Windows Mail

How to Reinstate Windows Mail in Windows 7​

   Warning

Microsoft no longer supports Windows Mail, aka WinMail. It's recommended you use another well known supported email client. This Tutorial is for Advanced users who importantly have the Technical Ability to make the changes, have backups of everything including your OS, and to be your own tech support for WinMail going forward. If you decide to complete this tutorial you accept the fact that you are using WinMail as-is. It might be necessary to uninstall other email clients to resolve any WinMail conflicts in some environments. Understand it's likely that new OS updates from Microsoft will break WinMail's operation, and to fix make it necessary to rerun the tutorial again to reinstate it. With those things in mind, this tutorial was written so that you can rerun it without affecting WinMail user data.
Please see this Errata (Bug List) post before you install, to be aware of the current information about known issues using WinMail within Windows 7, these issues are programmatic and in most cases cannot be resolved by this tutorial, and will never be fixed.

Having said all of that disclaimer, if you have the technical ability, and can put up with the annoying minor byproduct bugs, then like so many of us still enjoy using WinMail on Windows 7 ...ymmv!

   Tip

As of January, 2025, the instructions given here supersede all other instructions given in forthcoming older posts. Realize some of the posts that follow are over 16 years old, and many of the link pointers within have become mislinked over time, many of the files or information within them is outdated, incomplete, or superseded with more accurate information - and so be careful. However you can always be sure that the latest info from all research is incorporated into this tutorial post, and its downloads are the latest available. This post is continuously kept up-to-date, and so..
...Always refer to this Tutorial post for the very latest updated information

This is the 4th iteration of the Windows 7, WinMail tutorial.

The process of this tutorial Will Not work to reinstate WinMail on Windows 8/10 !
Windows 8/10 users please go Here

Start here

1. Download tutorial package TutReWinMail.zip
   
   Download
   
   
2. Extract the TutReWinMail.zip into your user Downloads folder
   • Note: Be sure once extracted this is the address of the ''TutReWinMail'' folder:
   • C:\Users\username\Downloads\TutReWinMail... ... (if it's not there please put it there)
3. Navigate to your user Downloads\TutReWinMail folder to be sure the above is correct.
   • (..if you need more verbose install instructions to follow, download this WinMail Local Tutorial.zip)
   • Advanced Users can proceed below:

     ---

     (..log in for Full Access, being able to get support, remove ads, like, and even to post, etc..)

Advanced Users: ..use this easy excellent overview of the steps in the local tutorial:

• Open an Administrator Command Prompt. (screenshot showing in Administrator mode)
• copy/paste this line into the command prompt: cd %USERPROFILE%\Downloads\TutReWinMail\
• Your command prompt must now be showing you are at That Same Folder Address ..which contains the tutorial files that the batch file in the next step executes programs and copies files specifically from that folder address - if it's not there the batch file will fail since it cannot find what it needs!
• Next type in either winmail32 or win64mail <matching OS bit, to interactively process These Next Steps
• If you've finished to the bottom as shown in last screenshot, restart your machine (sets registry)
• Create a shortcut from WinMail.exe to your Desktop
• Open WinMail - it may prompt you one (or both) of These Two Notices ..click yes, and okay.
• They now should be already set, but you can manually check/set at any time These Default Settings
• That's pretty much all there is to it, and from here you setup the rest of the Windows Mail client (aka: WinMail) as normal within its various tab menus for Accounts, Options, Layout, etc, etc, to suit your individual needs.
• Lastly, but should be the First thing you do, is to Create A WinMail Backup (new version) ..Go to this next link and when you get there scroll down to the heading: Backup/Restore Procedures for further instructions.

   Information

See How to open an elevated Administrator Command Prompt
Important: The exact text provided by the tutorial must be entered into the Administrator Command Prompt.
Hint: to avoid typos, copy/paste the entire line containing the command into the Command Prompt window.
Also see: How to Enable Copy to Clipboard from the Windows 7 Command Prompt

---

Every effort has been made to make this a step-by-step process, however, it is beyond the scope of a single tutorial to provide information on every command or concept. Search the Main Tutorial Section if you need greater detail on a concept or command presented in this tutorial.

