How to reinstate WinMail onto Windows 8/10/11

[stiffler]

win 10 restore point i selected

 

[endeavor]

win 10 restore point i selected

Go back two or three restore points if you can?

I don't recommend using a System Restore Point as a backup of the message store folder. Restore Points can be limited, but as a last resort they can be helpful and will restore most things to the last date of that backup, and you will have to start over. You only get a few choices, and they fall off (get overwritten) quickly so make the right choice the first time.

As a secondary or last resort though, if you have a full partition image backup, and if you don't want to restore the complete image, then instead you could explore it and pull that (dated) message store folder out of it and use it, but that's the harder way and only a last chance effort.

However, Always first to do, is so blessed simple and so easy to do Beforehand, and takes less than 60 seconds, is right click on the message store folder, and create a backup zip of it, and a backup of WinMail HKCU as indicated in the instructions.
If you have those two backups, you can quickly and easily restore your complete WinMail message store data and the GUI settings, in 60 seconds flat - done!

Everyone that uses WinMail:
Please read the Backup / Restore Procedures, and always always always have a backup, period.
If you don't, that's your fault, and you will have to start over from WinMail default, scratch.

 

[stiffler]

i will for now on, i needed to do a sytem restore cause my system got corrupted and when i returned to a earlier date i had no emails at all any more which is strange, but will back alot more now.

 

[endeavor]

i will for now on, i needed to do a sytem restore cause my system got corrupted and when i returned to a earlier date i had no emails at all any more which is strange, but will back alot more now.

<PM> - i did i tried all 3 restore points I had with nothing

Okay, that's a tough break, very sorry.

Ever since the Windows Mail code was depreciated out of Windows 10, you cannot depend on Windows 10 in any of its updates or restore processes, to keep it together for you as the Win10 OS may (usually) will depreciate it again.

For WinMail, always Manually create a full Message Store backup including its Windows Mail HKCU..for its GUI settings save.

 

[Haunted]

For WinMail, always Manually create a full Message Store backup including its Windows Mail HKCU

May I ask your professional advise (we have communicated on the issue before), what exactly to backup, if one does not want / does not find necessary to backup all emails?

All my emails are stored elsewhere, what can be backed up excluding all emails? Perhaps you could specify.

1. Windows Mail HKCU - this is clear
2. full message store backup - what needs to be backed up, what can be skipped?

 

[endeavor]

May I ask your professional advice (we have communicated on the issue before), what exactly to backup, if one does not want / does not find necessary to backup all emails?

2. full message store backup - what needs to be backed up, what can be skipped?

Reading some of your previous posts with your questions back in September when you had some message store corruption during upgrade - I remember you.

My answer is everything should be backed up and Nothing should ever be skipped - they all go in tandem one way or the other really. The xxxx.oeaccount information is tenacious, and with the upgrade of the latest builds of Win10 WinMail gets depreciated again, that process discards so much data, and when you reinstate WinMail (without having backups) and open it, rewrites all new message store values default while creating new xxxx.oeaccount files in the default location And gives you all new account numbers - that's fine for first time WinMail users with no previous installation who will start from scratch, however for the majority of us with long standing installations with years of important message store data of mail and newsgroups, etc, in place, that will never do and message store corruption will occur and you will lose your data - however for us, just by doing the Backup / Restore procedures with steps 1, 2, and 3 ..will overwrite all that backwards, correctly and exactly assimilated to the point of our last dated Backup.

1. Windows Mail HKCU - this is clear

As mentioned though in the tutorial, the HKCU Only contains all WinMails basic GUI settings, rules, etc and nothing to do with your all your actual Account data information which is contained within the Message Store folder ...however as I'm typing here, it dawned on me that the Store Root key (as anyone can see) is in that WinMail HKCU and does at least contain the accounts message "Store Path" information, and you had changed yours is all, and so, it seems reasonable to me..?...if back then if you had already done the Backup steps 1, 2, 3 beforehand (your step 1 will be the same it's just that it will be making a zip of your own default path folder location) So when you upgrade your Win10 OS and your WinMail is all broken afterwards we know that will happen, but when you do the WinMail re-instate procedures of post 1 & 2 first, and and then Before opening WinMail..(so as not to cement alternate registry keys before ready) you do the Restore steps 1, 2, and 3 ..and since your step 2 reg will already contain your own default message store path, I think upon first open everything may/should work out just as it does for the rest of us - and work normally*
Perhaps next time I do an upgrade test, I just may change my default message store folder path to another location for the 'test' of it, and do all the procedures as stated, just to see how it will work for meself to see the results. Theoretically, in my mind, it should still work as long as things are done in order and as stated, properly; but feel I'm forgetting something about this though having already tested it a while ago, so pass at your own risk here, and have backups of everything*

