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and many of the link pointers within have become mislinked over time, many of the files or information within them is outdated, incomplete, or superseded with more accurate information - and so be careful.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

 

[poppa bear]

To steelgtr re:

Thanks, we did do the KB978542 fix a while back..... This just happened yesterday after she said yes to some kind of update yesterday!

Just to cover all bases, when you fixed the msoe.dll after the KB update, did you leave the update in or delete it? If you deleted it, and then replaced the existing msoe.dll file with the updated one from the tutorial, next time your mom got updates, it would download KB978542 again and bork the modified msoe.dll. The correct procedure is to leave the update in, then do the msoe.dll update; or remove it and next time it comes up as an available update, make it invisible.

Cheers PB

 

[echrada]

Quote
Every email account is shown individually in the left pane of the main window, with it's own set of folders for Inbox, Drafts, Sent Items, etc. So if you've got 3 or 4 email addresses you'll have 3 or 4 Accounts in the left panel, each with it's own folders.
Quote

This is the one thing I cannot stand in WindowsLiveMail and why I will never use it.

 

[jms]

Method ok

Thanks a lot, Poppa.

I have done the windows update except with the KB 978542 (I unticked this one at the list of Windows updates) and is working fine.


Btw, what should I do if the KB 978542 appears again in the windows update list?
thxs, jms

 

[poppa bear]

Thanks a lot, Poppa.

I have done the windows update except with the KB 978542 (I unticked this one at the list of Windows updates) and is working fine.


Btw, what should I do if the KB 978542 appears again in the windows update list?
thxs, jms

It will probably appear again. When it does, untick it, right click and click "hide" in the menu options. It will then be grayed out and should not show up again.

Or you can donwnload it, then replace the msoe.dll after downloading, and it will not show up again as it's already installed. And it won't bork WinMail as you've loaded the msoe.dll after you got the update. This is the method I used.

Cheers PB

 

[steelgtr]

To steelgtr re:

Thanks, we did do the KB978542 fix a while back..... This just happened yesterday after she said yes to some kind of update yesterday!

Just to cover all bases, when you fixed the msoe.dll after the KB update, did you leave the update in or delete it? If you deleted it, and then replaced the existing msoe.dll file with the updated one from the tutorial, next time your mom got updates, it would download KB978542 again and bork the modified msoe.dll. The correct procedure is to leave the update in, then do the msoe.dll update; or remove it and next time it comes up as an available update, make it invisible.

Cheers PB

PB,
I didn't do anything to the update, forgot about turning off auto updates!
I'll be up there in a day or so and will disable that update

thx

bob

 

[jms]

To Greg

Hi Greg and Poppa Bear, thanks for the method to install Windows Mail. It is working fine here. But I am now worse than before, worry about the security.
Is there any problem with security?, somebody is telling me that now I should format my computer!!.
thxs,

jms

 

[mick823]

Poppa Bear,

I have both the Windows Mail and Windows Live Mail functioning together on all 3 of my Win7 machines. My main gripe with the Live Mail is the multiple accounts listing with full compliment of folders for each account and no way to merge them into a single set of folders. I have 4 email accounts and it gets quite cluttered trying to maintain them all individually.

The Quick View Folders "All Junk E-Mail" and "All Drafts" need to have a full compliment of toolbar buttons. "New", "Sync", "Find" and "Not Junk" are the only options available. I find it odd that you can't delete any messages from these two Quick View folders using a tool bar button but you can highlight the message(s), right click and select delete and get rid of them.

I don't know if the Microsoft contact you listed in your post is the same one from a previous post but I did contact him previously to voice my opinion about the Live Mail and what I would like to see in later releases. To my surprise I did get a cordial response within several days. A few tweaks to make Live Mail a little easier to use and I will switch permanently. Until that time it is Windows Mail for me.

 

[roncerr]

...cordial response...

What did it say?

 

[poppa bear]

Poppa Bear,

I have both the Windows Mail and Windows Live Mail functioning together on all 3 of my Win7 machines. My main gripe with the Live Mail is the multiple accounts listing with full compliment of folders for each account and no way to merge them into a single set of folders. I have 4 email accounts and it gets quite cluttered trying to maintain them all individually.

The Quick View Folders "All Junk E-Mail" and "All Drafts" need to have a full compliment of toolbar buttons. "New", "Sync", "Find" and "Not Junk" are the only options available. I find it odd that you can't delete any messages from these two Quick View folders using a tool bar button but you can highlight the message(s), right click and select delete and get rid of them.

I don't know if the Microsoft contact you listed in your post is the same one from a previous post but I did contact him previously to voice my opinion about the Live Mail and what I would like to see in later releases. To my surprise I did get a cordial response within several days. A few tweaks to make Live Mail a little easier to use and I will switch permanently. Until that time it is Windows Mail for me.

Hi Mick, and thanks for the feedback. And yes, I totally agree that having no option to combine the accounts into one is a pain in the butt.

With regard to Quick Views Folders, if you put your mouse pointer on the name "Quick Views" and right click it --> then click: Select Quick View; there are a lot more options you can add.

I also was quite amazed there was no tool bar button to delete messages. However, it seems Microsoft are listening as the current version is the new Wave 4, so lets hope there's a Wave 5 and 6 if needed.

I've been using WinLiveMail for about 2 weeks now, and am pretty much OK with it. After adding more options to Quick View it almost does everything I want, and it has a lot more new features.

