Solved Cannot get rid of WINDOWS MAIL

[zapp22]

gang I picked up a refurb that has Windows Pro x64 which was auto-installed through some streamlined installer.
It leaves a WOW6432 mess that I cannot resolve - has [among other things] a lone Windows Mail install, which is plainly visible in Programs, but no uninstaller, no reference in the windows Control Panel . Windows Mail [.exe] executes at startup but has no startup entry that I can access. I cannot change its permissions [with my simpleton's understanding of Permissions]. I cannot change the filename [denied].
I tried to get at it by instaling Windows Live Essentials, only checkmarking "Mail". that went ok. then I uninstalled it. that went ok. did not affect the original install whatsoever. I'm still stuck with it.

makes me wonder what other hidden jewels are on this sys.

how do I nuke this short of slaveing it to another system and deleting all the files and references then cleaning out the registry.
is there any need at this point in Windows 7 life, for the WOW6432 entries at all?

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Just so I have it right mate the mail you are trying to get rid of is an older form of Windows Mail?

Go into regedit and in HKEY_LOCAL_USER > Software > Microsoft > and open it up does it look like mine in the pics.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Now I found this and it explains things quite well.
How to Find Your Email Settings in Windows' Registry



But one word of warning if you are thinking of deleting any keys or sub settings in the registry make sure YOU BACK IT UP!! see this tutorial and DO IT!! http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/4230-registry-backup-restore.html


I always do this after installing Windows on any machine. It is a safety thing that you can use to get the original registry back should you need to because if you do muck it up then without the back up you will have to reinstall Windows !!

 

[zapp22]

yes it looks like that.

is there no way to find out HOW its loading itself at startup???
I see the linkage in Task Manager, but cannot change permissions, cannot delete anything - its like its under control of some other entity [TrustedInstaller]

but I can sure delete keys...

 

[Berton]

And just for the record, Windows Mail only came with Windows Vista, no such E-Mail Client was included with Windows 7 but some OEM computers did include the free Windows Live Mail which is part of Windows Essentials.
Windows Essentials - Download Windows Live Essentials

 

[DavidE]

You can try some of the free MS Sysinternals utilities.
Sysinternals Suite

Process Explorer, Autoruns, Process Monitor ...

Here is a snip of a Process Properties I selected in Process Explorer.
It has Autostart Location and Parent info that may help you ?

 

[zapp22]

it is indeed "windows mail", not Live.

i had to deal with it brutally. took ownership of it by the 'shortcut' and deleted all the files. patched my main user account so it does not try to load it.
I noticed that it is buried in the Default user account settings.
this is like trying to remove malware.

i had some trouble with the builtin Administrator account. I noticed when I resolved and was re-setting it 'first run' - it tried to load Windows Mail and threw an error right off.

the comment about Vista makes me wonder if the reseller crew just modified a slipstreamed old vista install they had??? surely not. this line of desktops [DC7900] originally came with Vista.
otherwise, the install was well-done - saved me a bunch of time

 

[Berton]

Your mention of "originally came with Vista" suggests to me the Win7 install was an Upgrade over Vista.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Your mention of "originally came with Vista" suggests to me the Win7 install was an Upgrade over Vista.

Hate to contradict Berton but the OEM's I have bought for my machines (five) all have that reg entry - that is a pic of this machine I am on right now. I had installed an OEM 7 onto an SSD on this machine and upgraded it to 8.1 and it is still there.
What it does I don't know as I have never had the problem of the OP.

 

[zapp22]

correcto.
not an upgrade Product Key /

dunno... Lets call it a feature! a very highly valuable bonus from our friends in Redmond

Your mention of "originally came with Vista" suggests to me the Win7 install was an Upgrade over Vista.

Hate to contradict Berton but the OEM's I have bought for my machines (five) all have that reg entry - that is a pic of this machine I am on right now. I had installed an OEM 7 onto an SSD on this machine and upgraded it to 8.1 and it is still there.
What it does I don't know as I have never had the problem of the OP.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Zapp Mate have you got an activation code for that install because somewhere along the line it seems to me whoever refurbed the machine may have got a little "sidetracked".

Now if you have the code - usually on that sticker with a set of numbers what you could do I to reinstall using this preferably after wiping that drive. (In the tutorial the sticker will change for the different windows just us hat you have got) .
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html

have a read at least I know it is painful but the media will be the freshest you can get and may solve your problem but if you do go down this track back up any data and only choose the ISO for the installed version of Windows.

 

[zapp22]

no need for all that.
i solved it.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

no need for all that.
i solved it.

Share??

 

[zapp22]

slaved the drive to another 7 machine, took ownership of all the associated files and nuked them.
purged the registry.
pulled the default user profile/folder/folders from the other machine [free of windows mail] and installed them in the target machine.

all done.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

slaved the drive to another 7 machine, took ownership of all the associated files and nuked them.
purged the registry.
pulled the default user profile/folder/folders from the other machine [free of windows mail] and installed them in the target machine.

all done.

Nice tip I like that