*I still recommend and only support doing a Backup, AND a Restore, leaving it at the Default setting location @ :
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail\

______________________________

fwiw,
For the last week I was already in the process of re-wording specifically the Backup / Restore procedure into a specific Step 1, 2, 3 itemized procedure to make it numeric to be a little more concise. Actually Haunted since the last time You were here there have been many re-wordings and additions as I'm always working on that better.
You (everyone) should familiarize themselves with the whole tutorial process again as it's sure to be different than you last remembered.

 

[stiffler]

When i go to options and select maintenance and check delete messages that are in the deleted folder upon shutdown there still there when i open up win mail again?

 

[Ripperoo]

Hi Guys

Only just come across this this thread after basically being forced/scared into thinking about upgrading to "Windows 10" following the EOL of my trusty "Windows 7" machine a few days ago.

I've had "Windows Mail" working perfectly on my "Windows 7" (64-Bit) desktop since installing the required Vista (64-Bit) files back in 2011.

So I made backups of my "Windows Mail" stuff (Program Folder/Store Folder/Registry Entries) and used the info and files from this post to install "Windows Mail" on my 64-Bit "Windows 10" laptop I have lying around, making sure I copied the "Windows Mail" folder to the "Programs Files" folder and NOT the the "Programs Files (x86)" folder.

However, after completing all the steps and double-clicking (once) on the "Windows Mail" shortcut, nothing happened.

I checked "Task Manager" to see if "Windows Mail" had launched in the background and there was so many instances of "Windows Mail" running that the laptop stopped responding and crashed.

So I rebooted the laptop and opened "Task Manager" first, before launching "Windows Mail" only to see the "Background Processes" jump from approx 60 (at idle) to well over 2500 instances of "Windows Mail" in under a minute. It was still increasing, but I switched of the laptop at this point as the CPU was @ 66% and RAM was @ 99%.

What have I done wrong?

Thanks for any help guys.

 

[endeavor]

@ Ripperoo, hey welcome to the EightForums

So I made backups of my "Windows Mail" stuff (Program Folder

Where in the tutorial does it say to do that?
While yes you can use your own if you have the correct ones, but for sure, the correct ones are offered on the tutorial.

making sure I copied the "Windows Mail" folder to the "Programs Files" folder and NOT the the "Programs Files (x86)" folder.

Right, but just make sure your WinMail Desktop shortcut is actually going to the correct WinMail exe in the Programs folder, and not the x86 folder.. ..don't laugh, many times I've seen people accidentally do that!

However, after completing all the steps and double-clicking (once) on the "Windows Mail" shortcut, nothing happened.

I checked "Task Manager" to see if "Windows Mail" had launched in the background and there was so many instances of "Windows Mail" running that the laptop stopped responding and crashed.

This can only happen if you have the wrong Program files in the wrong place, or the wrong bit, or running the wrong WinMail.exe, or not applied all the correct updates (or properly). Go over and read tutorial again please, and re-apply everything being sure everything is done and in the right place.
If everything is done correctly, it will 100% work.
And have I said already, once you understand it, it only takes a few minutes to apply the entire tutorial.

So I rebooted the laptop and opened "Task Manager" first, before launching "Windows Mail" only to see the "Background Processes"

fwiw, when you 'fresh boot' your OS, no instances of WinMail will NEVER be running on its own! ...and you cannot work on or repair your setup if it is! ..be aware of that

Check all your paths as mentioned, and check that you did each step please..

Even though you have been using WinMail on Win7 for a long time, if this is the first time you have visited or read the tutorial here, not many people get it all on the first read, the spoilers are jam packed with information - take your time, read carefully, because WinMail Does Work fine without those issues when setup correctly, and so it's some little things you are doing rogue' rather than the directions. Good luck ..take your time; and by the way I think it's great you are practicing on a secondary laptop first before committing it to your main drive.
_______________________________________


@ stiffler

When i go to options and select maintenance and check delete messages that are in the deleted folder upon shutdown

Make sure after you check that particular option, and you close the first screen of it - Don't Forget to click APPLY on your way out on the next screen - or it won't take effect! <g>

I don't use that function though on any OS with WinMail, and so to check for you I just booted to my Win10 v1909, started WinMail and checkmarked that option, deleted a few messages, I see they show up in the Deleted Folder, and I closed WinMail, and when I open it they are gone... and so it does work. It's something you are not doing right.
_____________________________________

Good Night from here...

