I would appreciate help/advice on how to solve problems I have with Windows Live Mail [Windows 10], in relation to Storage Files.

I have set out below an account of what happened and would like to ask the following questions:

Q1:  Why do Storage folders disappear from the WLM display screen?

Q2: Possible causes of the WLM failure that led to creation of “recovery item” folder?

Q3: Is there any “user control” of the methodology of the subfolder structure of the Storage Folders on the C:Drive ?

Q4: Is it possible to permanently delete the subfolders within Storage Folders, that do not contain any files, of which there are over 100. If so does one delete from the C:drive and/or in WLM.?

Any help/advice would be welcome.

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Background

Following successfully sending an e-mail, I got an error message that the WLM program had failed and was being restored (+/or recovered). All the folders had disappeared, but the “website folders” were then downloaded from my mail service provider (Gmail).

However, my own storage folders within WLM were not restored.

As I had previously experienced the loss of just my storage folders (reasons unknown), I imported them from my C:DriveUsers”user" AppDataLocalMicrosoftWindows Live MailStorage Folders.

The Storage Folder was dated 23/12/15, 16.02hrs.

My email history had been accumulated over several years using various e-mail “management programs” on different computers and Windows operating systems. My folders were held on the C:Drive in several system generated subfolders, and any folder I had renamed was still held under the original folder name and appears to be located in its original subfolder.

As I had done previously, I started “rearranging” my folders on WLM into the logical sequence I wished to maintain, rather than the structure adopted for the subfolders on the C:Drive.

During this process I noticed that several folders listed the emails but the individual e-mails had the message that “the contents of this message cannot be found”.

I checked the Storage Folders on the C:drive, where I was alarmed to discover that the Storage Folders now contained two “Recovered items” Subfolders.

1:      12-23-2015 823 created at 16:02:02 23 December 2015

        3712 Recovered files

2:     12-23-2015 823 created at 16:46:25 23 December 2015

        3882 Recovered files

Whilst examining these folders on the C:Drive and WLM, I noticed that the folders from the later recovery operation (2) were being uploaded to WLM.  Each folder was followed by a number that identified all items as unread. I also established that the “the contents of this message cannot be found” items came from the 16:02.02 Recovery folder.

The message content was available in the 16:46:25 Recovery folder. I believe the increase in the file number was the result of my attempts to overcome both the impact of renaming folders and the Subfolder structure.

 I had been copying the emails to brand new folder(s) with different name, rather than moving the folder to a new location on the WLM folder list. After copying, I deleted the original folder +/or its contents, which effectively created duplicates in a Deleted Items subfolder, which I intended to delete permanently at the end of the exercise.

PS .

Since writing the foregoing I found two articles on this website, that may be relevant.

Firstly:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windowslive/forum/livemail-files/windows-live-mail-2012-will-not-allow-to-change/0a355ca6-cb9a-431a-a238-d58a41e48514

Would step 2 in the answer from Vijaya Kumari 1 be appropriate?

Step 2: Repair the Windows Live.

There might be corrupted files in Windows Live Mail. Follow the below steps to repair.

1. In the folder pane, locate C:Program FilesWindows LiveInstaller there is a repair utility.

2. Run wlarp.exe file.

3. Click Repair all Windows Live program.

4. Follow the on-screen instructions to repair Windows Live program.

Secondly

 http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windowslive/forum/livemail-files/window-live-corrupted-storage-folders/3d333642-69e6-42a7-8fa6-64f3982ba14d

The first answer from ¡Firedog , provided a very helpful explanation of what actually happens when “rearranging the filing cabinet” and this is best done off-line!