How to install Windows Mail on Windows 7 and make it the default mail handler

[techs]

How to install Windows Mail on Windows 7 and make it the default mail handler:

First download and install TakeOwnerShip from the bottom of this page.
TakeOwnership
Then in Windows 7 go to Program Files-Windows Mail and right click and choose Take Ownership.

Cut Windows Mail and paste it someplace just in case.

Go to a Windows Vista machine and copy the same folder Program Files-Windows Mail and put it in the Windows 7 Program files. (maybe someone has a link to download these files off the web?)

Now the WinMail.exe file will work in Windows 7. However, it will not be the default mail handler and will continue to prompt you to make it the default, but it won?t stay.

So then do this:
Download ?unzip and install registry file from here:
WindowsMail zip

Then download and install registry file from here:
Windows Mail zip2

After this you will see Windows Mail under Default Programs under both the Set Your Default Programs and Set Program Access and Computer Defaults as well as appearing under the file type options in Associate a file type.
BTW as near as I can tell the anti-spam filter no longer works, but I am not absolutely sure. Have to wait til I get some spam...

 

[blackangst1]

Cool thanks techs

 

[zerogear]

I find that Windows Live Mail actually works much better than Windows Mail

 

[MrChad]

Is there something that Windows Mail does that the Live Mail does not?

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: MrChad
Is there something that Windows Mail does that the Live Mail does not?

Yes, it has fewer hooks that link you to Microsoft Live anything. It also is better for embedding sound and animated graphics into email.

Basically, I don't trust "Live."

 

[pcslookout]

Thanks for this! There is a way to use Windows Movie Maker from Windows Vista on 7 as well though I still haven't decided yet if I want to stay with Windows Vista 64 bit or Windows 7 64 bit.

For some strange reason, at least on my system, Vista 64 bit seems more stable and I can use the latest nvidia drivers on Vista 64 bit, at least, without it effecting my tv out projector screen size! Where with Windows 7 the tv out projector screen size shrinks by a lot on the left and right hand side. I was able to fix this issue in Windows 7 by using different drivers but I don't want to be left behind in my video card drivers because of Windows 7. Isn't it always best to have the latest drivers for the most part and not to ever go to far back with drivers ?

I still don't get why the 190.62 drivers work fine with tv out on my projector on Vista 64 bit but not with Windows 7 64 bit. Makes no sense.

The only thing I would miss from Windows 7 is the nicer sticky notes lol. Is there anyway to get those in Vista 64 bit instead?

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: pcslookout
Isn't it always best to have the latest drivers for the most part and not to ever go to far back with drivers ?

With drivers it's generally best to use what works. Updating for the sake of updating has burned me in the past.

 

[pcslookout]

Originally posted by: MrChad

Originally posted by: pcslookout
Isn't it always best to have the latest drivers for the most part and not to ever go to far back with drivers ?

With drivers it's generally best to use what works. Updating for the sake of updating has burned me in the past.

Ok thanks. So I guess if you need a certain feature or the drivers give a game boost it is then necessary to upgrade the drivers then. The thing that sucks sometimes is that there can be disadvantages at times because other things may start to not work right. So you have to decide if it is worth it or not.

 

[Dahak]

Windows Movie maker on windows 7

 

[techs]

Originally posted by: Dahak
Windows Movie maker on windows 7

You would have to think MS realized you could get both Windows Mail and Movie Maker working on Win7 pretty easily. Why not just include them?

 

[corkyg]

Hey, Techs! Nice work! I have been pondering what to do with Windows 7. I do not want to get in bed with MS Live anything, mail or otherwise.

I already had "Take Ownership" installed. That's an old friend for at least 2 years. So, I moved all the contents to C:\Program Files\Windows Mail to a backup folder on an external drive.

I then went to my laptop (T60) with Vista installed and copied out the Windows Mail contents to a thumb drive. I put that into the Windows Mail folder in Windows 7 and put a shortcut to the .exe file on my desktop. Voila! WinMail lives and it gives me all my address book (contacts) and the capability to embed a MIDI file and animated GIFs in my email (special occasions.)

I had already selected my default mail handler, Eudora Pro 7.51, and that works perfectly in Windows 7. It would not work in Vista. So, two big smiles!

I therefore was not bothered by Windows 7 asking about WinMail being the default mail handler - so I did not need the two Registry hacks.

So, thanks for the neat solution. I just relegated Mozilla Thunderbird to "spare tire" status. It's OK - but not capable of embedded sound.

 

[techs]

Originally posted by: corkyg
Hey, Techs! Nice work! I have been pondering what to do with Windows 7. I do not want to get in bed with MS Live anything, mail or otherwise.

I already had "Take Ownership" installed. That's an old friend for at least 2 years. So, I moved all the contents to C:\Program Files\Windows Mail to a backup folder on an external drive.

