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and many of the link pointers within have become mislinked over time, many of the files or information within them is outdated, incomplete, or superseded with more accurate information - and so be careful.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

---

• 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

 

[Sylver123]

The main reason why I like Windows Mail is because it's lightweight and easy to use and as I used Windows XP before updating to Windows 7, Windows Mail feels and functions much like outlook express that I used on XP.

 

[alfranatic]

winmail crashes after installing sp1 for win 7

That''s the problem i am facing right now,after installing this ***** servicepack 1.

Since there are a lot of ways,which lead to Rome,

i fixed my winmail on 2 laptops win 7 hp 32 bits and 1 desktop win7 ult. 64 bits

simly by renaming the existing winmail program files to winmail-old and then

copy-ing the winmail files (with the updated msoe.dll file) from a Vista source to

the pc's...and using them..as described..

An easy way,which works great even after the killer update KB978542..

But now i seem to be stuck..whenever i install the sp 1 it destroys my beloved

WinMail ..i like it and comments about windows live mail are not constructive in

any way..

Well,needless to say i tried to fix it by following the outstanding tutorial,but it did

not work for me.Maybe it's too complicated and i am a moron..it's possible,but not

very likely ..

I used system restore and everthing is working likes allways,but i can't install the

the servicepack yet,for i have to have a solution before downloading it...

Any suggestions are welcome......

 

[Raymond2512]

Today I installed Windows 7 SP1 and my Windows Mail disappeared. Originally, I installed from this site, following every steps, so I did it again, and when I finished, I got back my Windows Mail, with my contacts and emails that I did not deleted. I am so happy, so I recommend everyone that happens this, to do everything again. At the end, I did not find the WinMail.exe but I did the "Footnote 4" and found that I forgot to Unstick “Hide protected operating”… Ones I did, I found WinMail.exe and now Windows Mail is PERFECT.
I have Windows 7 Professional 64 bits SP1

 

[wing23]

Please help me, I didn't find any solution yet.

I want to install SP1 and I use WinMail on Win7.
I don't know exactly which patch I applied, I remember copying the msoe.dll from an archive I extracted, later I applied some registry file to be able to open eml files

now I can't install SP1 because of an 80004005 error, it has to do with the winmail (mail_core_something)

3 things I tried: deleted the registry entry that has to do with mail_core in the sidebyside/winners part of the registry
I replaced all winmail files by files from another "unpatched" win7 PC
I ran the /scanmfc command, which found errors that couldn't be fixed

how do I install SP1 now?

Thanks for any help!

 

[Greg S]

Do I have to move the windows mail folder from vista 64 bit or can I use the vista 32 bit.

In the program files>windows mail I notice there is not the file for start up to sent a short cut to desk top.

1. You should NOT move either the 32 or 64 bit Vista Windows Mail folder into your Windows 7 operating system. Doing so will cause problems further down the track and stop WinMail from working.

2. The only Vista file needed is the msoe.dll and a download button will provide you with the 64bit version of this file in Step 4, Page 1 of this tutorial.

3. Re creating a shortcut to the desktop to run WinMail,exe ... if you have done the first 3 Steps of the tutorial correctly, the latter part of Step 4 tells you how to send the WinMail.exe file, (from the Windows Mail folder in the 64bit Program Files), to the desktop as a shortcut.

Normally the WinMail.exe file is invisible, but executing Step 2 in the tutorial makes it visible. It Step 2 fails to make it visible, then use Footnote 4 to make it visible.

Update: Ooopps! Sorry. The edit in your last post just above this one was not visible when I posted this reply. PB

Hi PB,
Do you have a download link for Service Pack 1, x86? It's listed in my auto updates but will not install from there. The first time I tried, it downloaded to 31 percent, stayed there for about two hours with TrustedInstaller choking down system the whole time. I tried again for five hours with no joy. I hate to download the entire package considering the auto update listed it for me as only being 61mb but I thought I'd give it a try

 

[mobley1964]

AWESOME FIX!!!! Thank You Thank You Thank YOU!!!!! Prior to finding this post with instructions, I have literally been beating my head against the wall!! WHOA....NO more headaches!!