Good luck, and long live WinMail

   Note

Made possible by members:
Mark (aka Mr GRiM) - provided the original tutorial
Poppa Bear - continued Mark's work within the 2nd version
endeavor - provided continuous feedback, changes, invaluable testing instrumental to tutorial operations
EKManitis - propose the batch code that made operations easier
Slartybart - updated, tested, and consolidated all of the above into the 3rd version
endeavor - reviewed, updated, tested, and incorporated all of the above into this 4th version
...and also a special thanks to All the other members who presented discovery for this project

Related Tutorials

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• How to Backup/Restore Messages in Windows Mail (Vista version)
  
• Windows Calendar - Import into Windows 7
• Vista Windows Sidebar - Reinstate on Windows 7
• Windows Live Mail - Import Windows Mail Messages
• Windows Live Mail - Import Windows 7 and Vista Contacts

 

[kewl1]

What the heck am I doing wrong this time?

I upgraded my desktop to Win 7.1 from Win 7. I cannot undo it using system restore. When I try to follow the Tutorial the attached is what I get

 

[Banyarola]

Exactly what are you trying to do?

 

[Ex_Brit]

Do you mean 8.1? No such animal as Windows 7.1.

That would break any non-standard modifications such as VWM.

We no longer support it in Windows 8/8.1 anyway.

System Restore can't be used to revert to another operating system, it only restores the current system to an earlier time, in that system.

To reinstall Windows 7 or 7 SP1, you would need to use an installation disk to format the hard drive and reinstall the system from scratch.

Windows 8/8.1 forums are here: http://www.eightforums.com/

 

[Banyarola]

Well, this topic is for installing Windows Mail..

 

[Slartybart]

I upgraded my desktop to Win 7.1 from Win 7. I cannot undo it using system restore. When I try to follow the Tutorial the attached is what I get

try putting a space after cd
and use the correct variable %USERPROFILE% (not %Tom% - unless you setup a variable named Tom)

cd %USERPROFILE%\Downloads\TutReWinMail\
edit: I checked your system specs - it doesn't say 32 or 64, so use the correct bit depth batch file. your screen shot shows you trying win64mail batch which is fine if your Windows is 64 bit.

 

[Slartybart]

Well, this topic is for installing Windows Mail..

Technically, the tutorial only makes WinMail operational. It isn't really an install.

 

[kewl1]

Hi All,

I should have been more specific. I had Windows 7 with Windows Mail working for years. I finally installed the SP1 and now cannot get my mail to work following the instructions. I've been trying on and off for weeks. In desperation I tried to roll back to 7.0 using System Restore but it would not work so I guess I am stuck with SP1 now. When I follow the instructions to allow copy and paste in the CMD that does not work either but I belive that I have typed the entries accurately.

Slartybart I thought I was supposed to insert my user name (Tom) in place of "USERPROFILE". Maybe that's where I went wrong. I'll try again without the Tom and with the space. Unfortunately I have to run to the airport right now for work and will try this as soon as I get back home Thursday night. I do have 64 bit by the way

 

[Ex_Brit]

I'll let someone else answer you on the errors you got when trying to activate WM but note that you must have SP1 installed for your Windows installation to be supported for Microsoft updates. There are in fact many updates yet to go after SP1 as it's been out for so long. Basically installing the service pack would have broken the WM modification and you would have to start all over again, but someone else may know more about that.
All I'm saying is don't even think about removing SP1.

 

[Donz]

Kewl1,

Back in about Feb. 2011 there were major issues regarding not being able to install SP1 if you had Windows Mail loaded. I don't know what the final fix was. I'll include 2 links below just for additional info. (Repeat: I don't know what the final fix was).
You say you had WM working before you loaded SP1. Are you certain that SP1 installed?
Right click "Computer" then Properties, and under Windows Edition it should say Service Pack 1.

If it is in fact installed, the batch file should run fine. Follow the instructions, and do what Slartybart says above.

FYI:
http://www.sevenforums.com/browsers-mail/147519-fix-windows-mail-after-sp1-update.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/5481-windows-mail-90.html

Don

 

[Slartybart]

..... When I follow the instructions to allow copy and paste in the CMD that does not work either but I belive that I have typed the entries accurately.