 

[stiffler]

its checked and applied but the folders stoll stay there and every time i go back its un checked. followed instrustions to tee

 

[Ripperoo]

Even though you have been using WinMail on Win7 for a long time, if this is the first time you have visited or read the tutorial here, not many people get it all on the first read, the spoilers are jam packed with information - take your time, read carefully, because WinMail Does Work fine without those issues when setup correctly, and so it's some little things you are doing rogue' rather than the directions. Good luck ..take your time; and by the way I think it's great you are practicing on a secondary laptop first before committing it to your main drive.

Thanks for your lengthy reply as that is very rare these days.

I only mentioned that I'd backed up my own personal "Windows Mail" for completion.

I didn't use them for the procedure that was mentioned, but used the files linked.

My apologies for any confusion caused, but I just saved them just in case I could apply them later.

Anyhow, I must have fluffed something along the way, so will try again from scratch tomorrow.

Thanks again for your detailed reply, it is much appreciated.

 

[endeavor]

@ stiffler,

its checked and applied but the folders stoll stay there and every time i go back its un checked. followed instrustions to tee

No not to the tee, because if you did, it Would Work!
..I possibly (unlikely) may have thought it was a stuck 0 byte file in there, but when you confirmed when you checkmarked that option to delete items out of the Deleted Items box, and click Apply, but then when you open it again that box is unchecked again! ..tells me that you did not fully place, apply, or merge reg something right in one of the the Update_5-2018.zip or the 5-2018_UpdateReg.zip attachments (or others), so do them both again (or whichever applies to your Win10 version) - speaking of which, next time please state your Win10 OS version and/or fix your profile specs so that I can see what Win10 OS and version you're using so I don't have to go back to your posts history; your profile says right now you're on Win7. Only use the attached files on the tutorial, they are specific to a working WinMail client here..

________________________


@ Ripperoo

Thanks again for your detailed reply, it is much appreciated.

No problem, and your welcome.
and fwiw, I did edit my previous post to you to reword some of my sentences meaning and purpose; so please read that again.

Edit, and by the way..

and used the info and files from this post to install "Windows Mail" on my 64-Bit "Windows 10" laptop I have lying around,

What version and build of Windows 10 is that laptop you are testing on? ..is it after Win10 v1709, or before it..?
Because as Post 1 and Post 2 CLEARLY states that what version + build OS you have depends on whether you use Only Post 1 instructions and its files, or use both Post 1 & 2 instructions and their files. I hope you did not add Post 2 instructions to a Post 1 OS !
If you did, then I hope you have a backup C:\ partition image of that lappy to restore, or if not, at least a working System Restore point to restore it to at least 1 day BEFORE you merged any post 2 reg files!
(Files are easy to manually put back to reverse, but those particular reg's are not!!!)

Start> Run> ..and type: winver

________________________

Take your time guys, don't reply too quickly this time, as it will all definately work if you do the procedures correctly, and so when you find what you did wrong let us know.. Thank you.

 

[endeavor]

Good Morning Ripperoo,

I got it working, thanks to you!

What I had to do was to revert the laptop back a few days, before v1909 was installed.
So rolled it back and then updated it to the latest Windows version again.

Great, so a System Restore to a previous date got you back working to start over.

When I first launched "Windows Mail", after re-instating it, I noticed my folders and emails were being rapidly re-populated with those from my desktop PC, which I thought odd at first.

That's normal that any Win10 Update or Upgrade will mess it up, but it's not to even pay attention or worry about that, because if you have an already made Backup, then on a Restore you do it before you even open WinMail up (or it can be done after, if necessary) ...but at anytime as long as you have a full Message Store Folder Backup created beforehand, and no matter what happens, you can still Restore it at any point in time and recover your WinMail client right back to that backups saved date.

Only problem I have found is that 100s of my folders names are now truncated but the emails within contain valid email messages!

