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and many of the link pointers within have become mislinked over time, many of the files or information within them is outdated, incomplete, or superseded with more accurate information - and so be careful.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

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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

 

[Black Power]

HI
I had followed the instruktions, but when i try to open windows mail its only shows in task manger.

 

[RKelly5327]

Hope someone can help, as always. I have been running Windows Mail in 7 for some time, but the Update service would not work. It stated it was not running, so I ran the SFC as directed and it knocked Windows Mail for a loop. It won't start any more and gives the dreaded message "Windows Mail could not be started. The application was unable to open the Windows Mail message store. Windows Mail was unable to locate its message database. If you’ve moved the database files to a new location, click okay to reset the database to that location." I ran the post SFC file that came with the tutor package, but that didn't fix it and I still get the same message. I also ran the ownership program and that didn't fix it. I ran the whole tutorial again- nope. I restored the backup apps folder- nope. I even restored it from the system image I had made while everything was working. It still doesn't work. It starts, then throws that box up with its "unable" message.
Someone suggest, Richc, I think, to uninstall it and install the latest version of Windows Mail. I don't know where to even find the latest version. I do hope someone can get me out of this mud hole. I'm trying to get this working for an older widow friend of mine.
How do I fix this thing? I see these posts are old, so I hope it gets found, and also hope I'm in the right place.
And a big thank you to all who try and/or help to solve this issue!
Ron K.

 

[endeavor]

Hope someone can help, as always. I have been running Windows Mail in 7 for some time, but the Update service would not work. It stated it was not running, so I ran the SFC as directed and it knocked Windows Mail for a loop. It won't start any more and gives the dreaded message "Windows Mail could not be started. The application was unable to open the Windows Mail message store. Windows Mail was unable to locate its message database. If you’ve moved the database files to a new location, click okay to reset the database to that location." I ran the post SFC file that came with the tutor package, but that didn't fix it and I still get the same message. I also ran the ownership program and that didn't fix it. I ran the whole tutorial again- nope. I restored the backup apps folder- nope. I even restored it from the system image I had made while everything was working. It still doesn't work. It starts, then throws that box up with its "unable" message.
Someone suggest, Richc, I think, to uninstall it and install the latest version of Windows Mail. I don't know where to even find the latest version. I do hope someone can get me out of this mud hole. I'm trying to get this working for an older widow friend of mine.
How do I fix this thing? I see these posts are old, so I hope it gets found, and also hope I'm in the right place.
And a big thank you to all who try and/or help to solve this issue!
Ron K.

Hi Ron,

The sure thing is to do a restore point "to a time when it was known to be working" if you have one? ..or preferably if you have a third party imaging software installed and then doing it's partition image restore will put it back to a previously 'known working state' then problem solved easily (for Advanced users only, they know from that third party backup image they only need to restore just the "C:\Users\Win7\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail" folder itself from the partition image instead of everything in the OS)

As far as SFC breaking WinMail, that problem has been already fixed to prevent it from happening once the tutorial installation has been run, however if someone does not yet have SP1 installed and then they update to SP1, then the tutorial 'must be run again right afterwards' to reinstate a few things on WM, one of which are the registry entries to then prevent SFC from breaking WM again when SFC is now run on SP1.

Running Windows Update on SP1, as of today, there is nothing yet that will break WM, but when they release a future update that breaks WM again, we will research and will fix it.

As far as the Windows Mail message Store being corrupted, that can happen occasionally irregardless of anything, sometimes it just happens, even on Vista it did, it even happened to me last month for the first time ever and afaik the only way to fix it properly is simply do a restore as mentioned already, simple and effective; it took me only a few minutes to fix mine.

Back on Outlook Express this similar event happened when the dbx files got corrupted, and a restore was the best way to fix that too.

