If you’re a Windows 7 user who relies on Windows Live Mail for email, you may eventually encounter a frustrating issue – a corrupted database. Database corruption can prevent you from sending, receiving, or even accessing your emails. Fortunately, there are a few methods you can try to repair your Windows Live Mail database and get your email back up and running.
Symptoms of a Corrupted Windows Live Mail Database
Before attempting to repair your database, it’s important to confirm that it is indeed corrupted. Some common symptoms of database corruption in Windows Live Mail include:
Inability to send or receive emails
Error messages when trying to access your mailbox
Emails disappearing from your inbox
Slow performance when opening or using Windows Live Mail
If you’re experiencing any of these issues, it’s likely that your database is corrupted and in need of repair.
Method 1: Repairing Windows Live Mail from the Control Panel
One of the easiest ways to repair a corrupted Windows Live Mail database is to use the built-in repair tool in the Windows Control Panel. Here’s how:
Click the Start button and go to the Control Panel.
Click the “Uninstall a program” link.
Click “Windows Essentials 2012” from the list of installed programs.
Click “Repair all Windows Essentials programs” to repair Windows Live Mail.
This will scan your Windows Live Mail installation for any issues and attempt to fix them. If successful, your database should be repaired and you can resume using Windows Live Mail as normal.
Method 2: Repairing the Database Manually
If the built-in repair tool doesn’t work, you can try repairing the database manually using the Esentutl command-line tool. Here’s how:
Close Windows Live Mail if it’s currently open.
Open an administrative command prompt by pressing Win X (or right-clicking the Start button in Desktop mode) and selecting “Command Prompt (Admin)”.
To defragment/compact the Windows Live Mail data, type (or copy/paste) the following command (including the quotes):
esentutl.exe -d “%userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail\Mail.MSMessageStore”
To repair the Windows Live Mail data, type the following command (instead of the one in step 3):
esentutl.exe -p “%userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail\Mail.MSMessageStore”
If you receive any error messages about files being locked, it means a Windows Live Mail process may still be running in the background. In this case, restart your computer and run the commands again. Do not open Windows Live Mail until after the repair process is complete.
Method 3: Restoring from a Backup
If your database is severely corrupted and the above methods don’t work, your best option may be to restore from a backup. Windows Live Mail doesn’t have a built-in backup feature, but you can manually back up your database by copying the “Mail.MSMessageStore” file located at “%userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail\”. If you have a recent backup, you can replace the corrupted file with the backup to restore your emails.
Keep in mind that restoring from a backup will overwrite any emails you’ve received since the backup was created, so it’s best to use this method only if the database is completely unusable.
Preventing Database Corruption
To avoid database corruption in the future, here are a few tips:
Close Windows Live Mail properly when you’re done using it. Don’t force-quit the program or shut down your computer while it’s running.
Regularly back up your Windows Live Mail database to an external hard drive or cloud storage service.
Keep your antivirus software up to date to protect against malware that could corrupt your database.
If you suspect your database is becoming corrupted, stop using Windows Live Mail immediately and try to repair it before further damage occurs.
By following these best practices and being proactive about database maintenance, you can minimize the risk of corruption and keep your Windows Live Mail emails safe and accessible.