How to reinstate WinMail onto Windows 8/10/11

[JohnErbes]

Well... the last Win10 upgrade seemed to be the final nail in my WinMail coffin.
Performing the time-tested Winmail folder rebuild from my Winmail backup folder didn't help. All the necessary files were there, but winmail.exe would not execute. Reading the past few weeks of this thread explained what was happening.

I got lucky and I was able to uninstall back to v1607 and then disable the automatic Windows upgrade service. My WInMail is working again, but the handwriting is on the wall and it's time to go to another email client. I downloaded Thunderbird and it looks pretty good (so far) as it allows multiple accounts, but treats them all individually instead of combining them all together as in WinMail.

My goal now is to import everything over from WinMail to Thunderbird, somehow...

Unfortunately, when I tried the Import function in Thunderbird, it cannot find any of my WinMail files.

There is a good article on importing email into Thunderbird at Importing and exporting your mail - MozillaZine Knowledge Base but I have not as yet had a chance to go over it.

WinMail has two export options: export either to Microsoft Exchange (which includes Microsoft Outlook), or to Microsoft Windows Mail.
The export to Microsoft Windows Mail works, but the Microsoft Exchange export gives me the error message "The export cannot be performed. An error occurred while initializing MAPI."

My question:
Does anyone have any thoughts or ideas on how to get the WinMail message store over to Thunderbird?
I was able to Export my messages to a Microsoft Windows Mail format and I suppose I could try going to Windows Mail as an intermediate step.
What iterations of Windows Mail will run under Win 10 v1607?

Finally, I wanted to sincerely thank Endeavor for all of the assistance, advice and patience he has provided over the years since the demise of WinMail in Win 7.
I, and so many others, would have never gotten to this point without his help.
It has been truly appreciated.

 

[endeavor]

I got lucky and I was able to uninstall back to v1607 and then disable the automatic Windows upgrade service. My WInMail is working again

Yes! ..good for you!
People should have their own .iso of it anyway, for easy fresh install purposes!

I also remember you John from your earlier posts here. It's good to see you again.

What iterations of Windows Mail will run under Win 10 v1607?

? What exactly do you mean by iterations ?
If I am interpreting your meaning right? ...I would have to answer, just one; but yes it's true you may find a few different builds variations depending on the time-line of when people had saved their Vista files, but if you're thinking trying a different one over the other will help, the answer is a resounding no.

It's not for me to answer your other questions, although yes if I had the exact answers I would.

And thank you for your kind words, it's appreciated.

 

[johninstalbans]

Well, I've decided that I don't have the tech expertise to pursue this route any longer, and I'll fall into 'the majority of WinMail users who should move on'.
I've now installed Thunderbird and got used to it over a few days of intensive use (including despatch of the dreaded Christmas letter!) - and I'm quite satisfied that it can meet my needs, although it certainly isn't identical to WinMail. After a fair amount of trial & error I managed to import all my message history AND all my contacts directly from WinMail files. However, the complex folder structure I had developed did not transfer, so although recreating the folders isn't too much of a hassle, re-populating them with the right emails (over 5 years) certainly would be a challenge (that I probably won't tackle for more than a few months back); indeed, it's making me reconsider whether I really need to work that way, as Thunderbird offers the facility of multicoloured 'tags' to classify headers.....and I might even switch to threaded display! The other element that didn't transfer was contact groups, but they were quite easily rebuilt (as Address Lists). Thunderbird also offers quite a few features which WinMail didn't - and which I might come to find useful.
So I'd offer it 7/10 as a replacement - but with the confidence that (I hope) it has a long-term future which Microsoft can't take away.
Once again - thank you so much endevour for all your input, and for suffering us tech-incompetents (or perhaps I should speak for myself)! As I depart down a tarmac road, may I wish you all the very best of luck in pursuing WinMail over the horizon!

 

[endeavor]

Well, I've decided that I don't have the tech expertise to pursue this route any longer, and I'll fall into 'the majority of WinMail users who should move on'.
I've now installed Thunderbird and got used to it over a few days of intensive use (including despatch of the dreaded Christmas letter!) - and I'm quite satisfied that it can meet my needs, although it certainly isn't identical to WinMail.

[..........]

I was wondering how you were doing john, and I am so glad you were able to make something work that you liked, and so keep us posted after a few months when you get it all setup being more used to it, and maybe even a screenshot of your GUI.
To import did you use the link that JohnErbes posted, or what did you use?

Thank you for your descriptions of what you did so that it may be of help to others.
______________________________________

Perplexed momentary, I see now looking over my saved folders of other possible email applications for Windows 10, that I temporally forgotten, but, I had saved both of these versions off-line installers:

Windows Live Mail (WLM) v14.0.8117.416
. . . . . . . . . . . . . &
Windows Live Essentials 2012 v16.4.3528.331

This morning, today for the life of me, looking over my notes and screenshots (screenshots are similar to WinMail) for them, I just can't remember the 'exact' reasons, differences between the two and why I had saved them both? Perhaps it was because different people mentioned how they liked one or the other for Windows 10 and it was the next step from WinMail, and that of course they had an import for WinMail too. I just can't remember right now the details of each one, but I will research it at another time in the future and figure it out just for my own head at least, and also to get my notes about them in order. Somehow I don't feel the urgency at the moment since I have WinMail working so well on Win10 1607 (which I will save forever) and then of course forever on Win8 and Win7.

Thank you!

 

[JohnErbes]

How did you do it?

@johninstalbans,
Could you describe the process you used to import your message history and contacts directly from your WinMail files into wherever Thunderbird keeps its message store?

