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and many of the link pointers within have become mislinked over time, many of the files or information within them is outdated, incomplete, or superseded with more accurate information - and so be careful.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

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     (..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

 

[echrada]

Thank you I could not live without my Windows Mail.

 

[Night Hawk]

The method I used here was a bit more complicated. Glad to see that simplified considerably as well as seeing the TakeOwnership available there since that is also good for both XP and Vista as well as 7.

 

[jimbo45]

Thanks a lot for the Take Ownership script. I don't use Windows Mail as I've got Outlook in Microsoft Office -- but your tutorial should be great for people without an email client.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[Night Hawk]

The TakeOwnership sounds all too familiar for some reason. Add "Take Ownership" to Explorer Right-Click Menu in Vista :: the How-To Geek That also works in XP as well as Vista and 7!

Getting the WM going however is a great thing for many. Until lately when swapping ISPs OE on XP or WM on Vista and 7 plus Incredimail a 3rd party like Mozilla's Thunderbird would be your options for seeing the main come in off of the server.

The flaw seen with the Incredimail is automatically deleting mail on the server when downloading and no option to see mail left there as seen with OE, WM! Thunderbird while certainly being a far better option won't be needed with this!

 

[BillDoE]

Your tutorial worked great for me. I still have one problem with Windows Mail though. I cannot make it the Default Mail Program. Clicking on links still opens Outlook. Even if if I open Windows Mail and change the setting in Tools > Options > General Clicking the button won't change the default settings.

 

[Mark]

Have a look at this thread to see if you find the answer. http://www.sevenforums.com/software/2300-cant-make-windows-mail-default.html

Or this thread. http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/3768-windows-mail-default-fixed.html

 

[Night Hawk]

The copy over from the Vista installation here worked great for the 32bit 7 when tried before you wrote this one Mr GRIM! With the 64bit 7 now running I now have to grab the x64 zip here to give it a whirl while the ISP however may present another problem unless importing the mail from Lve Hotmail.

 

[latet]

Hi,

Thank you guys, it's cool to have Windows Mail in Win7.
But there is one problem: if I change the location of the storage folder (because I don't like keeping this huge 18 GB/ 200 000 files monster on the C:\ drive) - Windows Mail won't open any more (error message saying something about problems with some .dll). When I manually deleted the new storage folder, Window Mail went back to life (surprisingly - all the mail was still there, meaning that it was never "moved" it was copied - strange).

Thank you,

latet

 

[latet]

Hi,

Thank you guys, it's cool to have Windows Mail in Win7.
But there is one problem: if I change the location of the storage folder (because I don't like keeping this huge 18 GB/ 200 000 files monster on the C:\ drive) - Windows Mail won't open any more (error message saying something about problems with some .dll). When I manually deleted the new storage folder, Window Mail went back to life (surprisingly - all the mail was still there, meaning that it was never "moved" it was copied - strange).
Thank you,
latet

And another problem - the native antyspam filter won't work at all.

latet

 

[dek]

I followed the instructions to the letter and winmail keeps opening multiple instances of winmail like crazy, i have to log off to be able to kill all the processes... anyone knows? i cant stand windows live mail, i dont need all those features, im actually happy with outlook express, got used to windows mail cause i was forced to and now i have to get used to windows live mail?

im on win7 x64 build 7600, maybe thats a problem?

p.s i got windows vista mail from the net, maybe thats the problem... if anyone can help pls let me know, everytime i open windows live mail i am annoyed.

 

[noyb]

I Installed Windows Mail in my 7600 (x64) .. I can't figure it out.
Is it still web mail even if installed ??

I didn't get multiple instances of Mail ???
Seems like it's still leaving mail on my Comcast server and I can't find any way to control what it's doing.

FYI .. the new Windows Movie Maker looks like a Joke also.

Looks like it's going to be XP or Thunderbird for me.

 

[DrWho]

At first glance, I thought I'd hate Windows Mail. But at closer inspection, I found it to be Outlook Express on Steroids. With enough tweaking and tuning I could make it look and act pretty much like O.E.6.

If you already have Windows Mail set up on Vista, getting it over to Win-7 is a piece of cake.
The first trick is to get and install "Take Ownership".
InstallTakeOwnership.reg - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

Then open the Windows Mail folder in Win-7 and select all the files, then "Take Ownership" of all the files. Then delete them ALL.

Then copy the same files from Vista and paste them into the now-empty Windows Mail folder in Win-7.
Make a shortcut to the Windows Mail executable and put it on the desktop.
Run it and set it up as you would in Vista. Job done.

I've done it several times now and each time I do it.........it just gets easier and easier. But it never fails to work.

Good Luck, y'all !

The Doctor

 

[noyb]

But I have my OE addresses (contacts) organized in folders.
Since the newer mails will not operate from a wab backup file ..
It will be a huge manual chore to rebuild my address book.

Sometimes .. I like to operate from a wab file without opening OE.
or rebuild specific address folders from a wab file.

The newer M$ gets .. The more crippled it becomes.

Show me how to put XP's OE in W7 ... And I might get excited.

 

[dek]

At first glance, I thought I'd hate Windows Mail. But at closer inspection, I found it to be Outlook Express on Steroids. With enough tweaking and tuning I could make it look and act pretty much like O.E.6.

If you already have Windows Mail set up on Vista, getting it over to Win-7 is a piece of cake.
The first trick is to get and install "Take Ownership".
InstallTakeOwnership.reg - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

Then open the Windows Mail folder in Win-7 and select all the files, then "Take Ownership" of all the files. Then delete them ALL.

Then copy the same files from Vista and paste them into the now-empty Windows Mail folder in Win-7.
Make a shortcut to the Windows Mail executable and put it on the desktop.
Run it and set it up as you would in Vista. Job done.

I've done it several times now and each time I do it.........it just gets easier and easier. But it never fails to work.

Good Luck, y'all !

The Doctor

One thing the tutorial did not state is if we should do that for both the x86 and the x64 folder of the program files, i launch windows mail and it pops up both versions in task manager.

 

[Mark]

If your using x64, use the program file folder not the program file (x86) Folder and the x64 application, if your using x86 use the program file folder and the x86 application.

 

[DrWho]

The whole tutorial to install Vista Mail in W7 ... http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/5481-windows-mail.html

But I have my OE addresses (contacts) organized in folders.
Since the newer mails will not operate from a wab backup file ..
It will be a huge manual chore to rebuild my address book.

Sometimes .. I like to operate from a wab file without opening OE.
or rebuild specific address folders from a wab file.

The newer M$ gets .. The more crippled it becomes.

Show me how to put XP's OE in W7 ... And I might get excited.

Well, a copy and paste won't work. The address book in XP must be exported as a CSV file (first) and then imported into the "Contacts" program in Win-7. That's as close as I've been able to get.

Hope you can make it work.

The Doctor

 

[dek]

Ok, my issue is resolved, the windows mail i got from the net seems it was bad, thanks to mr grim and all, i got it working on build 7600 x64-

Its just needed to do this on the main "program files" of x64.

 

[Mark]

Ok, my issue is resolved, the windows mail i got from the net seems it was bad, thanks to mr grim and all, i got it working on build 7600 x64-

Its just needed to do this on the main "program files" of x64.

Your welcome, glad it's working for you.

 

[noyb]

The address book in XP must be exported as a CSV file (first) and then imported into the "Contacts" program in Win-7.

But, from a CSV, You can't import just one folder or group of contacts ..
It's all or nothing ... in one large unorganized list.

You also cannot operate from a contact in a CSV file without opening Mail.
In OE, you can work from a wab file .. the contacts do NOT need to be in OE's address book.