Since you have a solution, I will just comment in general.
Windows Live Mail does not have many buttons. About the only thing a user can do is provide feedback to MS using the "Send feedback..." option from one of the few iconic buttons, the "Help" button.
WLMail does download all messages, but they replaced the "Send/Receive" option with the "Sync" option, so the user can't just "Send" only, or just "Receive" only.
WLMail will helpfully "Sign in" to a Windows Live ID, if you so configure it. The setup process for WLMail does not make it clear that this is optionally, and not necessary to start WLMail. So many users, thinking they need a Windows Live ID to run it, and not having one, wind up creating a Hotmail account needlessly to get a Windows Live ID. I've noticed that, if I don't sign in for a while, there is a bit of a delay starting (I already had a Windows Live ID, and decided to try it both ways). The only advantage to signing in with a Windows Live ID is that WLMail will synchronize to the online contacts list and online Calendar of a Windows Live account. I have not noticed it to be notably slower otherwise.
For Somnambul33t
: WLMail does have a news reader component. The newsreader side of things defaults to using the "Microsoft Communities Support" feature. This may also slow things down, or cause other problems; but I've not experienced any of the issues which reportedly are problematic with that feature enabled.
Other issues are the pastel color scheme, the fact that the "Storage folders" can be moved in the account pane list (it is not sticky; moving the "Storage folders" so they precede the "Accounts" is possible, but always reverts to following the "Outbox" in the list.
Something about editing HTML in the message compose window, as well. And no global Inbox for POP3 accounts.
In general, it has many similarities to MS Outlook Express still in place, including many of the faults.
In all cases where the user experience is less than satisfactory, about all the user can do is:
• Report the dissatisfaction with the "Send feedback..." option.
• Get used to the way it works.
• Get another email client.