A couple of weeks ago, on my desktop I "upgraded" to Windows Live Messenger 2009 and "lost" all my contacts. Did a google search and tried some suggestions but nothing got the contacts back. So I did a True Image Restore and went back to the previous version of Messenger. All was well.

Now I have installed a new XP Pro on my laptop computer and downloaded the latest Messenger 2009 from the internet. And again, I have no contacts. Not finding any help on Google at this point. Anybody else had/have problems with this?

Confusing for sure. I suspect that you are not entering the correct id when you log on to Messenger Live. Since you can go to any computer and log in and get your contacts displayed I am very suspect that your id is not correct. That has to mean that your details are stored at the Live end of things.

Try any other computer (Internet cafe, have trusted friend log on from his/her computer with your id) and see if it works all right from another system.

frustrating problem to say the least. Good luck

Live messenger 9 seems to be a serious issue for a lot of users

Live Messenger 9

I use Digsby. Does practically all chat and email clients in one tool

Whatever it is worth...not much I guess. I removed Windows Live Messenger 2009 from my laptop and downloaded Windows Live Messenger 2008 version 8.5. Nothing else I tried would work, which included saving the contacts from my desktop window messenger 2008 and importing them on the 2009 Messenger on the laptop. Oh well. From "googleing" it does look like other people have or are having the same problem, but I have been unable to find anything that would fix it (except for going back to version 8.5).

Whatever it is worth...not much I guess. I removed Windows Live Messenger 2009 from my laptop and downloaded Windows Live Messenger 2008 version 8.5. Nothing else I tried would work, which included saving the contacts from my desktop window messenger 2008 and importing them on the 2009 Messenger on the laptop. Oh well. From "googleing" it does look like other people have or are having the same problem, but I have been unable to find anything that would fix it (except for going back to version 8.5).

A guy named Jonathan Kay is considered to be the messenger Guru - he also works for Microsoft or has worked as far as I am concerned.

maybe you get some help here: http://messenger.jonathankay.com/