YES! Found a way to dodge the Windows Live 2011 Essentials update

[pax]

Which just became obligatory. Probably one of the worst POS addons that has been put out by MS. Avoided it for years until this week as I couldnt even log into messenger until I did the update from 2009 to 2011... till tonight!

1. Click Start.
2. Click Computer.
3. Locate the following folder: (C ProgramFiles(x86); Windows Live; Messenger.
4. Locate the msnmsgr.exe file.
5. Right-click it and from the menu select Properties.
6. Click the Compatibility tab.
7. Now, let’s force WLM to believe that you are on Windows XP. To do this, tick the check box labeled: Run this program in compatibility mode for, located under the Compatibility Mode section and choose Windows XP (Service Pack 3) or Windows 2000.
8. Apply


Source(s):
http://www.webtlk.com/2011/01/25/how...rce-to-update/

Top cheers to the guy who fixed this one!

[lemonhead]

For a while I was also looking for taking out this latest Windows Live Essentials update. I use Windows Live Mail, and after getting this update, all my contacts had disappeared. Well, I could actually log-in to my Windows Live (or old Hotmail) account and get my contacts from there but I wanted WLMail to run in standalone mode with all contacts and mails stored locally.

Eventually, I found a way to get the contacts back. Windows Live Mail references a directory nested deep within users\<your account>\appdata folders for the contacts. However Windows also keeps them at users\<your account name>\Contacts. So within WL Mail, open the addresses tab, and then import contacts using the 'local windows contacts' (the choice may be named a bit differently, but you'll know).

I have no other complaints with this update. Although my use is limited to only two components - Windows Live Mail and Photo Gallery.