I have been running Windows 7, x64 and the included Windows Live Essentials 2011 (now version 15.4.3555.0388) for my email program for years without any problems. Several days ago, I started getting an error message that my calendar failed to update properly. Since I do not use this Calendar, and the error messages have been bugging me, and I was not able to obtain a reasonable solution in any of the forums (Many "experts" suggested downloading Windows 10.....THIS IS NOT A SOLUTION, dear Microsoft!!), I solved this today.

Open the Windows Live Mail program. Click the upper left menu button, and chose "Options". A menu opens and chose the "Connections" tab. In the section which reads "Windows Live Services", click the "Stop Signing In". This bypasses trying to connect to the Calendar Updates!

This solution is a "work around" to some recent issue that has occurred with the Calendar update service, or some Windows update which has screwed up the service, or some other unknown issue which no one at Microsoft has figured out yet.

You will still be able to get your emails properly, but this turns off the calendar services.