 

[wing23]

alright ... I've searched for the named component in the cbs log file, deleted its registry entry

the SP1 setup gauge was at the end already when it finished with a new error:
800736B3 ERROR_SXS_ASSEMBLY_NOT_FOUND

but I can't tell the cause of this problem this time D:

edit: after I ran the sp prep tool again, the 80004005 error occours again (the one about x86_microsoft-windows-mail-core-dll_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_585517a9869db81d)

 

[Sylver123]

Please help me, I didn't find any solution yet.

I want to install SP1 and I use WinMail on Win7.
I don't know exactly which patch I applied, I remember copying the msoe.dll from an archive I extracted, later I applied some registry file to be able to open eml files

now I can't install SP1 because of an 80004005 error, it has to do with the winmail (mail_core_something)

3 things I tried: deleted the registry entry that has to do with mail_core in the sidebyside/winners part of the registry
I replaced all winmail files by files from another "unpatched" win7 PC
I ran the /scanmfc command, which found errors that couldn't be fixed

how do I install SP1 now?

Thanks for any help!

I`m afraid your only option is to do a fresh install of Windows 7 and them install SP1 and then put in Windows Mail.

I did it this way and Windows Mail works perfectly.

 

[kaj]

The problem is a little more complicated, in that the Windows Update was primarily to address some vulnerabilities within Windows Mail. Specifically, the MSOE.DLL.

Simply reinstating the old version of the MSOE.DLL will restore Windows Mail operation, however will also leave it open to exploit. This may not have been a problem until now, as there was little awareness of the vulnerability.

Unless someone can provide a link to the new version of the DLL , it will be necessary to obtain the latest Microsoft Update "MSU" file, then manually extract the latest version of the MSOE.DLL, in order to restore "safe" operation of Windows Mail within Windows7

Look here to find the relevent version of the "Vista" DLL that you will require to copy over to Win7 MS10-030: Vulnerability in Outlook Express and Windows Mail could allow remote code execution

Download the MSU from here
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS10-030 - Critical: Vulnerability in Outlook Express and Windows Mail Could Allow Remote Code Execution (978542)

For information on extracting MSU files, look here...
How to extract msu/msp/msi/exe files on the command line WindowsWiki

Sorry but that stuff about extracting the file using the command line is a bit beyond me.
I've downloaded the file and looked at the contents using winrar. There are several winmail .dll files but I'm not sure which one I need. Please see screenshot attachment. Or have I even got right files?
Thanks.

 

[chaoticyeshua]

Please help me, I didn't find any solution yet.

I want to install SP1 and I use WinMail on Win7.
I don't know exactly which patch I applied, I remember copying the msoe.dll from an archive I extracted, later I applied some registry file to be able to open eml files

now I can't install SP1 because of an 80004005 error, it has to do with the winmail (mail_core_something)

3 things I tried: deleted the registry entry that has to do with mail_core in the sidebyside/winners part of the registry
I replaced all winmail files by files from another "unpatched" win7 PC
I ran the /scanmfc command, which found errors that couldn't be fixed

how do I install SP1 now?

Thanks for any help!

I`m afraid your only option is to do a fresh install of Windows 7 and them install SP1 and then put in Windows Mail.

I did it this way and Windows Mail works perfectly.

Surely there's a better way than this. I have two PCs with this same problem, and honestly, if I have to reinstall Windows to get SP1 working, I'm not going to perform this hack again...

Has ANYONE found a fix for the 80004005 SP1 error??

 

[Sylver123]

Please help me, I didn't find any solution yet.

I want to install SP1 and I use WinMail on Win7.
I don't know exactly which patch I applied, I remember copying the msoe.dll from an archive I extracted, later I applied some registry file to be able to open eml files

now I can't install SP1 because of an 80004005 error, it has to do with the winmail (mail_core_something)

3 things I tried: deleted the registry entry that has to do with mail_core in the sidebyside/winners part of the registry
I replaced all winmail files by files from another "unpatched" win7 PC
I ran the /scanmfc command, which found errors that couldn't be fixed

how do I install SP1 now?

Thanks for any help!

I`m afraid your only option is to do a fresh install of Windows 7 and them install SP1 and then put in Windows Mail.

I did it this way and Windows Mail works perfectly.

Surely there's a better way than this. I have two PCs with this same problem, and honestly, if I have to reinstall Windows to get SP1 working, I'm not going to perform this hack again...

Has ANYONE found a fix for the 80004005 SP1 error??