Slartybart I thought I was supposed to insert my user name (Tom) in place of "USERPROFILE". Maybe that's where I went wrong. I'll try again without the Tom and with the space. Unfortunately I have to run to the airport right now for work and will try this as soon as I get back home Thursday night. I do have 64 bit by the way

Thanks kewl1,
Cmd edit: Check this tut: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/21874-command-prompt-copy-clipboard.html
Follow steps 1 & 4 only to enable quick edit
How-to-use copy and paste in Cmd are described in steps 6 & 7

Yes, that is where you went 'wrong' . Post when you try again on Thursday.

Thanks for the bit depth information and for updating your profile.

---

..... Basically installing the service pack would have broken the WM modification and you would have to start all over again, but someone else may know more about that.
All I'm saying is don't even think about removing SP1.

SP1 overwrites the msoe.dll, so you are correct. There are two 'patch' batch files that just replace the dll in case SFC or SP overwrites them. endeavor tested SFC and says it is not necessary, my testing showed different results. Different machines, different results - so the batch files are there for anyone who needs a quick fix (at least to test if it is a quick fix).

---

..... Back in about Feb. 2011 there were major issues regarding not being able to install SP1 if you had Windows Mail loaded.
..... If it is in fact installed, the batch file should run fine. Follow the instructions, and do what Slartybart says above.

FYI:
http://www.sevenforums.com/browsers-mail/147519-fix-windows-mail-after-sp1-update.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/5481-windows-mail-90.html

Thanks Don,

I 'wrote' the tut after I joined in 2012, so I'm not certain the 2011 post still applies. There were many changes incorporated in the 'new' tut that might not cause the issue in the previous tut. I'm not sure, but endeavor tested this tut a lot.

Your post did remind me of another issue with Windows Update, I think you participated in trying to resolve that debacle. endeavor worked with a few members trying to identify the cause. I don' recall who gave the 'all clear' signal after a subsequent WU, but it had nothing to do with Winmail (basic HTML processing?).

Sorry I don't have the exact KBs, but they are here in the thread (recently about 6 - 12 mos ago). There are links to other threads, as well, where some testing and discussion took place,
Just a heads up on 'recent' WUs that break WinMail and that the issue is resolved with subsequent WUs - so keep applying what WU offers until WU offers no more (I hide Silverlight & Bing WUs).

:tip: See: http://www.sevenforums.com/news/282157-hidden-patch-tuesday-gem-windows-7-hotfix-rollup.html to cut down on the number of individual post SP1 update WUs. It's a pseudo Service Pack, MS just called it a rollup.

Bill
.

 

[endeavor]

Hi All,

I should have been more specific. I had Windows 7 with Windows Mail working for years. I finally installed the SP1 and now cannot get my mail to work following the instructions. I've been trying on and off for weeks. In desperation I tried to roll back to 7.0 using System Restore but it would not work so I guess I am stuck with SP1 now. When I follow the instructions to allow copy and paste in the CMD that does not work either but I belive that I have typed the entries accurately.

Slartybart I thought I was supposed to insert my user name (Tom) in place of "USERPROFILE". Maybe that's where I went wrong. I'll try again without the Tom and with the space. Unfortunately I have to run to the airport right now for work and will try this as soon as I get back home Thursday night. I do have 64 bit by the way

hey guys late to the party sorry, I did not get any email notifications that this thread had new posts, interesting, and checking I'm still subscribed to it, hmmm.

Anyway as been said just re-run the tutorial to put back in place the things that SP1 changes, nothing else at all is needed, it's very easy to fix.
Anytime you install/re-install SP1, yes you must run the tutorial again but again that's easy quick.

Absolutely keep SP1 yes, and also apply All updates thereafter (are fine for WinMail) and recommended.

Yes, just as the tut says, copy that line 'as is' and paste it.
cd %USERPROFILE%\Downloads\TutReWinMail\

Sorry kewl1 that you misunderstood that. literally though, it takes 10 to 20 seconds to get WinMail running from there after SP1 is installed.

