Running Windows Mail after upgrading to Win7

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Just a note of interest to some:

I was doing an upgrade from Vista sp1 to Windows 7 Home Pre
The client wanted to move to Outlook from Windows Mail.
Fine, since Windows Mail wasn’t to exist in Win 7.
Then, after the upgrade and her using Outlook, she hated it and wanted Windows Mail back.
(She had said to forget the email in the Vista Windows Mail. Oh Yea! She was kicking herself !!! )
I downloaded a copy of Windows Mail, the Vista version (its available in many places in RAR format) and copied it over the “Windows Mail” folder in Prog Files.
(You may have some permission issues but taking ownership of the folder should clear that up)
Did a desktop shortcut and it came up right away with all her old mail and contacts and settings. Good that MS didn’t change file locations for the Not In Use program !!
I got a huge hug

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Welcome to the Lounge!!

Interesting solution. Since Windows Mail is not supported on Windows 7 you’ll have to “Support”. I doubt you’ll get any security fixes or spam filter updates.

Joe

--Joe

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Welcome to the Lounge!!

Interesting solution. Since Windows Mail is not supported on Windows 7 you’ll have to “Support”. I doubt you’ll get any security fixes or spam filter updates.

Joe

Yes MS is unlikely to do anyone any favors.
I didn’t follow the issue before Win 7 went “gold” so I don’t know why they decided to kill Windows Mail.
POP email is still widely used.

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Yes MS is unlikely to do anyone any favors.
I didn’t follow the issue before Win 7 went “gold” so I don’t know why they decided to kill Windows Mail.
POP email is still widely used.

Windows Mail has been replaced by Mail – Windows Live.

Joe

--Joe

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Windows Mail has been replaced by Mail – Windows Live.

Joe

That is a terrible thing.

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That is a terrible thing.

Why??

Joe

--Joe

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Why??

Joe

I personally am not interested in joining the “Windows Live” experience or it’s Google counterpart. I believe there are serious privacy concerns with some of these products especially the toolbars and “desktop” interfaces. Having to download the free Windows email component as a part of the “Live” product line seems like a sort of sneaky way to pull people into their “Live” lineup:

“When you download and install Windows Live Mail, you’re also offered the option of downloading and installing other Windows Live programs, including Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Writer, Windows Live Photo Gallery, and the Windows Live Toolbar and Family Safety software. All the programs you choose are installed at the same time. For more information about these other Windows Live programs, go to the Windows Live Services website.” From: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/So-long-Outlook-Express-Introducing-Windows-Live-Mail.

I can see no reason to not include the Windows Mail component, which a Lot of people use, with the installation of Windows 7, except to get users involved in the Live products, Microsoft’s version of the future of the internet. ie Cloud Computing with MS products.

JMO, I use Outlook for email and consult these days on security and privacy for small businesses, which is fairly busy.

John

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I personally am not interested in joining the “Windows Live” experience or it’s Google counterpart. I believe there are serious privacy concerns with some of these products especially the toolbars and “desktop” interfaces. Having to download the free Windows email component as a part of the “Live” product line seems like a sort of sneaky way to pull people into their “Live” lineup:

“When you download and install Windows Live Mail, you’re also offered the option of downloading and installing other Windows Live programs, including Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Writer, Windows Live Photo Gallery, and the Windows Live Toolbar and Family Safety software. All the programs you choose are installed at the same time. For more information about these other Windows Live programs, go to the Windows Live Services website.” From: http://windows.micro…dows-Live-Mail.

I can see no reason to not include the Windows Mail component, which a Lot of people use, with the installation of Windows 7, except to get users involved in the Live products, Microsoft’s version of the future of the internet. ie Cloud Computing with MS products.

JMO, I use Outlook for email and consult these days on security and privacy for small businesses, which is fairly busy.

IMO, there were two things at work with the decision to remove the mail client from Windows. One, to forestall future legal issues about product bundling. Two, to allow an update cycle for the mail client and the other Live programs that is different (i.e. shorter) than that for Windows.

I’m not sure these decicions rise to the level of “terrible” but to each his own.

Joe

--Joe

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Just to note, I’m liking Thunderbird mail

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Just to note, I’m liking Thunderbird mail

Yes A good choice but you know everyone has their “choice”
I should have mentioned that I saved a copy of the Win 7 folder just in case MS changes their mind at some point.

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You might view the Tutorial

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It’s my understanding that Windows Mail, which I liked, was just Outlook Express in a fancier GUI. Certainly seemed like it. Just thought I’d throw that in.

