WarningMicrosoft no longer supports Windows Mail, aka WinMail. It's recommended you use another well known supported email client. Using WinMail on Win8 or especially Win10 is not supported, and is a special per-user decision who understands completely that reactivating WinMail 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 makes 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 Win8/10/Server, these issues are programmatic and in most cases cannot be resolved by this tutorial, and will never be fixed.
Having said all that disclaimer, if you have the technical ability, and can put up with the annoying minor by-product bugs, then like so many of us still enjoy using vista WinMail on Windows 8/10/Server ..ymmv!
Having said all that disclaimer, if you have the technical ability, and can put up with the annoying minor by-product bugs, then like so many of us still enjoy using vista WinMail on Windows 8/10/Server ..ymmv!
..The default language of this tutorials install is English..
First, Please Read these important WinMail Backup/Restore procedures! (click spoiler)
InformationWinMail Backup/Restore Procedures
Do yourself a big favor right now - First, Create Backups !
Now I know at the bottom of this tutorial there is a link for a 'Built-in Import/Export Backup and Restore, Vista Version' and that's fine and is an alternate way of doing it although not nearly as good or complete as what I will explain next, specifically for 'WinMail to WinMail' setups, I Much Prefer to do it this next way for a number of beneficial reasons.
This next method is used when you already have WinMail fully setup with all options and settings the way you want, and contains years of Accounts and their settings, Emails, Newsgroups, and all their folder structures, all your GUI settings, etc, so before you upgrade or do anything - be sure to create this full version backup for safety, so you can always easily recover from any message-store corruptions or whatever happens; or you can also Transfer it to another computer, or even Transfer your entire WinMail setup to different OS's right back to Exactly how it was on the source the day you created it, without the need for 'importing' which never gets things like folder structures right anyway.
This is a direct backup, and assumes you're using the default message store location folder.
There is nothing more comprehensive and completely accurate than this next manual Backup/Restore procedure.
Create Backups:
On your latest already setup WinMail, right click and create a zip backup on this Message Store folder:
C:\Users\yourcomputername\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail
..also referred to as: %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail
It contains All the individual Folder Structure layouts within WinMail, and All Mail/News Emails, All Accounts info, etc.
AND
Regedit right click Export this entire folder key on your latest WinMail setup, that's already been fully setup and options done:
"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Mail"
It contains all settings for the WinMail GUI Layout ..all Tools> Options Settings, Columns, Rules, etc.
The reason for these backups is three fold: To easily repair/recover from a random WinMail corruption, or an OS upgrade that caused corruption or unresolved error messages, or to transfer your perfectly working WinMail setup from a previous build or OS version to a new one. Always create a full WinMail message store backup procedure BEFORE you upgrade!
To Restore:
When you do a fresh install of a new Windows OS, or an OS Upgrade, or Update, and then to setup WinMail again afterwards you first run through the appropriate steps on its corresponding OS WinMail tutorial first - in order to reverse the WinMail regression done. Now before opening WinMail and After re-running the appropriate WinMail tutorial again, next, you Delete the message store folder that's there, then extract the zip of your Latest saved message store folder in its place, and also merge the latest saved registry export of your personal HKCU reg saved above, so that when you open WinMail it's already setup Exactly like its source in every detail, fully setup with All Emails, Accounts*, Settings, and complete GUI layout, etc.
*The only thing you'll have to do is re-enter the password of your mail and news servers in the Accounts> Properties> Server tab password slots for it (or instead when you first connect to your mail server will prompt you for it to enter, and then checkmark the remember box) ..You should know what your servers name/pass are anyway (have them saved in txt file somewhere) Everything else gets restored Exactly as it was on your recent source - it's so elegantly simple to do. You'll never need to use an Import button on a 'WinMail to WinMail' setup or transfer again - it's a hundred times faster and much more accurate matching its complete source layout.
Obviously 'Always' keep your backups current! ..and Be Careful when you replace the current Windows Mail message store folder: ..first you Delete it, then extract your zip backup in its place - understand it needs to be at the Exact Path! You can select to Extract Here, but no matter what just Be Sure you don't end up with two nested 'Windows Mail/Windows Mail' message store folders one inside the other or it'll break default path and corrupt. Also do NOT extract/copy/paste over itself (on top of) the current folder and its contents - you need to 'Delete' the old folder first, then, place the new! That's Important!