Cheers PB

 

[poppa bear]

Hi Greg and Poppa Bear, thanks for the method to install Windows Mail. It is working fine here. But I am now worse than before, worry about the security.
Is there any problem with security?, somebody is telling me that now I should format my computer!!.
thxs,

jms

You should not need to format your hard drive. There was a potential security breach in the original msoe.dll file and this has been fixed in the updated msoe.dll which is available in Step 4 of the tutorial.

To be completely safe, it is best to install the KB 978542, rather than untick it and hide it. Once you've installed it, then replace the msoe.dll with the one available in step 4 of the tutorial. Don't forget to reboot your PC after re-installing the msoe.dll to activate it.

That way you're completely covered security wise. Also, by having the KB update installed, Microsoft updater will recognise it's there and not try to download it in future updates. Which means Windows Mail won't get borked by it in the future.

Hope this helps. Cheers PB

 

[jms]

first KB 978542 and then change msoe.dll of the method

Thanks Poppa Bear.

I did all the method, I change the msoe.dll that appears in the Windows Mail folder. I did this without having instaled the kb978542.

Afterwards, windows update installed the KB 978542, so if I have understand you correctly, now, I mean, afterwards of the KB instalation, I have to change again the msoe.dll?? in the same way that the method says??

Thanks again,

jms

 

[poppa bear]

Thanks Poppa Bear.

I did all the method, I change the msoe.dll that appears in the Windows Mail folder. I did this without having instaled the kb978542.

Afterwards, windows update installed the KB 978542, so if I have understand you correctly, now, I mean, afterwards of the KB instalation, I have to change again the msoe.dll?? in the same way that the method says??

Thanks again,

jms

Yes that's correct. Don't delete the KB update. Leave it installed.

Just update the msoe.dll file with the one from the download in Step 4 of the tutorial on Page 1 of this thread. Then re-boot to activate it.

Hope this helps. Cheers PB

 

[Greg S]

somebody is telling me that now I should format my computer!!.
thxs,

jms

Sorry for being late to the party jms,lol. Been a very busy afternoon here. somebody is giving you some rather extremist advice. I've read the replies since your post and notice that PB has given you the better advice. Glad to see that you now have it sorted!

 

[poppa bear]

Lighten Up

Re GregS

Sorry for being late to the party, lol

Offtopic: On a lighter note! Time out! So lets party!

What does it mean if you have 50 accounts in the left panel of WinLiveMail, but nobody sends you any emails?

A. Nobody likes you?

B. Join a friendship club?

C. Need a new deodorant?

D. Join another forum?

Haa haa! :roflmao:

 

[poppa bear]

Poppa Bear,
The Quick View Folders "All Junk E-Mail" and "All Drafts" need to have a full compliment of toolbar buttons. "New", "Sync", "Find" and "Not Junk" are the only options available.

Forgot to mention in my previous reply you can customize the tool bar for "Quick View" to have the Delete option available in the top task bar.

Show "Menu Bar" by clicking the icon towards the top right of the main window; See item "B" in the pic below. In the drop down menu click "Show Menu Bar"

This pic of WinLiveMail main window is in contracted view. There are more buttons available than can be seen in this pic. They can be viewed in real time by clicking Item "A" as shown in pic.

​

Now go to: Menu Bar --> View --> Customize tool bar

Then add whatever command buttons you want, including Delete.

Cheers PB

 

[wileyC]

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=188377
Vulnerability in Outlook Express and Windows Mail Could Allow Remote Code Execution (978542) XP-Vista-7 are all affected.


Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for May 2010 MS 10-30

 

[wileyC]

YO! MS Bug in Winmail & Livemail too

Saw a passing ref. More than a passing problem. Have Windows XP-Vista-7? Using Winmail or Live?? Take a look at the below. As a Technet geek, here ya go.

Vulnerability in Outlook Express and Windows Mail Could Allow Remote Code Execution (KB978542) or MS10-30-same thing. Make sure you have it!

"Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for May 2010" MS10-30 is ref

 

[mick823]

...cordial response...

What did it say?

Roncerr,

Basically he said that MS has no plans to make a stand alone Windows Mail available and that they were committed to the Live Mail program. Then a sale pitch for the Live Mail. He went on to say that MS does listen to the feedback and he would pass my comments on to the Live Mail team.

My recommendation would be to use the contact to voice what you would like to see to make Live Mail acceptable to you as a replacement for Windows Mail. Enough complaints with specific requests for features just might lead to some changes. The sqeaky wheel gets the grease......

 

[poppa bear]

He went on to say that MS does listen to the feedback and he would pass my comments on to the Live Mail team.

My recommendation would be to use the contact to voice what you would like to see to make Live Mail acceptable to you as a replacement for Windows Mail. Enough complaints with specific requests for features just might lead to some changes. The sqeaky wheel gets the grease......

Good post roncerr. Could not agree more.

The question is how to alert people to get them to respond so we get a ground swell of consumer pressure? For me the main problem remaining is having no option to combine all accounts into one master account.

I know quick view does this, but you're still left with umpteen accounts in the left panel, which not only bloats it, but is confusing as well.

Cheers PB

 

[mitchell64]

Hi guys, firstly thanks for all the hard work you put into keeping this tutorial a viable option as well as up to date. I truly appreciate your efforts as i am sure many others do.

I will keep it brief as i just have a couple of questions and have backtracked about 20 pages of this thread and really just need confirmation.

I probably used the downloads from about 3-4 months ago & last night updated to the current msoe.dll

My questions are i have never unlike others in this thread been offered Windows mail updates via Windows Update i would assume this would be because i don't have Outlook or Live Mail or am i missing something?

And i assume it is OK not to have the update installed so long as i have changed to the current msoe.dll

I am sorry if my questions are causing you guys to have to repeat yourselves.