I moved to Thunderbird rather than have ANYTHING to do with that Windows Live crap. However, I liked Windows Mail/Outlook Express much better, and wish MSFT would put it back. Don’t want to bother searching the Web for it, and then have no support for it. Eew!

P.S.: How do you spell-check when replying? F7 doesn’t do it. The Help doesn’t help.

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P.S.: How do you spell-check when replying? F7 doesn’t do it. The Help doesn’t help.

I think I saw somewhere that spell checking was not baked into the lounge software anymore. It now relies on the spell checker built into your browser. I use Firefox and it spell checks as I write.

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I moved to Thunderbird rather than have ANYTHING to do with that Windows Live crap. However, I liked Windows Mail/Outlook Express much better, and wish MSFT would put it back. Don’t want to bother searching the Web for it, and then have no support for it. Eew!

FYI, you can use Windows Mail in Windows 7. You simply have to enable it and copy over the Windows Mail files from a copy of Vista; yours or from someone else’s PC. The destructions on how to do that are very simple. There is already at least one thread here on the board where this has been discussed. I don’t happen to have a link to it at this moment, unfortunately. There seems to be one caveat however, it has been mentioned that although Windows Mail works just dandy, you cannot set it as the “default” mail program, which at worst creates a little inconvenience in having to manually launch it. Although I personally use “Outlook” for my e-mail client, in Vista and Windows 7 I use it to read Newsgroups. I have used it for e-mail occasionally and found it more than acceptable… I liked it.

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Oh. Thanks. I also use Firefox, and I guess it was the one flagging the words, but I couldn’t find a way to change (or allow) those words.

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see this post #3

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I have a new Toshiba w/Windows 7.I had transfered, to an external hard drive, a while ago my Outlook from my old XP computer( i had crashed the XP computer).I understand that i will be unable to run Outlook express on my new
Windows 7 premium ver.I like Outlook Express and want to use OE to recover my emails.

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If you’re an old and happy Outlook Express user, like I and millions of other people are,
you will find Windows mail, nothing more than O.E. on steroids.

Now, along comes Windows 7 with Windows mail fully installed, but hidden and somehow
disabled. “Hey Bill, what’s up with that?”

Well, O.E. fans, not to worry!

First off, UN-Hide your hidden files.
Then “Take Ownership” of the files in the Windows Mail folder and Delete them.
Then replace them with the Windows Mail files from any version of Vista,
(many folks are offering those files for download, or get them from a friend who has
windows Vista. A flash drive makes a good transfer medium)
make a desktop shortcut to the WindowsMail.exe file and your done. (almost)

You still have to go through the setup routine in Windows Mail, but it’s only a little bit
worse than setting up O.E.
I’ve done it several times already and it gets easier every time.

Cheers Mates and Happy Holidays!

The Doctor

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If you’re an old and happy Outlook Express user, like I and millions of other people are,
you will find Windows mail, nothing more than O.E. on steroids.
The Doctor

Are there any ways to get an XP users OE email folders moved into a w7 box with this clever trick?

I’ve been able to move OE email between XP boxes ok but not sure if those old tricks should be tried with w7

Thanks,

Jim

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Try http://www.mydigitallife.info/2009/06/05/download-windows-mail-from-vista-for-use-in-windows-7/

Worked for me this afternoon when I upgraded my mother’s computer from Vista to 7.

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Just installed windows mail in win7 32bit and working great.
Got a copy of vista windows mail here: http://www.easy-share.com/1908525086/WindowsMail.rar

Windows Mail is a free email and newsgroup client Microsoft introduced in Windows Vista to succeed Outlook Express. Both Windows Mail and Outlook Express (for Windows XP) is replaced by Windows Live Mail, an e-mail client downloadable as part of Windows Live Essentials suite of products. Thus, Windows 7 does not pre-installed or bundled with any email client, including Windows Mail.

Newer Windows Live Mail client definitely has much more features, but users need to accustom to the new user interface of the Windows Live Mail. User who wants to use legacy Windows Mail in Windows 7, it’s possible to extract and port Windows Mail from Windows Vista to install in Windows 7.

Windows Mail

In order to install and use Windows Mail in Windows 7, just copy the complete content (all files and folders) inside %SystemDrive%Program FilesWindows Mail folder in Windows Vista, and overwrites or replaces the same folder on Windows 7 system to port over and migrate Windows Mail.

