Every error message I remember ever receiving in Windows Live Messenger/MSN Messenger tells me something about the messenger service temporarily being unavailable. As I don’t use Messenger that often I’m not too fussed if I have wait until it decides to sign in again, which usually is apon a system restart. Occasionally I punch the error code into a search engine in the hope that someone else has experienced the same issue.

For a few weeks now on and off I have been experiencing this type of issue, where I get some error code and a message about the messenger service being unavailable. I received the error code 0x800c013a. As I have needed to rely on Messenger recently, I decided to look into the issue.

My first instinct was to click the link on the error dialog presented to me. This click took me to the Windows Live Solution Centre and a result which was in Chinese, telling me that the Solution Centre does not support my language. Whatever that means.

My second port of call was to Bing it, which turned up 2 results, none of which were useful to my particular problem.

So neither Microsoft nor the wealth of support boards out there could help me, what else could I do?

To make it easy on us, the WLM team has included connection logging. This should be on by default, but to turn it on/off or view the log: Open the Options dialog -> Select the connection tab -> Click the “Advanced Settings” button -> Edit the options in the “Windows Live Messenger” panel.

The log file is located at: %userprofile%\local settings\application data\microsoft\messenger

My log file was showing the following:

[17:37:23.04] 1a24 Messenger:Zone_Contact_Platform_Errors Local store incomplete: 0x800c013a (no ab)
[17:37:23.04] 1a24 Messenger:Zone_Contact_Platform_Errors CLoadContacts::OnStoreFailure> 0x800c013a
[17:37:23.04] 04a4 Messenger: Zone_HotmailService CHotmailService::Logoff@007AB888> hr=0x800c013a tasks=@0508B4B8
[17:37:23.04] 04a4 Messenger: Zone_HotmailService CPresenceSession::SignOut@0508BDE8> service=@0525822C hr=0x800c013a
[17:37:23.04] 04a4 Messenger: Zone_HotmailService CPresenceSession::SignOutInternal@0508BDE8> service=@0525822C hr=0x800c013a
[17:37:23.04] 04a4 Messenger: Zone_HotmailService CHotmailService::FireLogonResult@007AB888: hr = 0x800c013a
[17:37:23.04] 04a4 Messenger: Zone_HotmailService CTaskRunner::AbortTasks: running=2
[17:37:23.04] 04a4 Messenger: Zone_HotmailService CTaskRunner::_AbortTasks: aborting='Presence'
[17:37:23.04] 04a4 Messenger: Zone_HotmailService CTaskRunner::_AbortTasks: aborting='StoreAdapter'
[17:37:23.04] 04a4 Messenger: Zone_Voice (voicevideoplatformlogon.cpp:66): ERROR: [OnLogonResult called with an failure hrLogon] "" failed with 0x800C013A in .
[17:37:23.04] 04a4 Messenger: Zone_LogonState CUIManager::OnLogonResult hr=[0x800c013a] m_dwUILogonFlags=[1]
[17:37:23.04] 04a4 Messenger: Zone_UI CUIManager::OnLogonResult@00F89E90: enter
[17:37:23.04] 04a4 Messenger: Zone_LogonState CUIManager::DisplayLogonError> hr=[0x800c013a]
[17:37:23.04] 04a4 Messenger: Zone_LogonState CLogonErrorHandler::DisplayLogonErrorDialog> hrError=[0x800c013a] s_fDisplayingLogonError=[0]
[17:37:23.04] 04a4 Messenger: Zone_UI CUIManager::OnLogonResult@00F89E90: leave
[17:37:23.05] 090c Messenger: Zone_LogonState CSignInUI::OnSignInError
[17:37:25.07] 04a4 Messenger: Zone_HotmailService CHotmailService::DisconnectAndCleanupInternal@007AB888: enter


As you can see there are errors relating the local store and then WLM begins signing out, stopping services and cleaning up.

So, where is the local store data?

You can find the contact data: %userprofile%\local settings\application data\microsoft\Windows Live\Contacts\*your email address*

You can also find your profile data: %userprofile%\Local Settings\application data\microsoft\Messenger\*your email address*

So, by cleaning out the stores my problem was resolved. It looks as though something was corrupted in the store.

I am introducing a new area of the website, where I will share my experiences and methods in the hope that others will learn and be able to solve their own issues and flex their troubleshooting muscles.

Keep an eye out for a first, rather simple, Windows Live Messenger troubleshooting story shortly.

Luke.