 

[kewl1]

Fantastic. Thanks a million. I fly home from Vancouver in the morning and when I get there I will try it immediately. The problem is with my desktop at home Everything is fine on this laptop I travel with which also has SP1

 

[kewl1]

Cannot thank you enough

I followed the instructions the Proper way as soon as I got home from my trip and voila, working perfectly in minutes. First Windows mail arrived on that desktop since the beginning of June. That's how long (on and off) I have been trying to fix it.

I've used Windows Mail with Win 7 on several computers ever since Win 7 came out. I know I have used different methods to make it work over the years as the instructions have changed. One time I simply dragged and dropped the files using a memory stick. In fact I think I did that more than once. Got it working one time very easily on Windows 8 as well. Then I deleted Windows 8 from the computer (rather than throw the computer out the window) but that's another story.

So thanks again. As others have stated in this forum, I couldn't live without my Windows mail. Just as an aside, for your interest or information and I realize it probably does not belong in this forum. Updating to SP1 on that computer has slowed it down immensely. It's a quad core with 24 gigs of RAM, RAID 0 using 2 x 10,000 rpm drives. Glary utilities says that it takes 1 min 34 seconds to start up now and that only 1% of computers are slower. I have many functions disabled too using msconfig. I guess it may be time to wipe the drive and start over OR get an SSD like I have in my laptops... The laptops were installed with a Win 7 SP1 disk. The desktop that is so slow now had Win 7 for years and recently had SP1 installed with an update disk.

 

[Slartybart]

kewl1,

That's quite a machine!

I don't know if you've completed all of Windows Updates (WU) after SP1, but you should.
:tip: See: http://www.sevenforums.com/news/282157-hidden-patch-tuesday-gem-windows-7-hotfix-rollup.html to cut down on the number of individual post SP1 update WUs. It's a pseudo Service Pack, MS just called it a rollup.

One of the updates allows Disk Cleanup to remove WU that have been superseded. When I first ran Disk Cleanup with the KB applied I got back about 5 GB of disk space. People differ on the subject of fragmentation and with those high speed rives, you might not notice much improvement after defrag. I have slow spindles and a regular defrag improves performance a good deal.

Other than reducing your startup tab entries (only AV and absolutely required entries should be there) you can also check the services tab.
Take a look in here, choose the ones you think might help:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/11728-optimize-windows-7-a.html

 

[endeavor]

<...>
Updating to SP1 on that computer has slowed it down immensely. It's a quad core with 24 gigs of RAM, RAID 0 using 2 x 10,000 rpm drives. Glary utilities says that it takes 1 min 34 seconds to start up now.
<...>
I guess it may be time to wipe the drive and start over OR get an SSD.
<...>

First of all I'm very glad you got her going now kewl1, congrats!

fyi to your other point, I don't recall SP1 slowing anything down in any way.
As for 94 seconds for a startup with a spinning drive seems slightly slower than normal for your particular setup mentioned, although it could trim down 10 to 20 seconds off of that if leaned.
For instance I keep my setups startup and running applications down to the bare necessity, with a modest set of software programs installed.
I do have the latest intel i7 quad core, etc, and run a 128 GB SSD along with a 2 TB spinning HD (The SSD has 3 partitions and triple boots 3 OS's, and the 2 TB spinner is for storage partitioned up with 10 partitions for my needs but has 3 primaries and boots triple OS's as well, but for the most part the OS's partitions on the spinner stay set inactive & set hidden until needed)
My point is for your reference, my Windows 7 SP1 on the SSD takes just 25 seconds to boot from being off, to the Desktop opening and at the log-on sound...is 25 seconds. If I boot the '''identical''' OS setup the same way on my spinner - takes 70 seconds.

 

[RKelly5327]

Didja ever do something stupid with Windows Mail and then go even stupider trying to fix it? Or something like that. I was making a new folder and made it in the Inbox!!! Hello!?!?!? Now I can't delete the thing! Maybe I'll have to try it in Safe Mode. I even went into the Store folder and deleted there, but its ghost is still in the Inbox. The thing haunts me! I wasn't even drunk when I made the folder. I don't drink anyway, so I guess it must have been stupid-itis.

 

[endeavor]

Didja ever do something stupid with Windows Mail and then go even stupider trying to fix it? Or something like that. I was making a new folder and made it in the Inbox!!! Hello!?!?!? Now I can't delete the thing! Maybe I'll have to try it in Safe Mode. I even went into the Store folder and deleted there, but its ghost is still in the Inbox. The thing haunts me! I wasn't even drunk when I made the folder. I don't drink anyway, so I guess it must have been stupid-itis.