This same 'WinMail to WinMail' Backup Information above applies to all - Vista/Win7/Win8/Win10/Server.
There is nothing more comprehensive and completely accurate than this manual Backup/Restore procedure.
Caution: Naturally this procedure won't transfer properly for those who have message store corruption on their Source setups! ..It also may not work correctly for those who have moved their message store folder from its default location to another! ..So don't use it! A modified backup/restore procedure would have to be done (which has not yet been specified) or, on your new setup when you reinstate WinMail not using the Backup/Restore procedure, instead do the rest of the tutorial which starts a fresh WinMail and sets it up from scratch. Then if needed because of a non-WinMail mail client source, you can use the built-in import features, it's not as good, but certainly better than nothing.
Important Timeline Notes - Please Read (click spoiler)
InformationNote: 2012 ..if you run SFC /SCANNOW on Win8/Win10/Server (not Win7) ..most times it Will Break WinMail's operation each time you run it since it also overwrites many of the necessary files within your Windows Mail folder - the way to fix it is easy, once again take ownership of the Windows Mail folder, delete it, and copy/paste a new Windows Mail folder in its place. Also know if you update from Windows 8 to 8.1 and especially Win10/Server, as well with doing many major MS updates that come along, they Will stop WinMail from working by overwriting many of the needed WM programs folder files, change permissions.. ..but no problem, take ownership of the Windows Mail folder again, delete it, replace it with a new one, apply reg file(s) where appropriate, all of which are supplied in the latest attachments.
** Note: 7/2016 ..if doing a repair, then before proceeding, to clear any errant instances of WinMail.exe still running: reboot, or 'end task' on WinMail.exe ...iow, if you're doing a repair of WinMail because it won't start after an update, and you had been clicking WinMail.exe numerous times to get it to open but it wouldn't - then be sure to first reboot Before you start the repair to Clear any errant instances of those WinMail.exe that are still running (there can be many) ..or instead of rebooting you can open Task Manager and 'end task' on any/all running instances of WinMail.exe - but in any case you do it Before you proceed to delete/replace the program folder. The point is you can't (it won't let you) delete it if any instance of WinMail.exe is still running.
Note: 2/2018 ..for Windows 10 latest builds v1703+ or Server 2019+, it is to know that after installing Updates and it breaks WinMail, you will have to re-do All The Steps on Post 1 & Post 2 again - trust me here, it's just faster/easier doing the complete way in the long run! You see, some updates delete/change some files and registry entries, while others do it more aggressively, and so it's Much Quicker and More Complete to just run the entire procedures again to catch/fix all changes at once. Feel Confident the procedures here were specifically made to Not change any current_user settings or message store, and so nothing of that will be touched. When you're use to doing the procedure you'll be able to do it all in just minutes!
Note: 7/2019 ..for Windows 10 users who upgrade builds over an existing one on v1903+ - realize As We Always Should Do it Once A Month Anyway but Especially Before Any Installs or Upgrades - is to First Create Full WinMail Message Store Backups First Before Doing Anything! ..Recently a few people who have upgraded builds found their existing WinMail installation a bit corrupted, and experienced the old Save/Send and Send/Receive 0x800C013E or 0x800C103C error messages. Clearly in this case with Win10 the easiest fix to resolve these errors after you had run though all procedures in Post 1&2 again, is to perform a Restore of the Backup/Restore procedure above - and you'll be back up and running in a few minutes.
____________________________________________________________________________________
fwiw, before running this tutorial in Windows 8/10 I've always temporarily disabled UAC and Windows Defender so as not to be bothered by any possible unnecessary nuisance prompts, but of course ymmv. I use a different AV anyway..
Caution: The Win7 Tutorial procedure will Not Work to reinstate WinMail on Win8/10/Server, or vice-versa!
Also do not use/swap the attached WinMailEdit.reg here with the one given in the Win7 Tutorial because it's only for Win8/10/Server! ..if you do then during first install you'll lose SFC usage protection from breaking Win7 WinMail.
Use each tutorials own install procedure for the OS that it's posted for! Only the Backup/Restore Procedure is the same for all.
