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and many of the link pointers within have become mislinked over time, many of the files or information within them is outdated, incomplete, or superseded with more accurate information - and so be careful.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

---

• 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

 

[prukeyhi]

I go by this for all my OS's: How to use Winmail on Windows 8.

thanks, whats the difference?
i think 2 years ago i used Poppa Bear's tutorial and it worked fine but again i'm not sure.
i'm using windows 7

 

[Ex_Brit]

Poppa Bears downloads are incomplete I believe as they are so old.

 

[Ex_Brit]

Endeavour is the person to answer your questions.

 

[prukeyhi]

Endeavour is the person to answer your questions.

thanks again.
can you please PM Endeavour to answer my question since i'm not register in eightforums.
thanks!

and - did you install it on windows 7 or only windows 10?

 

[Ex_Brit]

He has posted in this thread too, he will no doubt answer soon.
I've installed it on 7, 8, 8.1 and 10
But forgot which Tute I used for 7, sorry.

 

[Ex_Brit]

OK I paged him.

 

[endeavor]

-dear friends /admin, can somebody fix/supply link to SetWinMailDefault.zip.


thanks!

Reading the last few posts, first let me say that Without Question! ..there are Definitely Different procedures to setup WinMail on Windows 7 as compared to Windows 8 / 10
...for Windows 7 Latest files and instructions go to Page 1 of this thread to download the ''Win74umsZip.zip'' ..unzip and read/follow Exactly its included "ReWinMail_tutorial.html" instructions (which is a greatly updated version of what many members (not just papa bear) were involved with many years ago; and so prukeyhi disregard that link you gave it's only a placeholder for reference only, and go to page 1)

Windows 7 users only: SevenForums, Latest WinMail setup instructions go to Post #1 Here

Windows 8/10 users only: EightForums, Latest WinMail setup instructions Post #10 Here

 

[prukeyhi]

Thank you very much endeavor!

 

[kewl1]

Is there a free way to remove duplicates?

This has been a fantastic forum for me ever since going to Windows 7, which was just about as soon as it came out, as I recall. I have followed the instructions and installed Windows Mail on at least 5 computers over the years and some multiple times as when I have had to replace or reformat a drive. I can't thank you guys enough for helping me to keep my windows mail. Also, I hate windows 8 and 10 with a passion and will stretch out 7 as long as I can.

Now having said that, please forgive me if I am posting the wrong kind of question here but it does have to do with Windows Mail. My question is simply, is there a free way to remove duplicates? I have years of mail and with switching computers and reinstalling etc, I have a ton of duplicates and on more than one computer. I have Googled for years and fallen for the old "download free" scam many times where they don't tell you that you really have to pay. My latest experience last night was almost breaking down and paying $24.94 CDN for a program but the trial that would only remove 10 at a time, didn't even work. They would have let me pay the 25 bucks by pushing the "Buy Now" button without telling me. When I removed the program they sent me an email to which I replied that it doesn't even work. They actually replied back to me that the program they are selling is no longer supported. I hate to pay for any software and you can see why.

Anyway sorry to be so long-winded but if anyone knows of a truly "free" program that will remove Windows Mail dupes, or a workaround I can do myself, it would be greatly appreciated. And once again thanks for this great forum.

 

[Ex_Brit]

Hello kewl1,
I do them manually, not trusting any kind of "cleaner" and/or "optimizer". They are all basically registry cleaners and as such will eventual;ly clean vital files and render your system unstable at best, unusable at worst.
Sorry for the gloom.
Maybe others can recommend stuff, but I've always done the weeding the hard way.

 

[endeavor]

Hi kewl1,

I totally agree with Peter, yes definitely do them manually for a number of other reasons not mentioned too.

You don't have to delete them manually all at once. For instance I suggest you can do 25 - 50 a day, that way it spreads it out and keeps you sharp and open for learning not getting burnt out.
As you go down the list, taking note of the Subject title of the post but most importantly take close note of the Received column and it's TimeStamp - it's the identical duplicate ones that you'll focus on deleting the extras - HOWEVER! ..some methods of importing messages also change timestamps, and if that's the case for you, then you can't go by that, and it makes it all the harder.
You also don't want WinMail to start doing its recovery of corrupted emails cause then it complicates all the more.
This is why going forward, never import or manually copy actual folders twice onto itself.
There is a proper method to the madness of how to transfer message stores in each individual situation wanted, but each method applies to specific circumstances. I am not sure of what your past need and transfer situation was, but all of which is kindof OT to this thread really..
Like you I have a dozen years of mail that I bring with me when switching Windows 7 computers, even switching to Windows 8 and Windows 10 bringing everything WinMail related with me in the exact same pattern it was from where it came from.

fwiw, windows 8 and Windows 10 really aren't so bad when you get used to them. I have and use them, and each have their advantages; having said that you'll mostly find me posting from Windows 7 though just like I am now

 

[billg226]

Same here on doing manual.
I like Windows 10 now after about year of use. Only issue I have is every month that MS updates, especially the Malicious Software Removal...... Windows Mail gets broke thus have to redo it so have learned to back-up Message Store before installing new updates, only took one month to figure I better do this.