Have you gave a Repair Install on Your Windows 7 a go to see if this will eliminate your SP1 install problems and then try and install SP1 and then Windows Mail afterwards?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

 

[wing23]

I totally understand chaoticyeshua
reinstalling everything on this PC just because of SP1 having trouble with winmail ... ugh, that's the very last step I want to think about right now

I also ponder trying a repair install, but this will reset some things and I'm also a bit scared (I'll make a backup beforehand, then try it out, but it's also a bite of a pita)

there's no way to remove or alter the winmail files/registry data to make sp1 work?
the whole winmail thing doesn't sound like it's a big thing :/

 

[poppa bear]

Hi PB,
Do you have a download link for Service Pack 1, x86? It's listed in my auto updates but will not install from there. The first time I tried, it downloaded to 31 percent, stayed there for about two hours with TrustedInstaller choking down system the whole time. I tried again for five hours with no joy. I hate to download the entire package considering the auto update listed it for me as only being 61mb but I thought I'd give it a try

Hi Greg,

I downloaded it from a re-direct in a post in "Windows 7 Forums", which I think is a different forum to this one. The name has a different format. The downside as you suspected is that the download for 64bit Win 7 is 903MB.

The following are two links.

The first is to a a link to the Win 7 Forums post here which is in my humble opinion is definitely worth a read.

Half way down the post page it directs you to the actual Microsoft download site. This is a link to the M$ download here.

You're right, it is a big download, but when I rang M$ to try and get a DVD posted out they said it wasn't yet available to the public on disc.

The third way would be to go to the M$ download center and search for KB976932.

Sorry I can't be more helpful in getting the update via Windows Update engine.

Cheers PB

 

[poppa bear]

Surely there's a better way than this. I have two PCs with this same problem, and honestly, if I have to reinstall Windows to get SP1 working, I'm not going to perform this hack again...

Has ANYONE found a fix for the 80004005 SP1 error??

Short of reloading Windows, the only other things you could try would be to:

1. Run a sysem file check, by typing the following code in the Run box and then clicking OK or pressing Enter on the keyboard: sfc /scannow

This should repair/replace any damaged/missing Windows 7 operating system files.

2. Restore you system to an earlier restore point.

3. There are many posts on ths error message found via Google by typing in the search engine: Fix for Windows 7 SP1 Error No: 80004005

I have successfully loaded SP1 on both 32 & 64bit Windows 7 Ultimate systems with WinMail enabled, and the only adjustment needed was to replace the msoe.dll file in the Windows Mail folder in program files as per Step 4 of the tutorial.

It is critical NOT to have interfered with any of the other original Windows 7 files in the Windows Mail folder, in either the normal 64bit Program Files or the 32bit Program Fieles(x86).

 

[Greg S]

Hi PB,
Do you have a download link for Service Pack 1, x86? It's listed in my auto updates but will not install from there. The first time I tried, it downloaded to 31 percent, stayed there for about two hours with TrustedInstaller choking down system the whole time. I tried again for five hours with no joy. I hate to download the entire package considering the auto update listed it for me as only being 61mb but I thought I'd give it a try

Hi Greg,

I downloaded it from a re-direct in a post in "Windows 7 Forums", which I think is a different forum to this one. The name has a different format. The downside as you suspected is that the download for 64bit Win 7 is 903MB.

The following are two links.

The first is to a a link to the Win 7 Forums post here which is in my humble opinion is definitely worth a read.

Half way down the post page it directs you to the actual Microsoft download site. This is a link to the M$ download here.

You're right, it is a big download, but when I rang M$ to try and get a DVD posted out they said it wasn't yet available to the public on disc.

The third way would be to go to the M$ download center and search for KB976932.

Sorry I can't be more helpful in getting the update via Windows Update engine.

Cheers PB

Thanks. I found a link for x86 download. It was more pathetic than WinUpdate. Lesson learnt. Checking the box for do not install or bug me. Done with updating MS and their bloat language files and anytime upgrade extras. I have enough security in place to compensate for their updated language files, lol.

 

[alfranatic]

I`m afraid your only option is to do a fresh install of Windows 7 and them install SP1 and then put in Windows Mail.

I did it this way and Windows Mail works perfectly.

Surely there's a better way than this. I have two PCs with this same problem, and honestly, if I have to reinstall Windows to get SP1 working, I'm not going to perform this hack again...