Warning: Besides Win8, if you're keeping a Win10 version before v1709 installed for your use, then Do Not Use Any Attached Files on Post 2 or it will Break your installation! ..in conjunction with Post 1, Post 2 is used additionally Only for Win10 v1709+ and Sever2019+ users only!
..log in to the Eight Forums for Full Access, being able to download files, post, etc - it's free..
Reinstate WinMail: (Please understand everything on these posts is for advanced computer users only)
(...first be sure in Folder Options ..that these settings are set as shown in my screenshot Here)
1. install Brinks Take Ownership reg from Here (..or for Win10 Here, but registry lines are identical)
2. Then right click on your "Program Files\Windows Mail" folder* and click Take Ownership
* "Program Files\Windows Mail" folder only! ..x64 users Never use that other folder: ''Programs Folder (x86)''
3. Then right click on your "Program Files\Windows Mail" folder, and Delete it **
4. Then extract/copy/paste the attached, x86, or, x64 'Windows Mail' folder in its place... (match your OS bit)
All the Correct files needed are Attached at the bottom of these posts to download - confirm and match your OS bit, x86 or x64; you cannot mix files from one bit into the other!
5. Create a shortcut from the program folder 'WinMail.exe' file you just copied there - to the Desktop (use to start WM 'After' you're all done)
6. extract/copy/paste the attached "msidcrl30.dll'' file over to "C:\Windows\System32\msidcrl30.dll'' (again match your OS bit)
7. extract then merge the attached WinMailEdit.reg (..this reg is for both x86 and x64)
8. 5/2018 Bug Fix New Update Attached (Win8/10/Server x86/x64) see install notes inside zip (thank you dadreamer for your work with this one)
9. For Win10 v1709+ & Sever2019+ users only! - continue to Post #2 to finish before opening WinMail; otherwise go to step 10
(click this spoiler for more info within)
For those users who currently have WinMail working great on a computer setup, and have done a new fresh OS install elsewhere, or have bought a new computer, or have updated their OS, etc, and want to transfer that working WinMail setup completely 'AS IS' to their new computer setup (or even same setup) please go back and fully read and understand the 'Backup/Restore Process' spoiler on how to do that, and make those changes now before proceeding.
~ Start WinMail and she opens immediately...
...from here you setup the Windows Mail client as normal...
Anyway within minutes I had WinMail start up instantly in each of these OS's below; installed/tested on both x86/x64
Here's the first run screenshots back in 2012 on Win8 beta CP, to Win8.1, Server, and Win10 up to v1703 b16193
Screenshots of WinMail on Win8 CP to Win 8.1 Pro & Server 2012 R2, Server 2016
Screenshots of WinMail on Win10 preview, v1507, v1511, v1607, v1703 .....(newer versions screenshots on Post #2)
6/2017
Microsoft has removed the OE legacy code of WinMail see within article here:
Features removed or deprecated in Windows 10
This affects/breaks Win10 WinMail users starting at Windows 10 v1703 b16199 onward
Windows 8 and Windows 7 WinMail users were unaffected
Updated 5/2018
WinMail is now working again on Windows10 v1709+ ..see/implement Post #2 to fix it!
Microsoft has removed the OE legacy code of WinMail see within article here:
Features removed or deprecated in Windows 10
This affects/breaks Win10 WinMail users starting at Windows 10 v1703 b16199 onward
Windows 8 and Windows 7 WinMail users were unaffected
Updated 5/2018
WinMail is now working again on Windows10 v1709+ ..see/implement Post #2 to fix it!
For using WinMail on Windows10 v1709+ ...see Post #2 for more information
All new procedure notes & screenshots for newer versions of Win10 & Server will always be put in Post #2
_____________________________
TipAs of September, 2019 the instructions given here supersede all other instructions given in forthcoming older posts. Realize some of the posts that follow are 7 years old, and many of the link pointers within have become mis-linked 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
...Always refer to this Tutorial post for the very latest updated information
Good luck, thank you, and long live WinMail
...click the Like button below when you're done, knowing of your success is appreciated...
Related Tutorials
- Backup/Restore Procedure 'WinMail to WinMail' (See Backup/Restore Spoiler Above)
- Built-in Import/Export Backup and Restore (2007 Vista Version)
- Windows Calendar - Import into Windows 7
- Windows Mail - Windows 7 Help Forums
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