A Windows 10 upgrade or Update will destroy any WinMail setup that's there.
The only thought for anyone to keep in mind is to always have a Full Message Store Backup - and you can easily recover to the timestamp of that last dated backup. Always have that zip of your current working MSF (Message Store Folder)

just to add, after downloading each of the files for "Step 1" and "Step 2", I put them into separate, numbered folders and sub-folders

Yes I've told everyone before to do that with their own setup, where those who still use Win8 or early Win10, can put what they need in a folder and label in order of what to do as you please, having it ready to go. Those that have the newer Win10 version theirs will have a few more things in it to do. Each person can individualize in tailored order, what to do with their own particualr setup. I have done that very same thing on my setups too.

Windows Mail Personal Backup (From Working Windows7 PC)

If you have that, you are golden! Make a zip of that Win7 MSF (Message Store Folder)
It's Imperative to preserve it; just as it's imperative to always keep a LATEST dated backup zip (or rar) of your latest MSF no matter where or what OS it's on.
That zip of the latest current working MSF (along with the WM HKCU reg) is everyone's who uses WinMail, their golden ticket of always being able to restore WinMail.
The reason to zip or rar that folder is to preserve it, not allowing any function to ever modify it! ..and have it always available, as is, to unzip its pristine..ness, when needed.

Because you still have that working Win7 WinMail setup Ripperoo, you can Restore your messed up Win10 WinMail right this moment in just a few minutes, and have it look exactly the same as your Windows 7 setup.

All The Best To Succeed!

 

[Ripperoo]

What in the world is this long message repeating misunderstood Tutorial instructions?

Although I am and I'd imagine more than a few others are extremely grateful for your tutorial, I find your tone very aggressive when replying.

I know you probably get bored of the same old questions after over 8 years of updating this thread, but some folk maybe aren't as savvy as yourself.

I have duly deleted that "Long Message" as it seems to offend you so much, despite the fact the YOU actually said in your PM, and I quote "when you find the answer to your problem you can post it on the forum".

You may as well delete your "Wall of Text" reply as well as it makes no sense now.

I took a long time to construct that post in the hope it may help those who have stumbled across this thread due to the recent EOL of Win7 who want to keep Windows Mail, but have messed up like I did.

Never mind, I'll go now and thanks for your efforts once again.

I've "Liked" those first two post you mentioned and suggest anyone else reading this that has been helped does the same!

 

[endeavor]

Honestly that was not what was in my heart or intention, to be anything other but excited for you to see the answers.
I did appreciate your enthusiasm and the amount of time you took to write it, while realizing the answers were already there in the tutorial as I was pointing out. I knew the answers were already there, and I was excited for you to see it.

In the long run, be proud of yourself, as you actually did really good with it all - well done.
I've edited that post down, but to still keep it valuable which it is.

...YOU actually said in your PM, and I quote "when you find the answer to your problem you can post it on the forum".

Me asking you to let us know what you find, I did not mean for you to rewrite the tutorial ! ..my thought was that you were going to have a light bulb go off - and come back and say, yes I see those answers now, and it was easy to fix her up.
Actually I thought your reply message has a little unnecessary poke to it...

Nice Job Ripperoo, and Thank you for your support, and welcome to be a valued member of the WinMail team.

______________________

I don't think anyone realizes how much time and effort is jam packed into the tutorial, years of effort, and that every question anyone could ever have, and has already been asked, that the answer has already been painstakingly incorporated one way or the other in the tutorial. I've edited the Tutorial more times than I can count always to make it easier for people. However I'm still always Open to reword things even better, while at the same time the Tutorial wording must be kept trim and to the point. Again though this tutorial is for Medium to Advanced computer users only, otherwise I think even with the EOL of Win7 (which to me it's not really) ..but anyone who does not understand computers quite well, should nOt be attempting this, and are not encouraged to try it either.

 

[BridgeHead]

Hi. I've been running winmail successfully on 1903 for a while. Today I changed my spellcheck settings to French, shutdown, came back up and changed back to English to successfully get spellcheck working again. However a minute later, WinMail crashed and when it tried to come back up, it said the MSMessagestore was corrupted and rebuilt it. Now it opens, but my folders are not there. I can still see them in the Local Folders folder, but it has since created a Local Folders (1) and Local Folders (2). I haven't done a backup in a while since I wasn't expecting to make any changes. There is a backup MSMessageStore from a couple days back in a backup folder. What's the best path back to normalcy?
Thanks. Don

Event Viewer does show the following which occurred after the crash: "WinMail (139656,D,35) WindowsMail5: The database [C:\Users\Don\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail\WindowsMail.MSMessageStore] format version is being held back to 8920 (0x22d8) due to application parameter setting of 0x410022D8 (8920 | JET_efvAllowHigherPersistedFormat). Current default engine version: 9100 (0x238c)."

