The third account is a web based account so it does not need to be backed up locally.)  I want to keep the communications on my local computer and back up drives.  

I am following the Microsoft directions for exporting the emails from the application.  Although I had no problems exporting the contact files from the application, I am not able to export the emails.  A couple of different things have happened.

1 - At first I received a message indicating the data had been exported, but when I went to the folder to which it should have gone, the folder was empty.  (I tried this several times.)

2 - Then I was able to get as far in the process as browsing to find the folder I wanted to put the emails in, I was able to select the folders I wished to export, I was able to click on "next" and a split second later (way too short a period of time for the number of emails involved) to click on "finish." None of the emails were exported to the new file.

3 - I repeated the process as in step 2 above twice and instead of attempting to export only selected files, I attempted to export all files.  I had the same results - no emails were exported or in one case only one draft email was exported.

I feel confident I am following Microsoft's directions for this process as depicted in their Microsoft Essentials part of their website.  Would appreciate some advice.  I know I can simply copy the files from the section on my hard drive where they are stored.  My concern about using that approach is that importing them to the Windows 10 email application may not work.

Windows for home | Other | Email and communications

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-02-18T15:05:57+00:00

    Hi Noel,

    Yes this worked for me to. I uninstalled KB3126593 re-booted and the message export worked once again.

    Many thanks to you and Anita & Sunshine for finding the cause.

    The only problem is that you have to switch off automatic updating to prevent the update being re-applied - and you also wonder if by removing the update you are also leaving yourself open to other problems that the update fixed. One would hope Microsoft would work on fixing the fix but ....

    I also have to say I am very disappointed that Microsoft's representatives Ron & Mohammed have in this thread simply told people to follow the standard process despite it being repeatedly reported that the process no longer worked.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-02-18T15:39:48+00:00

    BINGO

    Well, I'm happy for you, but ...

    I'm still on Win7 ,

    In your original question, you wrote WLM 2012  on Win8 PC. We haven't heard of other Windows 7 users having this problem - and I don't have it on my own W7 machine. So - which version of Windows are you using?

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-02-18T16:15:26+00:00

    The only problem is that you have to switch off automatic updating to prevent the update being re-applied - 

    Hide it for the time being. Open Windows Update in Control Panel, then you'll be able to hide the update next time it's offered.

    ... and you also wonder if by removing the update you are also leaving yourself open to other problems that the update fixed.

    This is a security update, plugging a hole before someone finds out how to get through it. It's not a good plan to ignore security updates, so it would be good if someone could test the mitigation suggestion to see whether it enables the program to work properly even with the update installed. There may be other functions that it prevents from working.

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-02-18T16:37:54+00:00

    Sorry for confusion :  yes it was the win8 laptop that had the problem which was resolved by KB removal. The same patch was also on my win7 64bit PC, but did not affect the export. (winlivemail 2011, Version 2011 (Build 15.4.3555.0308). Thanks again , Alan

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  5. Anonymous
    2016-02-18T16:46:15+00:00

    Thank you so much jFiredog, it's "nice" to know I'm not alone.   I can't spend time today messing with this problem but I will walk a little more lightly now I have an anchor.    I'll report back.

    UPDATE:   Removal of KB3126593 worked for me too.    Thank you to all who have contributed.   I'm going to leave auto updates on and follow my normal backup routine.  If the export fails then I'll know what to do.  

    A general question: from time to time I identify errors in a Microsoft product.   In the current case it seems clear that there's something wrong with KB3126593.   Is there any official way of informing Microsoft of the problem?   And/or is there any way to dig into Microsoft to see if problems have been reported and what action is being taken?   It seems that for many glitches there are plenty of reports of the problem with work-arounds but not much evidence of fixes.

    I fear that Microsoft doesn't have robust User Acceptance Test and Regression Test procedures.

    Thanks to all

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