I would like to do the same thing and I'm hoping not to have to reinvent the wheel.

 

[JohnErbes]

WinMail works in Win10 Pro v1703 but not Win10 Home v1703

Does anyone know why my WinMail is working just fine on my desktop running Win 10 Pro x64 v1703, but will not run on my laptop running Win 10 Home x64 v1703?

My current desktop OS version is:
OS Name: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro
OS Version: 10.0.15063 N/A Build 15063

The relevant Win 10 updates in the last six months have been (most recent first):

KB4053580 2017-12 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1703 for x64-based Systems 12/13/2017
KB4049011 2017-11 Update for Windows 10 Version 1703 for x64-based Systems 11/14/2017
KB4048954 2017-11 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1703 for x64-based Systems 11/14/2017
KB4041676 2017-10 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1703 for x64-based Systems 10/11/2017
KB4038788 2017-09 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1703 for x64-based Systems 9/14/2017
KB4034674 2017-08 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1703 for x64-based Systems 8/8/2017
KB4022405 2017-06 Update for Windows 10 Version 1703 for x64-based Systems 8/4/2017
Feature update to Windows 10, version 1703 The Windows 10 Creators Update. 7/25/2017

Why does WinMail working on this computer under v1703?

I have had to reinstall msoe.dll about four times since July when the Win 10 Creators Update was installed, but every time WinMail has just kept chugging along.

 

[endeavor]

Hi John,

Changing out just the msoe.dll is Only within the Windows 7 instructions, and that procedure has no place here for Win8/10 John. As mentioned in the post 1 tutorial there are Many files in the WinMail programs folder that get replaced with updates, not just that one, and so that's why it's specifically specified to change out the complete programs folder itself! ...again that's all detailed how to do that in post 1, please read and follow it.

Until you show us the build number your laptop actually has, we won't really know.

 

[RKelly5327]

If you want an alternative to Windows Mail, try OE Classic. You have to contribute something, but it's worth it to have a good email client. It's supported very well and is being updated as it goes along. It's a lot like Outlook Express and has some great features! Give that a try.

 

[endeavor]

Ex_Brit (Peter) was talking about that one the other day, over in the WinMail thread at the Ten Forums...
Chime in if you want, the link is here:

Windows Mail - Page 12 - Windows 10 Forums

WinMail still works excellent on Windows 7 and Windows 8 though

 

[yako2k3]

Maybe i missed some but i can still use WinMail @1709 (with this help)

Implementation of Windows Mail into Windows 10 version 1709

@endeavor did you seen this?

 

[endeavor]

Hello yako2k3,

No I have never seen that yet! Thanks for pointing it out.

yako2k3, do you have WinMail working on the Latest build of Windows 10 ?

 

[Ex_Brit]

This is interesting.
Not sure I understand it all though, especially the archive bit.

 

[endeavor]

Hi Peter,
LoL, since the last time you were here, not only did the board software change here like it did for us on the Vista forums, but we might also have a new WinMail for Win10 possibility? I have not read it all or tried it, and would have to set up a separate install to test it all out, and I have no time to do that at the moment. Besides, I am happy with what I have, but yes it sure does sound interesting! ..if it works.

 

[Ex_Brit]

I will try it, eventually. I haven't decided when as I have so many things to do a.t.m. ;-)

 

[yako2k3]

@endeavor

I'm running WinMail on Win10Pro Build 1709 yes. This is what we are looking for exactly )

 

[endeavor]

I will have to test it too when I get a chance to setup a new 1709 install..

yako2k3, you said:

I'm running WinMail on Win10Pro Build 1709 yes. This is what we are looking for exactly

...so thank you for confirming that you have it working - that is encouraging indeed!


edit:
yako2k3, what latest build of 1709 are you running? is it 16299.201 ?


.

 

[Ex_Brit]

I was reading over his website, and can see previously for Win7 & Win8 he admits using the process he got from the web (here) in the past, but this guy has good abilities with what he has added to get it back working for Windows 10, 1709

click me:

Spoiler: Orgi's Script

WinMail Class Register -------------------------------------------------------
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{39AE2AEA-D4D5-4DA0-AE47-C020E1BE4BE5}]
@="CLSID_JetDatabaseSession"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{39AE2AEA-D4D5-4DA0-AE47-C020E1BE4BE5}\InprocServer32]
@=hex(2):25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,\
00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,4d,00,\
61,00,69,00,6c,00,5c,00,6d,00,73,00,6f,00,65,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,00,\
00
"ThreadingModel"="Both"

; WinMail Cur User -------------------------------------------------------------
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Mail Setup]
"DelayStartTime"=hex:fa,71,45,36,d1,cd,cf,01
"DelayInitialized"=dword:00000004

I am just not sure what he means where he (Orgi) is saying about: quote

...I'm not sure specifically what part of MAPI is not working that he means?


I will have to test it too when I get a chance to setup a new 1709 install..

yako2k3, you said:

...so thank you for confirming that you have it working - that is encouraging indeed!


edit:
yako2k3, what latest build of 1709 are you running? is it 16299.201 ?


.

Although I've never used MAPI I too am confused by that.
I've joined that site as it appears to be quite interesting.

 

[yako2k3]

I never used MAPI so i've no idea about that.

My WinVer is 16299.192

 

[Ex_Brit]

6299.19

That's their corporate build number, the popular equivalent is Build 1709, easier to remember
But I think you are due for an update possibly.

 

[yako2k3]

I know that Ex_Brit. Endeavor asked me for detailed version number, so i answered him