I then went to my laptop (T60) with Vista installed and copied out the Windows Mail contents to a thumb drive. I put that into the Windows Mail folder in Windows 7 and put a shortcut to the .exe file on my desktop. Voila! WinMail lives and it gives me all my address book (contacts) and the capability to embed a MIDI file and animated GIFs in my email (special occasions.)

I had already selected my default mail handler, Eudora Pro 7.51, and that works perfectly in Windows 7. It would not work in Vista. So, two big smiles!

I therefore was not bothered by Windows 7 asking about WinMail being the default mail handler - so I did not need the two Registry hacks.

So, thanks for the neat solution. I just relegated Mozilla Thunderbird to "spare tire" status. It's OK - but not capable of embedded sound.

Yes, I forgot to mention that if you have another registered email program, other than WindowsLive Mail, it will then give you the option of Windows Mail as the default handler without going thru the registry hacks.
Thanks for posting this.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Why cant we just have a better version of XP? No UAC, no registry hacks, no owner this / that / the other, multiple email accounts with one email handler?

Why did you ruin Windows, Microsoft? Why?

 

[dauros]

I am trying to install Windows Mail on my Windows 7 Laptop and have encountered a problem. I installed "Take Ownership" on my laptop and moved the Windows Mail folder to an external thumb drive. I then copied the Windows Mail (folder and files) from my Windows Vista desktop to a USB Flash drive. I then transferred the USB drive to my laptop and added Windows Mail to C:\ Program Files. So far so good, or so it appeared. However,when I click on WinMail.exe, after a prolonged wait, I get an error message "Windows mail could not be started because MSOE.DLL could not be loaded". I also got a WinMail.exe Application error. "The application was unable to start correctly (0xc0000142). Click OK to close the application"
Any suggestions as to what is causing this failure would be appreciated.

 

[amenx]

Why are you trying to install an obsolete mail program in Windows 7? Windows Live Mail is the new mail program for Win 7 and you can download and install that with none of the problems or issues you are having with the old Windows Mail.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-live/essentials-other#essentials=overviewother

Its part of Windows Essentials package but you can select the mail only program upon installation.

 

[PFloydVN]

Thanks for this!

 

[Matt1970]

I find that Windows Live Mail actually works much better than Windows Mail

Same here.

 

[Dave Ankenman]

How to install Windows Mail on Windows 7 and make it the default mail handler:

First download and install TakeOwnerShip from the bottom of this page.
TakeOwnership
Then in Windows 7 go to Program Files-Windows Mail and right click and choose Take Ownership.

Cut Windows Mail and paste it someplace just in case.

Go to a Windows Vista machine and copy the same folder Program Files-Windows Mail and put it in the Windows 7 Program files. (maybe someone has a link to download these files off the web?)

Now the WinMail.exe file will work in Windows 7. However, it will not be the default mail handler and will continue to prompt you to make it the default, but it won?t stay.

So then do this:
Download ?unzip and install registry file from here:
WindowsMail zip

Then download and install registry file from here:
Windows Mail zip2

After this you will see Windows Mail under Default Programs under both the Set Your Default Programs and Set Program Access and Computer Defaults as well as appearing under the file type options in Associate a file type.
BTW as near as I can tell the anti-spam filter no longer works, but I am not absolutely sure. Have to wait til I get some spam...

HI: I'm having trouble with "Windows Mail" in "Windows 7 Pro x64". When I tried to open "WinMail.exe" , it wouldn,t start. The spinning wheel came on for 1 second and nothing happened. This is just a new install of Win 7, and Windows Mail came with it.
So I ran your "Take Ownership" and the "Windows Mail Zip 1 & 2". Now the spinning wheel comes on for about 3 min. and finally gets an error saying "Unable to open the Windows Mail Message Store" , as well as "Unable to locate its message Database" . Just a further note --- the "Windows Mail Folder was copied from a "Windows Vista 32 bit machine" when you said to copy it from a "Windows Vista Machine". After further trys it gives different errors, but also freezes the computer for 30 seconds or so for 3 or 4 times, but eventually starts running Ok again. I was thinking of doing a system restore back to when I first installed Win 7. Is is possible to start over again to install a fresh copy of "Windows Mail" .... or should I continue to try and fix this one ???
Thanks for your help, Dave

 

[corkyg]

This is an ultra-necro thread, and many of the processes noted have been changed by successions of Win 7 updates. I moved it to this forum because it is not an OS matter, but a software matter. Consider this caveat:

•If you're using a 64 bit version of Win7: It will be necessary to import the 64bit Vista Windows Mail file "msoe.dll". And it must be pasted into the Windows Mail folder in the normal 64bit Program Files. Do NOT paste it into the 32bit Program Files(x86).

 

[dev_man]

thank you for your help