How to unlock Work Offline in Windows Live Mail?

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Help! I mistakenly clicked the “Work Offline” button in WLM. Clicking it again doesn’t correct the issue. Tried Microsoft help for Windows 7 and discovered that the fix lies in the Tools for IE.

Big problem: I tried to delete IE from this computer a year ago as I don’t use it and was trying to clean things up a bit. Well, it’s gone from Programs and Features, but is still in here apparently…when I tried to download IE 11 for Windows 7 to fix offline issue, I got an error message saying IE couldn’t install because there was an earlier version of IE on the computer.

Oh dear. Any ideas on what I can do? System is Windows 7.1; not sure what version of IE I had when deleted, but it would have been the most recent version 12 to 18 months ago.

I know there are a lot of IE “things” still on the hard drive because Ultra File Search listed dozens of them when I checked after first deleting IE. I was afraid to touch them. Do I go back and delete every file with a IE prefix and then re-download a new IE?

Any help greatly appreciated. I truly messed myself up this morning! (note to self: avoid email before first cup of coffee!!)

Thanks,

Linda

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Did you look at Programs and Settings > Turn Windows Features on or off

to see if IE is listed there?

Jerry

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Did you look at Programs and Settings > Turn Windows Features on or off

to see if IE is listed there?

No, I hadn’t, Jerry. Thought this was answer since IE 11 was in list and unchecked. However clicking it did not put it back into Programs list. Only IE program there was WOT for IE. Rats!!

Any thoughts on what next?

UPDATE: Just tried clicking Send and Receive…and it worked. Thought the big red X on the Work Offline button meant I was offline. If I’d looked at the bottom right of my screen, I’d likely have seen “working online” and “working offline” switching when I clicked Work Offline (not going to try it in case I mess up what’s now working!). I didn’t check for workability: I panicked when I saw I’d clicked that button (that’s what we not-too-technical types do when technical things happen!!) and went immediately on the Google hunt for answers (before coming here) and thought I had a “stuck” button. I apologize. BUT should I do anything further re. IE and its unrecorded-but-seemingly-there-somehow status?

Linda

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…Thought this was answer since IE 11 was in list and unchecked. However clicking it did not put it back into Programs list. Only IE program there was WOT for IE. Rats!!

Any thoughts on what next?…

Ticking/unticking the checkbox for Internet Explorer in “Turn Windows Features on or off” merely adds/removes a shortcut to IE to the Start Menu.

See my #6 post to access-mdb re determining which version of IE is installed.

I advise having the latest version of IE installed even though you might not use IE; there are many important functions of Windows that depend on IE. Because of that dependence if your version of IE is outdated then there are security and performance problems.

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Just checked my programs and settings and IE isn’t listed, though I’ve never removed it, so perhaps that’s why it isn’t in your list.

Eliminate spare time: start programming PowerShell

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Makes sense. Thanks.

Can you open your IE? I can’t as it’s gone from my toolbar and doesn’t show up when I search in Start button drop down list either.

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Just checked my programs and settings and IE isn’t listed, though I’ve never removed it, so perhaps that’s why it isn’t in your list.

Go to “Control PanelPrograms and Features” then click on “View installed updates” in the left panel then type “Internet” in the search box. Once the search completes whichever version of IE is installed will be listed.

Many important functions of Windows depend on IE, so attempting to fully uninstall (“delete”) IE will inevitably break Windows.

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Coochin, I have never tried to uninstall IE nor would I, just for those reasons even though I never use it, although it’s IE11. I was just trying to let IreneLinda know that it doesn’t appear in her programs and features.

What page did you try to reinstall IE? Ifound this one

Eliminate spare time: start programming PowerShell

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…What page did you try to reinstall IE?…

I don’t have a record of which M$ pages I downloaded the IE installers from, but the link in your #8 post should work fine.

If a Win7 SP1 system has an older version of IE (10, 9, 8) then WU should offer the newer version(s), although sometimes they are listed as “Optional”.

Whenever I clean-install Win7 I always activate Windows first (after Setup has completed of course), then install drivers, then install up to 100 Windows Updates but not any newer IE version (Win7 SP1 Setup installs IE8). Then I install IE10 (skip IE9) separately from the appropriate installer in my library.

Then I install more updates, including those for IE10. Then I install IE11, again separately, followed by any further available updates.
Several times when I have allowed IE to install along with other updates problems resulted. Installing IE on its own avoids such problems.

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I have never tried to uninstall IE nor would I, just for those reasons even though I never use it, although it’s IE11.

I messed up for sure by trying to get rid of IE! I was trying to avoid getting behind in updates resulting in security issues since I never used it.

IE 11 was in the View Installed Updates list. Does that mean it is installed? Or fragments of it are? But, the next point suggests it isn’t…

I had used the install link from your #8 post and got the error message that it couldn’t install since an older version was on PC.

So now I’m not sure how to proceed.

IE doesn’t show up anywhere I can access to open it. I can’t seem to download version 11.

Given my minimal technical knowledge, do I just forget IE since my system seems to be working? Or would you suggest a way to get it back?

Linda, hanging her head in “duh-ness”:blush:

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Perhaps you just need to repair it (whichever version). Here’s a link for that.

There’s a few links on this Google page, maybe one of them might help. Otherwise I don’t understand why it would refuse to install because there’s an older version :confused:

Eliminate spare time: start programming PowerShell

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