I can create a folder within the Inbox, even if I name it Inbox as well, any of which shows up as a subfolder under the main Inbox, and then right click on that folder I just made and then delete it. You cannot delete the main Inbox itself of course, only the subfolders within it that you have created. Then you empty them out of the Deleted Items box.

Don't mess with the store folder unless you are familiar with it is my suggestion.

 

[Slartybart]

Didja ever do something stupid with Windows Mail and then go even stupider trying to fix it? .....

All the time and not just with WinMail

The ghost folder won't hurt and might go away the next maintenance cycle. I don't recall ever seeing anything like what you describe ... maybe with an import ...

You might look but don't touch in the folder tree (explorer) and post a screen image of the ghost sub-folder (if it is found). It might simply be a database entry that you cannot see unless you're in WinMail.

I'll have to depend on endeavor (once again) and you, RKelly, to provide real environment information. I've been on Win8 for a month now, and I haven't used WinMail since about two months after I wrote the tutorial. That doesn't mean I don't know WinMail, it means I don't have immediate access to it and I have no way to test what I recall

The easiest thing might be to just live with our mistakes and see if maint cleans it up.

Bill
.

 

[RKelly5327]

the ghost in Win-Mail

Well Boys and Girls. I hate to disappoint you, but the ghost vanished into thin air! I have deleted that sub-folder in the Inbox every way possible known to mankind and it would not go away. As I mentioned I even deleted it in the Store folder. (I've had to do fix-it stuff in the Store folder when I was using Outlook Express.) I 'deleted' it with the right click option in the context menu. It stayed right there. I 'deleted' it with the delete option in Win-Mail it self, and it was still there. I 'deleted' it with the delete key on the keyboard, and, you guessed it. It was still there.
The funny thing about it was I could see the 'deleted' folder in the Deleted Items Folder, but it was still there as a sub-folder in the Inbox. I was going to get a pic of it this morning so I could show it to all you folks, but decided to empty the Deleted Items Folder again first per usual. Then just for fun I did a right click on that ghost folder again and clicked on delete, and just like that! It disappeared!!! :shock: So, my apologies that I can't show you a photo of the ghost folder.
I have never been able to get Win-Mail to automatically empty the Deleted Items folder upon exit, so if I hadn't done it manually, that ghost folder showed up in that folder all the time, right along with its twin in the Inbox folder. I've always emptied the D. I. Folder whenever I was trying to delete the ghost folder, but it made no difference until this morning. Maybe because it's Sunday! After I saw it in both folders, I thought "Hokey Mokey, Batman! The thing is multiplying!"
Anyway folks, the ghost has departed into the ethereal vacuum someplace. YEA!!!

 

[endeavor]

Well it's true if you delete it from within WinMail, even from the Deleted box, that the folder will temporally still show in the store folder I can see that myself.

My point was before that always delete it from Within WinMail's GUI First, and not its store folder, otherwise the WM built in recovery option will kick in and start recovering the things you've folder deleted, and then it gets tricky knowing what's what. To avoid that always delete from Within WinMail GUI itself so that it knows.

Most importantly realize the problem with your Delete function is all tied to... well, I very well remember you do have some anomalies that we've discussed before about your delete function that you first posted about in your post #1501 and my replies thereafter about that, and you were going to get back to us on my post #1524 (Bill asks you for file information too) ..but remember you got busy helping your kids going to Florida and never posted back your file info's; also remember my comments on the second half of my post #1531, and you have admitted to me in the past you have done some maverick things to your WinMail setup.

I can guarantee you, that if you had an '''original''' Windows7 WinMail install (iow, no hanky panky on your part with files from anywhere else) or if you or anyone else does a fresh install of Win7, that running the tutorial will produce a working WinMail program and that those options screens I show you on my post #1524 that you are missing, Will !!! ..be available for you, and surly that would fix your Delete problem and surly would take care of your recent ghost folders as you call them too.
....and so we still need your file info. Basically we just need to undo whatever you did during one of your WinMail tinkering moments to get it working right.