 

[roncerr]

I deal with duplicates by avoiding them entirely. I use a sync program for backup, never anything called "backup" as that's a sure way to create duplicates. (I know some people want versioning, I don't.) I have all of the files, including all the email I deemed worth saving, for the past 15 years, without having to ever deal with duplicates. When it comes to syncing email, just include the relevant parts of the "mail store" which you can find from most Microsoft email programs under Options>Advanced>Maintenance. Then import into your current program using its "Import" feature. As long as you're using Outlook Express, Windows Mail, then Windows Live Mail, in that order, you never need to use the export feature on an email program, just "Import" from the backed up mail store files.

 

[kewl1]

Is there a free way to remove duplicates?

Thank you all for the great advice. I will finally concede and do it manually. I'm sure that by going through all the duplicates and triplicates I am also going to find many single ones that I can delete. And as suggested, I don't need to try to do them all at once. Mine, by the way, do seem to all have the same time stamp which helps.
Best regards,
Tom

 

[prukeyhi]

just to be sure...

just to be sure-from ReWinMail_tutorial:

in step 4
-after i paste cd %USERPROFILE%\Downloads\TutReWinMail\ to cmd window,
i should hit enter on my keyborad ?

-You MUST be in the folder containing the tutorial objects.
The batch file in the next step executes programs and copies files from that folder. - execute
it from the C:\Users\YourNameHere\Downloads folder?

step 5
-Launch the batch file to reinstate Windows Mail-prees on it twice with mouse is enough?

answers to my 3 questions will be appreciated!
thanks

 

[endeavor]

just to be sure-from ReWinMail_tutorial:

in step 4
-after i paste cd %USERPROFILE%\Downloads\TutReWinMail\ to cmd window,
i should hit enter on my keyborad ?

-You MUST be in the folder containing the tutorial objects.
The batch file in the next step executes programs and copies files from that folder. - execute
it from the C:\Users\YourNameHere\Downloads folder?

Yes you hit enter..
..but remember in order for it to work you need to have already extracted that Win74umsZip.zip right into your Downloads folder - and its contents is a TutReWinMail folder, and so you must have that folder "TutReWinMail" placed in your Downloads folder.
...and then when you paste: cd %USERPROFILE%\Downloads\TutReWinMail\
into the cmd window and press enter, it will find it, the path will be at:
C:\Users\..your_computers_ name..\Downloads\TutReWinMail>
iow, if you don't have the TutReWinMail already there, the cmd prompt will tell you it can't find the path - is that what you are getting? ..and if so that is the answer why.

I know, I know, it sounds a lot more complicated than it is...

step 5
-Launch the batch file to reinstate Windows Mail - press on it twice with mouse is enough?

?
Not sure what you mean?
right after doing what I said above your cmd window should look like this:

Mine says Win7 there but of course yours will be in whatever name you computer is called.
Now on that same line you type (or paste is better) ...since you have x86 (32 bit) you would type/paste in:
winmail32
..and press enter ....and then you will follow the whole different looking prompts that comes up from there:
if I look way back to 2012 to my posts in this thread, I see I showed what the next screenshots look like, in my post # 1171 in this thread.

 

[prukeyhi]

thanks for your detailed answer- you made it perfectly clear .


step 5
-Launch the batch file to reinstate Windows Mail - how do i execute the .bat file??
1- right click the bat file->run
OR
2- press the bat file twice with mouse

 

[prukeyhi]

post # 1171
oopps - how to disable the win. mail splash screen ?

 

[endeavor]

thanks for your detailed answer- you made it perfectly clear .


step 5
-Launch the batch file to reinstate Windows Mail - how do i execute the .bat file??
1- right click the bat file->run
OR
2- press the bat file twice with mouse

No! ..no where on this latest tutorial does it say that you click any bat file at all - it's all automatically done within the cmd window, for a reason.

I answered your question already, please take your time and read it again to understand.

If you read the tutorial, and my post again, you will see I said when you get to where what I show in that screenshot to the paths achieved, right there, you next type/paste in:
winmail32
click enter
...and then the whole cmd prompt changes to what I show in the next screenshot.

Thank you

ps, of course as always with WinMail, using it on OS's that are not supported has it's limitations, and is also for advanced users.


.

 

[endeavor]

post # 1171
oopps - how to disable the win. mail splash screen ?

LoL ! I can't believe you even asked me that before you have it working!
fwiw, the splash screen comes stock in Vista for startup - I actually like it there in Win7 ...and in 8/10 too

Do you have it all working now before you ask that question ???????

If after you get it all setup and working, next month if you still don't like it, PM me and I will tell you what registry change to make to not have it show up, but honestly just take one step at a time okay.

Have a great day..