Ron, just running the tutorial after the fact cannot fix a "Windows Mail message Store Corruption" 'once it happens'!
Once it happens, a restore is the best way to fix it. If you do not have any kind of Restore ability then you're most likely out of luck to retrieve any of your message store.
Please, Always, Always, have a fool proof backup plan on everything, Beforehand, is #1
I've personally never had an instance where there was no full partition image backup available to fix this particular problem, so I personally cannot help you further here, but here's some tidbits:

There are ways to reset ''Vista'' Windows Mail (pretty much the same, but....
...Again and Again and Again though, running Windows Mail on 7 is not supported, and while it's so blessed easy to keep running for the average+ user with a Back Up plan in place, but for the average user should just move on to what's supported.
If you're about to give up, before you do you can read up on This Post and scroll down half the page to ''Problem Two'' "How to backup and Reset WinMail'' that was made "for Vista users using WinMail" which is nearly the same, but Again and Again and Again, running Windows Mail on 7 is not supported.

Also fwiw, the Tutorial installs/reactivates the latest WM already. That post you mentioned by Richc he was not talking about this threads "Windows Mail" but just 'Mail' which is something different and Not related to what you want to do.

Very Last Resort,
There are many many hits on your problem phrase, searching google (be careful most do not apply to You)

If you find an answer that fixes your particular situation, be sure to post back for others.

.

 

[RKelly5327]

Hi Mr. Endeavor- I appreciate your efforts so very much. I mean that. Let me tell you what I did. Oh yeah, first of all, I'm a big fan of backups! I used the backup that comes with 7 and did a complete backup along with a system image backup, BEFORE anything bad happened, like a good boy. I don't know whether I've taken a trip into Alice In Wonderland somewhere or what, but this whole thing has me buffaloed. I don't know how it could be possible for the problem to not be fixed. Here's what I did, in order along with doing the steps I already listed:
1. I reset the system to a restore point on a date before all this happened. It dod not help. WM still could not find the message database.
2. I went to the backup I had made on an external drive before all this happened, selected the Windows Mail folder in the App/Data folder, and restored that. It didn't help.
3. I went back to the same backup on the external drive and restored the whole "C:\Users\Win7\AppData\" folder. It did not help.
4. I went to the Rescue program, selected the image I had made on the external backup drive, and restored the whole thing. It did not help.
I cannot fathom for the life of me, and I've lived a long time- 77 years, how in the world a system image restoration would not fix the problem. How is that even possible??? That was made when everything was working fine.
See what I mean about being in a different dimension, a distorted time slot, a place where the impossible happens regardless?
I'll go through the things you've listed and see if I can find my way out of this Alice In Wonderland mess. I'll be sure to get back here and let ya all know what happens. And in the meantime try to fix the Update problem
Thanks, till later-
Ron

 

[endeavor]

Hi Mr. Endeavor- I appreciate your efforts so very much. I mean that. Let me tell you what I did. Oh yeah, first of all, I'm a big fan of backups! I used the backup that comes with 7 and did a complete backup along with a system image backup, BEFORE anything bad happened, like a good boy. I don't know whether I've taken a trip into Alice In Wonderland somewhere or what, but this whole thing has me buffaloed. I don't know how it could be possible for the problem to not be fixed.

A 'true' OS partition restore would have fixed it, period!

Here's what I did, in order along with doing the steps I already listed:
1. I reset the system to a restore point on a date before all this happened. It did not help. WM still could not find the message database.

This is why in some cases a system restore point is inadequate imho - it is not all inclusive.
I personally never use system restore points, and since day one that they introduced it in earlier OS's, I've turned it off. I Only use a third party software Partition Imager, and there are a few great ones out there. These processes are all inclusive. If for instance you created a backup partition image the day, or week, or a month before (you should always create one when venturing though) ...and then you installed SP1 or whatever, and/or whether you tried out and installed 50 other software programs and then even corrupted your entire OS... ...no big deal, because when you restore a true partition image backup to the day you made it - when you boot it up that is exactly what you get. This is the only foolproof way to go if you say you are a true backup artist, you must use a proper partition imager.

