14 DAY TRIAL // Unveiled a few weeks ago, the first public Beta for Windows Live Messenger Wave 4 continues to be available for download, alongside the rest of the rich clients included in the suite. Microsoft is offering Windows Live Essentials Wave 4 to early adopters, looking for feedback on the applications packaged in the suite, but also combing for various issues and bugs that need to be resolved prior to the release to web (RTW) deadline later this year. And since Messenger, along with clients such as Mail, Photo Gallery, Movie Viewer, etc. are still in Beta stage, it is to be expected that testers will run into problems.
In this regard, Microsoft already has a place where early adopters can run to in order to ask for help, the Windows Live Solution Center. The Redmond company will provide support for issues impacting the next generation of Windows Live Essentials, including the instant messaging client.
Some Softpedia readers might remember that the software giant unveiled Windows Live Solution Center back in 2008, at that time focusing support efforts on Windows Live Hotmail with predilection. The online help destination evolved over the past years, and hit a new milestone in the first quarter of 2010. In March 2010, Windows Live Solution Center expanded to cover all of the applications and services included under the Windows Live umbrella.
And of course, as Windows Live itself evolved, so did the associated support efforts, now also offered for Windows Live Wave 4. Customers can search the website to see whether their particular problem has already been resolved, and in the eventuality that it hasn’t, make it public and ask for help. A Microsoft moderator will provide a solution, if one is available.
For example, some users have reported that Windows Live Essentials Wave 4 Beta installations fail with the following error 0x80040609. The Redmond company provided the following advice:
“To those who are experiencing the problem, you can try the suggestions given as well as the steps listed below:
1) Clear the entries in the Windows Installer database by using the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility:
a. Download and install the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility from this site
b. Start the utility. (Click Start, click All Programs and then click Windows Install Clean Up.)
c. On the list of Installed Products, select all instances that have (All Users) Windows Live on it. To make sure that you are removing the right programs, click on one item at a time then click on the Remove button until all entries with (All Users) Windows Live are deleted from the list.
d. Click "Exit."
2) Restart your computer to make sure that all changes made will take effect.
3) Download Windows Live Essentials by going to http://explore.live.com/.”
Read additional information about the new features of Windows Live Messenger Wave 4 here.
Download Windows Live Messenger Wave 4 Beta and the rest of Windows Live Essentials Wave 4 here.