I have also found a copy of MsMessageStore in the Deleted Items folder from a few minutes after the crash. Based on the size, it looks to be the full file.

 

[endeavor]

Hello Bridgehead.
I'm sorry it crashed and got corrupted, and it does happen occasionally like that, gets corrupted on normal use - but not too often. The answer for you is the same though and as the Tutorial states and I've mentioned many times this last week, simply restore your latest Backup.

I haven't done a backup in a while since I wasn't expecting to make any changes.

..ohhhh, darn it, so sorry. You as well as everyone must Never let that happen Please. You must create a current Full Message Store backup per the tutorial instructions. You Will Need To Use it, we all will, so none of us please let's never get caught without having one. I make one at least once a Month or sooner if I get a lot of activity.

Bridgehead, don't you create Partition Image Backups iirc? You could use that to pull from.

There is a backup MSMessageStore from a couple days back in a backup folder. What's the best path back to normalcy?

I know of no other way with that I've ever been able (or needed to try much really) to work with those other files in there, which I don't think they are viable to do a restore like you are thinking. I think they are for to do exactly what it has done by itself, to be able to itself automatically try to restore what it can - but it's never the same afterwards, all these random folders all over the place. You never want those Recovered folders in there anyway and all that odd backup mess it makes, with all these extra folders, broken emails, what a mess. Going forward you would never want to save from that as your main MSF backup anyway.

I don't want to sound like a broken record here, the best path is to have a Real zip backup of that MSF saved, with a HKCU of the WinMail registry, and a text file of your Passwords, all recent, just as the Tutorial says, and your WinMail will always be INVINCIBLE !
The tutorial instructions have changed Bridgehead since the last time you posted, so be sure to catch up on it.

The only thing I can suggest, is save that broken MSF aside in a zip and rename it not mixing it up with a good one.
And then just as the new 1, 2, and 3 Backup / Restore instructions say to do, Delete the current one, and put in it's place the last full working message store folder that you have in its place, even if it's older ..at least you will have that.
Once you get it back up and running which should be in minutes, then maybe you can unzip that broken MSF somewhere else, and, maybe, (i don't think so) browse with your import button to that folder, and see what you can manually pick up on individual messages. Don't try on the whole thing since it's messed up and and you don't want that mess in your new! Maybe you can pick up some single messages if you isolate them, maybe.
Many years ago 2006 with Vista, I learned my lesson good with that, and for the last 14 years I've never been without a FULL Backup (...as well as a full Partition image, and full Drive backup image too)

Everyone, Please, Please, Please create a full Message Store Backup, and keep it current.
Always be WinMail Backup / Restore INVINCIBLE !

 

[Ripperoo]

Lucky I have this Laptop to "Test" things on. LOL

So, I deleted and replaced the messed up WMSF with a freshly saved one from my Win7 desktop and when I launched WM, it was like magic!

Everything was as it should be with all folders and emails how they should be.

So as Endeavor rightly states, it is so important to create regular backup copies of the WMSF and and the WM related registry keys.

Like I already mentioned, I really do appreciate your efforts, helping users like myself to keep using what we know and like.

 

[endeavor]

So, I deleted and replaced the messed up MSF with a freshly saved one from my Win7 desktop and when I launched WM, it was like magic!

Everything was as it should be with all folders and emails how they should be.

Exactly, Like Magic is how I always feel too! ..to see Everything there all in perfect order ..it is Magic!

Thanks for the report Ripperoo,

Great Job, and good work that you did too!

Like I already mentioned, I really do appreciate your efforts, helping users like myself to keep using what we know and like.

Thanks so much for your kind words Ripperoo, and so thank you for making my day!

 

[BridgeHead]

Hi all,
Well, I used my 3 month old backup and of course it came up fine. Messages from all email accounts except Gmail accounts downloaded fine. Gmail only serves up 30 days of Pop messages, so there were a couple months missing. Luckily by using the old Local Folders with the almost good copy of the MSMessageStore file allowed me to get back all the missing email by using the WinMail import function.

Just a good reminder to everyone to do regular backups. For me that will mean at least every thirty days, since that is the limit to easily recreate a current view from a previous backup.

It sure seems like someone could write a program to recreate the Windows.MSMessageStore file based on the content in the Local Folders folder, but maybe the structure of the folders is not that easily discernible.

Thanks for your help. Don