Question about Outlook Express

I have Windows Live Mail v.2009 (Build 14.0.8089.0726) running on Windows 7 (64 bit) and I wish to disable the automatic conversion of certain keystrokes, such as "(a)", "(b)" etc into tiresome emoticons.     

Can this be done without upgrading to a more recent version of Live Mail ?     If not, what is the latest version, and where do I find it, and will I lose my cherished Contacts List, Saved Mail, Sent Items etc ?

tia

Is it necessary for the "log in" entry window to appear/activate each time I access Live Mail? 

I have just Uninstalled Windows Live Mail 2011 and deleted Registry keys as recommended in this Community. Re-installed Windows Live 2012.

My Hotmail address looks good but my Talk Talk Accounts have no Folders. Message displayed 'Windows Live needs to Download the Folders ......................To Download Folders Click Download'. Clicked Download and following message was displayed 'The TCP/IP connection unexpectedly terminated by the server. The reason I Uninstalled Windows was because of problems with the Deleted Folders either missing or not working.

I have an a regular problem of being unable to forward e-mail messages to my group contacts using Windows Live Mail 2012 , Windows 8.1 and Internet Explorer.

I have 6 groups of contacts with each group varying from 6 to 14 people. The message I get is "message could not be sent". The interesting thing is that if I enter the e-mail addresses of all the group one at a time into the "To" box  the message will forward without problem.

I would appreciate any help or suggestions.

Windows Live Mail -
Attempting to send a .pdf file attachment to an email.

Receiving it MULTIPLE times as .pdf[number].dat file with no email text.

.pdf file was created by exporting an .odt file (as a pdf file)

Problem only presented itself recently

I use Windows 7

Any help?

I recently had the software in my computer 'upgraded' and it has left me in a complete muddle - the whole 'look' is now completely different and I am struggling to get to grips with tasks that were previously effortless.  I am now unable to send pictures from Picassa using my Windows Live Mail email and constantly receive the following error message 

"

I have a received new email with a distribution list.

I do not want to enter the contact information for each individual addressee one addressee at a time.

How can I create, in one step, a new Category and populate it with the distribution list of the email in my Inbox?

I think I have seen the answer to a similar question in the past but have not been able find it.

Thanks