2. I went to the backup I had made on an external drive before all this happened, selected the Windows Mail folder in the App/Data folder, and restored that. It didn't help.

Okay here if you had a true partition backup and instead of restoring the entire partition, you instead wanted to take the shortcut of opening up that backup image and exploring it, and for this situation, going into and copying this folder
"C:\Users\Win7\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail"
..and Deleting the existing folder of same, and copying the working one in its place, it would of fixed it.
(The only thing I must say here is that I personally have all system protection turned off; iow, if I start copying/replacing files then the Windows 7 system protection system doesn't instantly copy back some of what I just did and that's an important consideration, but advanced users know that! ..but nevertheless I must point it out in case that is not understood. This is why all of this is for more advanced users that understand and have full control of the computer to start with)

3. I went back to the same backup on the external drive and restored the whole "C:\Users\Win7\AppData\" folder. It did not help.

The only folder that is pertinent to this situation is:
"C:\Users\Win7\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail"

4. I went to the Rescue program, selected the image I had made on the external backup drive, and restored the whole thing. It did not help.

I don't know which what rescue program you are speaking of, but what I have already stated is the answer.

I cannot fathom for the life of me, and I've lived a long time- 77 years, how in the world a system image restoration would not fix the problem. How is that even possible??? That was made when everything was working fine.
See what I mean about being in a different dimension, a distorted time slot, a place where the impossible happens regardless?

First of all congratulation on the 77, well done!

As far as true partition imaging, it is fool proof; restore points are not all inclusive.
If you restored a known working full partition image backup, then when you boot it it will still be working just as it was when you imaged it, period. (naturally as long as all Hardware is functioning the same)

I'll go through the things you've listed and see if I can find my way out of this Alice In Wonderland mess. I'll be sure to get back here and let ya all know what happens. And in the meantime try to fix the Update problem
Thanks, till later-
Ron

As far as the update problem, imho, in this situation or for tech users, Automatic Windows Update should be turned off, and the experienced user should Manually check for Windows Updates; iow, don't have an update of whatever kind installing itself in the background while you are doing something else or whatever, until you are ready and/or prepared for update changes, with proper backup procedures in place. imho, All Windows Updates should be done manually in your time, that way, no surprises.
Having said that about Automatic Window Updates though, Naturally Manual Windows Update needs to be working properly and so you must get that fixed.

Again if you actually restored a working full partition backup partition image, putting that partition right back to the moment you created it, then that's what you get - if it doesn't then you didn't restore a real partition image backup.

I want to be careful and not stray too far from the intent of this Windows Mail tutorial though by digressing into all of these other repairs, that are from different causes other than from this reactivating Windows Mail thread. Good intention are meant though.

 

[RKelly5327]

Endeavor- I'll get back to you later. Have a lot to do today and tomorrow. Don't go away.

 

[grits]

@ Ron, sorry I never got back to you & now I wish I would have tried to help at that time to save you the problem of Update, knowing that there aren't any for WM, then SFC which is the only thing that I'm aware of I did to break mine.

 

[RKelly5327]

Well folks, I am finally back. Had some prostate trouble. NOT cancer, thank the Dear Lord! I was sure WM was WM and there was no update for that, BUT I quit trying to get WM to work because I could not get the Windows Update to work at all. I tried a zillion things, one quite extensive such as re-registering files, etc., but it still would not work. A lot of posts I read tied it to Windows Defender not working. That was disable when I installed MSE. I didn't see how that would make any difference. Anyway, I decided it had to be first things first, so I did a complete restore to factory condition. That meant a lot of updates, etc., but it was worth it since everything is working great now. I sure appreciate you folks here. You are a big help and a great blessing, too.
Ron

 

[endeavor]

Hi Ron,

Yes you needed to get Windows Update working no matter what so first things first as you said. I guess you must not of had a partition image backup of a time when WU was working.. so that you didn't have to restore all the way back to the beginning.

