Windows 7 - Can't Make Windows Mail Default

Hi ~ I'm brand new here, and I'm trying to understand everything I'm reading. But, most of it is way over my head, so please bear with me.

I'm about to upgrade my Vista 64-bit Home Premium to Windows 7 Home Premium via an upgrade disk I received from Dell. My concern is losing Windows Mail (which has all my old Outlook Express emails from my XP on another now-dead computer). I don't want to use Windows Live Mail, which is what I gather I will get with Windows 7. My email accounts are with RoadRunner, if that has any relevance. I have a Google email account, a hotmail account, and a yahoo email account, but I check them online (never figured out how to bring them into OE, much less Windows Mail). I also have email forwarding from my website, which I did figure out, and I don't want to lose that.

I've read through all these tutorials about "taking ownership" of folders, switching out Windows Mail folders, Program Files folders vs. Program Files (x86) folders, downloading zip files to change registry entries, problems making Windows Mail the default, etc. I am so thoroughly confused, I'm afraid to do anything. I've also read the Microsoft Newsgroups on Windows Mail (under Vista) and Windows Live Mail (under Windows Live), but they don't seem to answer what I want...simply to use Windows Mail as my default in Windows 7.

This is what I've done so far (still in Vista):
1. Added the "Take ownership" option to my dropdown menu.
2. Ran "Take ownership" of my Windows Mail folder from Program Files, and copied the folder to a USB flash drive.
3. Ran "Take ownership" of my Windows Mail folder from Program Files (x86), and copied the folder to the same USB Flash drive.
4. Copied my Contacts Folder from Users/Gail to the same USB Flash drive.

Are there any other files or folders I need to copy before I proceed with the Vista to Windows 7 upgrade, so that I can make Windows Mail my default in Windows 7?

After the upgrade is complete, please tell me step by step what to do next. I'm hoping, since this thread was started nearly a year ago when Win 7 was still in beta, that this has become a simplified process by now. I would sure appreciate simplified instructions, if that's possible. I'm sorry this is so long-winded. Thank you for your time and understanding.

Gail

I presume you have messages stored in Windows Mail currently? Just before the switch you will want to export those messages to a file (your USB stick perhaps) for future import into WM in Windows 7.
That is easily done under WM File/Export/Messages/Microsoft Windows Mail.
Once you are in Windows 7 then just come to the first post in this thread and follow the steps carefully.

Thank you, Peter! Yes, I will do the export messages right now. What an obvious step to have forgotten! I appreciate your quick response.

Gail

Note that any Newsgroups that you may have set up in WM will not be exported. Only mail.

You can also export your account settings via Tools/Accounts.

Sorry I referred to the first post in this thread...I meant the tutorial thread: Windows Mail

I don't have any Newsgroups, but the account settings sure would help, wouldn't they.... I am so glad I found this forum. Thank you, again.

Okay, I've got the Windows Mail thread bookmarked. This upgrade should only take about 4 to 6 hours (I'm learning as fast as I can). I'll be back tonight, I hope.

Gail

I wish you the best of luck.

Hi ~ I've succeeded in installing Windows 7, and my Windows Mail from Vista. Windows Mail works fine from the desktop shortcut I created. But, I now have to make it my default email program. I use Mailwasher to preview my mail on the server before I allow it on my machine, and it's asking for the default email application... can't find one.

Post 32 of this thread has a zip file, I think to change the registry, but I'm not sure what to do with a .reg file besides download it, which I did. I'm sorry if it's obvious and I'm just dense, but I'm so afraid to mess this whole thing up. That post was made in May, so I'm wondering if it's still the best way to make Windows Mail show up as the default to another program looking for one. Does any of this make sense? Once again, thank you for your time.

Gail

You just unzip it and then double-click it and accept the prompt asking if you want to alter the registry.

Thank you, again, Peter. I also found xsmile's second zip file in post #43, which I downloaded.

I sure hope upgrading to Ultimate is easier than this has been. Dell is still trying to update my IE 8, which has all the latest updates already. Very intrusive, they are.....