1. For user using English edition of Windows 7, and no longer has Windows Vista system, download the Windows Mail system files: Windows-Mail- Vista.zip. Otherwise, manually copy recursively the %SystemDrive%Program FilesWindows Mail folder from Windows Vista system, including the MUI language pack folder.
2. Grant full control permissions and ownership to administrators for %SystemDrive%Program FilesWindows Mail folder in Windows 7 system.
3. Backup the %SystemDrive%Program FilesWindows Mail folder in Windows 7.
4. Extract and copy the Windows Mail files from Windows Vista to %SystemDrive%Program FilesWindows Mail folder of Windows 7, overwrite if duplicates are found.
5. Create a shortcut on desktop or Start Menu that points to %SystemDrive%Program FilesWindows Mailwinmail.exe executable.

To change the permission – first take ownership.

To do this, right click on the folder. Select properties. Then select security. Then click advanced. Then click the OWNER tab. Then Click EDIT. Now select Administrator or your username in the screen as the new owner. Check the box where it says “replace owner on subcontainers and objects”. Now click Apply if available – else ok. And again click apply if avaialble else OK. And finally again click apply if available else OK.

You had to go through that process first.

Now you can go back in again, Right click the folder – select properties. Select the security tab. Click on EDIT. Now give yourself FULL CONTROL!

Download Windows Mail from Vista for Use in Windows 7

Windows Mail is a free email and newsgroup client Microsoft introduced in Windows Vista to succeed Outlook Express. Both Windows Mail and Outlook Express (for Windows XP) is replaced by Windows Live Mail, an e-mail client downloadable as part of Windows Live Essentials suite of products. Thus, Windows 7 does not pre-installed or bundled with any email client, including Windows Mail.

Newer Windows Live Mail client definitely has much more features, but users need to accustom to the new user interface of the Windows Live Mail. User who wants to use legacy Windows Mail in Windows 7, it’s possible to extract and port Windows Mail from Windows Vista to install in Windows 7.

Windows Mail

In order to install and use Windows Mail in Windows 7, just copy the complete content (all files and folders) inside %SystemDrive%Program FilesWindows Mail folder in Windows Vista, and overwrites or replaces the same folder on Windows 7 system to port over and migrate Windows Mail.

1. For user using English edition of Windows 7, and no longer has Windows Vista system, download the Windows Mail system files: Windows-Mail- Vista.zip. Otherwise, manually copy recursively the %SystemDrive%Program FilesWindows Mail folder from Windows Vista system, including the MUI language pack folder.
2. Grant full control permissions and ownership to administrators for %SystemDrive%Program FilesWindows Mail folder in Windows 7 system.
3. Backup the %SystemDrive%Program FilesWindows Mail folder in Windows 7.
4. Extract and copy the Windows Mail files from Windows Vista to %SystemDrive%Program FilesWindows Mail folder of Windows 7, overwrite if duplicates are found.
5. Create a shortcut on desktop or Start Menu that points to %SystemDrive%Program FilesWindows Mailwinmail.exe executable.

To change the permission – first take ownership.

To do this, right click on the folder. Select properties. Then select security. Then click advanced. Then click the OWNER tab. Then Click EDIT. Now select Administrator or your username in the screen as the new owner. Check the box where it says “replace owner on subcontainers and objects”. Now click Apply if available – else ok. And again click apply if avaialble else OK. And finally again click apply if available else OK.

You had to go through that process first.

Now you can go back in again, Right click the folder – select properties. Select the security tab. Click on EDIT. Now give yourself FULL CONTROL!

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Have been using Windows Mail with Windows 7 since before beta. Tried the beta of Outlook 2010 – too many issues so have gone back to Windows Mail – at least I control it.

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I installed Windows Mail on my Win7 system – as so ably instructed by Mywrench – thanks buddy! I wish I’d known this months ago. All working fine now. I had been struggling with Eudora 8.0 beta 8, which would only run in ‘safe’ mode, no idea why, but if I tried to launch the program normally it would crouch in my taskbar and sulkily refuse to respond, except for a right-click and ‘close window’! Eudora still seems a bit buggy for me just yet, but I may re-visit it later; I do love the ability for tabbed emails.

Meanwhile, I have an email program that is not only familiar but is also light on system resources.

Thanks guys!

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Just became a registered user today – looking for an answer as to why Windows Mail (running in Win7, 32 bit) will not EXPORT my email messages (folders). It will export my Contacts list. Everything worked fine until last week’s ‘security updates’ from MS were installed. Mail promptly would not run at all. Did a restore to before the updates and Mail ran fine – except the failure to restore messages.

Anyone have a solution?

Thanks for help offered by everyone on this site. Some good info available.

Jim

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