Anyway reading the rest of your post, Windows Defender is disabled on my rigs too; but I don't use MSE but rather NOD32 AV

Hopefully you can create backup partitions as you move forward in your new build this time around, this way if/when the time comes to restore, you won't have to go all the way back to the beginning.


Glad to hear your health is okay; hopefully your psa numbers are good.

 

[RKelly5327]

Hi folks, You are so kind and thank you for the good wishes. My psa numbers are great. I had trouble with stones in the prostate, 2nd time with that. Surgery first time, just poking with the scope and breaking them up, plus Foley this time. Not fun, but no cancer and no tumors. I am blessed!
I do have a partition image. You bet. I thought I had one before, but it didn't turn out that way.
I have not heard of NOD32 AV. What company is that?
Thanks folks. You all are the best.
Ron

 

[endeavor]

I mentioned Eset NOD32 (AV) Anti Virus only version, is just what I use for AV protection, and is a good one, but there are a few good ones out there so whatever your choice is a personal decision.

As far as partition imaging programs goes, well here too there are a few good ones out there.

Glad to here you are on the mend towards good health. All the Best to You!

 

[zone 5]

I have a question based on my typing wrong. I ran the 32bit batch file, and Win mail did not work. Well, of course not. I have a 64 bit system. (duh) I reran it with the 64 bit batch file, and winmail now runs fine. Do I need to go into my registry and delete something, or will having the incorrect 32 bit file there not hurt anything?

Thanks for a great program!!!!

 

[endeavor]

I have a question based on my typing wrong. I ran the 32bit batch file, and Win mail did not work. Well, of course not. I have a 64 bit system. (duh) I reran it with the 64 bit batch file, and winmail now runs fine. Do I need to go into my registry and delete something, or will having the incorrect 32 bit file there not hurt anything?

Thanks for a great program!!!!

No there's really nothing to do, both versions merge the exact same WinMailEdit.reg file, the only difference is that either .bat places the 32 or 64 bit version of the msoe.dll - and so by you running the win64mail.bat it overwrote the msoe.dll with the correct one - so you're good to go, enjoy

 

[zone 5]

I have a question based on my typing wrong. I ran the 32bit batch file, and Win mail did not work. Well, of course not. I have a 64 bit system. (duh) I reran it with the 64 bit batch file, and winmail now runs fine. Do I need to go into my registry and delete something, or will having the incorrect 32 bit file there not hurt anything?

Thanks for a great program!!!!

No there's really nothing to do, both versions merge the exact same WinMailEdit.reg file, the only difference is that either .bat places the 32 or 64 bit version of the msoe.dll - and so by you running the win64mail.bat it overwrote the msoe.dll with the correct one - so you're good to go, enjoy

Thank you VERY much. Appreciate it!!!

 

[jan18]

Trying to follow this tutorial but keep getting stuck

I have been trying to follow the steps outlined here but I get stuck when it comes to this bit...

Execute the command below in the Administrator:Command Prompt window

The easiest and surest way is to copy the entire line and paste it.
cd %USERPROFILE%\Downloads\TutReWinMail\

I don't know what to put in the 'userprofile' bit...I have tried my pc name but that does not work.

Can someone help me with this please.

Thanks

Jan

 

[Brink]

Hello Jan, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You would use that command exactly as is instead.

%UserProfile% is a variable used so that it can be a universal command for the user profile folder location of whomever is using it.

Personally, you would be much better off using something like Windows Live Mail instead. Windows Mail is no longer supported by Microsoft.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[endeavor]

I don't know what to put in the 'userprofile' bit...I have tried my pc name but that does not work.

As Brink said you don't add or put anything extra to that command, you use it exactly as is.
..and just like the instructions say to do, you copy/paste that line exactly as it is.

 

[jan18]

Thank you once again Shawn...I don't think I tried that...silly me.

Jan

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Jan. Please let us know how it went.

 

[morph000]

I looked at moving from Winmail in Vista to the same in W7 but eventually decided it wasn't worth the grief and opted for eM Client.
Works beautifully and has a host of benefits !