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Windows Mail - Lost Folders for Archiving

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Connolly@discussions.microsoft.com Chris Connolly

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Dec 26, 2009, 1:39:01 PM12/26/09
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I'm using Windows Mail that is "connected" to my Verizon account.
Months ago I created subfolders to archive older emails. I diligently moved
them into this folder. I also created another subfolder under the archived
folder as well.
I've had what I can only call "mysterious" issues where e-mails appear and
them moments later, they are gone from my inbox. I thought I had the issue
(simplistically) solved by diligently moving new items into the archive
folder immediately.
Now (12/26/09) those subfolders are gone. They are not under any other
folder in Windoes Mail. What is very odd (and there's quite a lot) is that I
did find a lot of them now back in my Inbox but not all.
The archived folders I created were under the Inbox folder as a subfolder.
I don't think this has anything to do with views.
Can someone help me figure out what might've happened?
Thanks!

Gary VanderMolen (MVP)

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Dec 26, 2009, 3:23:39 PM12/26/09
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Which antivirus are you running? Some of them cause problems with
Windows Mail over time.

--
Gary VanderMolen, Microsoft MVP (Mail)
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/profile/vandermolen


"Chris Connolly" <Chris Conn...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:E6DF66E1-99B6-4161...@microsoft.com...

Chris Connolly

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Dec 27, 2009, 12:00:01 PM12/27/09
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I'm using PC-cillin anti-virus software but I don't think this is the
culprit. On December 24th, I received and installed the called the
'Definition Update for Windows Defender KB915597' This is around the time
that things got 'messy'. Beforehand, all my e-mails and folders were intact.

Gary VanderMolen (MVP)

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Dec 27, 2009, 1:06:26 PM12/27/09
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I'm sure the Windows Update thing was just a coincidence. No one
else has complained about that update.

Email scanning in any antivirus must be disabled, for reasons
explained here:
http://thundercloud.net/infoave/tutorials/email-scanning/index.htm

If turning off the email scanning function does not resolve your problem,
do a trial uninstall of your antivirus. Be sure to reboot your computer
afterwards. If no improvement, you can always reinstall the antivirus.

Instead of uninstalling your antivirus, consider upgrading to Windows
Live Mail, because it is less prone to suffering bad effects from overly
aggressive antivirus programs. http://download.live.com/wlmail


"Chris Connolly" <ChrisC...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:59B9B0BC-AE63-484D...@microsoft.com...

VistaRookie

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Dec 28, 2009, 3:26:01 PM12/28/09
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I am about the only one here that cautions about
making sub-folders to the default folders (particularly
the Inbox). The custom folders that you create should
be on the same hierarchy as Inbox. They should be
created by right clicking Local Folders. It used to be a
major problem with Outlook Express but it has been
vastly improved with Windows Mail because the program
is setup entirely different.

Don't store large amounts of emails for any length of
time in the Inbox and other default folders (Sent Items).
Compact when prompted by Windows Mail. Only takes
a short time. Let it compact before touching your
mouse or keyboard again.

I am not certain why people lose emails from their Inbox
and any sub-folders to the Inbox but there have been a
few. Anti-virus seems the most likely reason. Your
anti-virus may have worked fine for months and then
suddenly problems come up.


--
VistaRookie

10% of my brain lives with me. The other 90% can be found
here:
'*Google*' (http://www.google.com)
Posted via http://www.vistaheads.com

VistaRookie

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Dec 28, 2009, 10:33:13 PM12/28/09
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Windows Mail emails are stored as individual .eml files.
Take a look in your message store and report what you
find. It is possible they are there.

You can find the path to your message store by going
to WM->Tools->Options->Advanced Tab->Maintenance
Button->Store Folder. Open up Windows Explorer and
see if a folder exists on your hard drive that has the
name of the folders you created in WM.

Determining if the actual emails are in those folders
might be tough because you will probably see the files
titled with metadata, rather than with names you will
recognize.

If they are there, you should be able to (1) make new
custom folders for them and (2) highlight them, then
(3) drag the .eml files into Windows Mail.

It is possible they might be in your Deleted Items folder
on your hard drive. If you haven't emptied that, you
should drag those back into WM as well.


Chris Connolly;1628155 Wrote:
> Thanks for both "posters" for helping and giving me advice.
>
> Will disabling the anti-virus or simply eliminating its scanning of
> e-mail
> bring my old e-mails and subfolders back? Or are the gone? My guess
> is that
> it won't because it simply doesn't make sense. But I'd like a
> confirmation.
>
> If this does not bring them back, do you have any suggestions as to how
> I
> could?
>
> Thank you...

Gary VanderMolen (MVP)

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Dec 29, 2009, 1:22:13 AM12/29/09
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Let's cross that bridge when we get to it.
There is a variety of more complex procedures that can be tried,
but it is best to do this one step at a time.
Which antivirus are you running? Some of them may need to be
uninstalled at least temporarily to eliminate bad effects.


"Chris Connolly" <ChrisC...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:FEEFADC8-F0B0-42E2...@microsoft.com...

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