Where did my contact list go?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jeesh999
  • Start date Start date
J

jeesh999

I recently updating my Passport profile so that I use a
different email address to sign in. Now when I sign in to
Messenger it says my contact list is empty. It's as if
Passport is treating this like a new account. This is
precisely what I did not want to happen. If I'd thought
this was a remotely likely outcome I wouldn't have
bothered. Rebuilding my contacts will be almost
impossible. Unbelievably frustrating. I can't understand
why MS wouldn't warn you that you were about to lose your
contact list.
 
Log into your old account and same your contact list then load into your new
account and import the list.
 
Greetings,

When you change your Passport e-mail address, yes you do loose your list. However, you might
be able to retrieve it.

To do so, Go to:
http://memberservices.passport.com/memberservice.srf, select 'Edit my .NET Passport profile',
then under your e-mail address click 'I want to change this', and enter your old e-mail
address.

After this, log back into Messenger using your old address -- all your contacts may still be
there. If not, then just change your e-mail address back to your new one (your contacts are
gone). Otherwise if they are there, you need to save your contact list -- click the File
menu (if you're using MSN Messenger 6, click the Contacts menu) and then select Save Contact
List. The default filename should be fine, and just save it on your Desktop. Then go over to
the Desktop (or wherever you saved it), and check to make sure the file was created.

Then sign out of Messenger, go back to:
http://memberservices.passport.com/memberservice.srf, select 'Edit my .NET Passport profile'
again, then under your e-mail address click 'I want to change this' and enter your new e-mail
address.

Then, sign-in to your new Passport in Messenger, click the File menu (Contacts menu if using
MSN Messenger 6), then select Import Contacts from a Saved File, then locate the file you
just saved on your desktop and select it. Your contacts will be readded, and they'll all
need to reauthorize you to their contact lists.
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Messenger/MSN Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
 
Thanks for the prompt response. When I try that Messenger
tells me I can't sign in because my [old] sign-in name
does not exist. Which makes sense, since I changed it in
my Passport profile.
 
OK, that seemed to work. Many thanks. I guess the moral
is to save your contact list.
-----Original Message-----
Greetings,

When you change your Passport e-mail address, yes you do
Click to expand...
loose your list. However, you might
be able to retrieve it.

To do so, Go to:
http://memberservices.passport.com/memberservice.srf,
Click to expand...
select 'Edit my .NET Passport profile',
then under your e-mail address click 'I want to change
Click to expand...
this', and enter your old e-mail
address.

After this, log back into Messenger using your old
Click to expand...
address -- all your contacts may still be
there. If not, then just change your e-mail address
Click to expand...
back to your new one (your contacts are
gone). Otherwise if they are there, you need to save
Click to expand...
your contact list -- click the File
menu (if you're using MSN Messenger 6, click the
Click to expand...
Contacts menu) and then select Save Contact
List. The default filename should be fine, and just
Click to expand...
save it on your Desktop. Then go over to
the Desktop (or wherever you saved it), and check to
Click to expand...
make sure the file was created.
Then sign out of Messenger, go back to:
http://memberservices.passport.com/memberservice.srf,
Click to expand...
select 'Edit my .NET Passport profile'
again, then under your e-mail address click 'I want to
Click to expand...
change this' and enter your new e-mail
address.

Then, sign-in to your new Passport in Messenger, click
Click to expand...
the File menu (Contacts menu if using
MSN Messenger 6), then select Import Contacts from a
Click to expand...
Saved File, then locate the file you
just saved on your desktop and select it. Your contacts
Click to expand...
will be readded, and they'll all
 
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