Has ANYONE found a fix for the 80004005 SP1 error??

Have you gave a Repair Install on Your Windows 7 a go to see if this will eliminate your SP1 install problems and then try and install SP1 and then Windows Mail afterwards?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

Again,i still can't seem to find why there are 2 ways that work,first the tutorial here,which is a too big a hassle for me personally and second,
just removing all the handmade winmailfolders (copied entirely from i think a Vista source)..thus leaving all winmail 7 folders in original condition (or repairing them) and then installing the the servicepack1 (in my case about 85 MB) and then installing whatever hack you want again...

It works,but you will loose your handmade folders though,which you can make re-appear by reinstalling from a backup source-in my case:acronis ti-.

One thing is for sure:
I totally agree with Greg S .

Whatever scenario,personally i am also finished with this over the top nonsens updating,which causes in Holland ,where i live a lot more problems then i care to mention.

This time i will wait since all other updates install just fine, i don't see any reason to install yet another "killer" update..

Greetings to you all.

 

[kewl1]

I am extremely happy to learn from you folks that I will be able to get SP1 and still have my Windows Mail. I love Windows Mail and like Sylver 123 said above it's like an old friend ie Outlook Express that we have used for many years. I absolutely hated Windows Live Mail and Outlook is overcomplicated bloatware with many functions I don't need or want in a simple email program. I also didn't like Thunderbird. I have emails stored in my Windows Mail on one computer that go back to at least 1999, perhaps even older and I use it on a laptop and a desktop.

This forum has been fantastic for me and I was very much in fear of SP1 but it look like I should be OK. Long live Windows mail!!!

Regarding SP1 I read that if you go to the MS site the download is a mind-boggling 2 gig but if you get it from Windows Update it is much smaller. Windows Update has not offered it to me yet. I keep checking on both computers

 

[Promo]

Hi all,

I have a problem reinstating Windows Mail after installing SP1.
I read all relevant replies in this thread and performed the following actions:
- Replaced the new SP1 msoe.dll with the original working msoe.dll, that was present before installing SP1.
- Followed the exact steps listed in the tutorial again, to no avail.

When launching WinMail.exe I get these two error messages:
- "(0x8007000E)"
- "Windows Mail could not be started because MSOE.DLL could not be initialized."

I hope someone can help me out here, thanks!

 

[wing23]

1. Run a sysem file check, by typing the following code in the Run box and then clicking OK or pressing Enter on the keyboard: sfc /scannow

This should repair/replace any damaged/missing Windows 7 operating system files.

2. Restore you system to an earlier restore point.

3. There are many posts on ths error message found via Google by typing in the search engine: Fix for Windows 7 SP1 Error No: 80004005

I have successfully loaded SP1 on both 32 & 64bit Windows 7 Ultimate systems with WinMail enabled, and the only adjustment needed was to replace the msoe.dll file in the Windows Mail folder in program files as per Step 4 of the tutorial.

It is critical NOT to have interfered with any of the other original Windows 7 files in the Windows Mail folder, in either the normal 64bit Program Files or the 32bit Program Fieles(x86).

I did that
I even copied over both winmail folders from another win7 PC (well, after I applied SP1 on it)
but it didn't work at all :/

and the /scannow option found errors concerning winmail that couldn't be fixed because the backup (or however it was called in the error msg) was corrupted (so it said) too

edit: just tried it again
copied over all winmail files (both folders)
did a /scannow, it ended with an error that some files couldn't be repaired

I checked the log file but I don't see [date][time] Error [...] lines, except some error_not_found messages marked as

   Information

I don't see any winmail related not_found errors yet ...

I'm kinda not sure what I could do now
I bet it's fixable with not that much effort hmmm

edit2: and SP1 setup fails ...
2011-02-24 17:34:10, Error CBS Failed. Attempted to uninstall a version of a non-driver component that is not installed, version: 0X600011db04001, component: x86_microsoft-windows-mail-core-dll_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_585517a9869db81d, owner: Microsoft-Windows-Client-Features-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.1.7600.16385.Microsoft-Windows-Client-Features-Update [HRESULT = 0x80004005 - E_FAIL]

edit3: I just replaced the winmail folders with the ones on the win7 dvd, same result

 

[mobley1964]

I do not see "take ownership" in drop down menu, downloaded file as you advised, still not seeing "take ownership" HELP!!