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When I go to live.com using Internet Explorer 9, with the Microsoft Live Sign-in Helper, it used to show all my Live IDs. I could then click on any one of them, and it would sign in. A tab crashed yesterday, and since then, I cannot repair it.

Here is what I have done:

  1. A system restore.
  2. I removed the Browser Helper Objects (BHO) using Hijack This.
  3. I uninstalled Microsoft Live Essentials.
  4. Re-installed them to find the BHOs are back as expected.

I suspect that what is happening is that the mini-database, where the multiple credentials are stored, is corrupt.

Does anyone know where that location is, or do you have any other ideas that I might try?

I am specifically look for a file location on a Windows 7 computer. The problem is not related to the web site, but is clearly local.

4 Answers 4

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OK, 6 months later, but the answer is that Microsoft simply dropped support without notification. So what was working one day, was no longer working the next. I only realize this when I used an old image, where it worked, but do not when I restored it. That lead me to these links:

http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_live/b/windowslive/archive/2011/07/06/where-did-my-saved-email-address-and-password-go.aspx

http://windowslivehelp.com/thread.aspx?threadid=514780f4-dbdc-4633-adc7-d0e368e8cff6

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My guess is that it'll be under this place: C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live\Contacts

(Replace username with your user account).

Perhaps check that these folders are removed when you remove Windows Live, if they aren't, move them to the Recycle Bin manually and try a re-install.

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  • I emptied that folder and opened the Live mail page, and nothing re-appeared. I would also say that while two of my ID's were there, the other two were not. Still looking.
    – KCotreau
    Jul 6, 2011 at 11:19
1
+50

I have Microsoft Live ID Sign-in Assistant as a separately installed product.

I wonder if it also gets uninstalled when you uninstall Live Essentials, or whether both have to be uninstalled separately in order to really restart from zero.

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  • I originally did too, but I did uninstall it, and then installed it again as part of Live Essentials. Again, the BHO's are back, but I really think that whereever it stores the credentials is goofed up.
    – KCotreau
    Jul 6, 2011 at 11:18
  • Are you sure this isn't a problem with IE, for example with cookies storage ?
    – harrymc
    Jul 6, 2011 at 11:54
  • Funny, I never thought about it being a cookie...I will delete them and post back.
    – KCotreau
    Jul 6, 2011 at 12:00
  • Reset IE9 totally. No help...back to theory one...stored somewhere, but no idea where.
    – KCotreau
    Jul 6, 2011 at 17:39
  • 1
    Another idea is the registry. Try maybe searching for your latest login name.
    – harrymc
    Jul 6, 2011 at 17:47
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You are right they are local. I ran into this problem as well, and I found a few helpful posts.

http://blogs.technet.com/b/askperf/archive/2007/12/07/the-basics-of-browser-helper-objects.aspx

http://thljcl.wordpress.com/2011/05/01/hotmail-windows-live-id-sign-in-helper-and-trusted-pc/

Basically, you have to remove every live essential program to clean this bad boy out. That took a while to google actually. I'm a bit surprised.

But if I under the article correctly, if people stop using XP, we would have no need for the Live ID assistant. . .

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  • "if people stop using XP" - That's just as likely to happen as when people stop using IE6.
    – SgtOJ
    Jul 28, 2011 at 1:14
  • Strangely, this scares me more than the deficit. . .
    – surfasb
    Jul 29, 2011 at 5:36

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