How to enable Windows Mail app to operate in Windows 7

Windows Mail is a program file of Windows 7 but is inoperable. This post shows how to:

1. Make the Win7 Windows Mail program operate by importing Vista Windows Mail program folder to Win7.

2. Edit the registry so email .eml type files from Windows Mail can be read after being saved to the desktop or a storage folder.

1. How to Import Windows Mail from Vista to Win7:

1st Method


Open My Computer ==> Win7 C: drive ==> Program Files ==> Windows Mail ==> Tools ==> Folder Options ==> View Tab ==> Dot: "Show Hidden Files" & Untick: "Hide protected operating files" & "Hide extensions for known file types" ==> Click: Apply ==> OK


Doing each file separately, allow full control for every file in Windows Mail using the following steps:


Right click a file ==> Properties ==> Security Tab ==> Advanced ==> Owner Tab ==> Edit ==> Highlight User Name ==> Apply ==> OK ==> OK


Under "Security Tab" click: Edit ==> Under "Group or user names", the first entry is highlighted. Under "Permissions for System", tick: "Full Control" ==> Apply ==> Do the same for all other entries ==> OK ==> Close.

Note: If the option to edit the entries under "Group or user names" is grayed out, take the following steps:


Under "Security" tab click: "Advanced" ==> "Change Permissions" ==> Untick: "Include inheritable permissions from this objects parents" ==> Click: "Add" in the pop-up window ==> Apply ==> OK. Then return to the security tab and edit to grant full control as shown above.


Repeat for all other Windows Mail files and folders


Open Vista ==> Program Files ==> Windows Mail ==> Copy all files and folders.


Paste the files from Windows Mail Vista into Windows Mail in Win7 replacing all the existing files and folders. Note: This will not be possible unless full control has first been done for every original file in Windows Mail in Win7.


Restore default "View" settings in Folder Options.


If desired, create a short-cut onto desktop from Windows Mail in Program Files.


2nd Method

Note: This method, while being much simpler and quicker, may not necessarily work in all environments. The Windows Mail folder in Win7 should be able to be deleted entirely in one step after Taking Ownership of the folder. However, if any residual files are not deleted, it may still be necessary to manually take control of these, as shown in the first method above, to be able to delete them.


Download and install "Take Ownership" registry edit program by clicking here (http://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/tutorials/28609d1253371523-take-ownership-shortcut-take_ownership.zip). Unzip, extract and click to auto-run this file. There is also a 2nd file to remove "Take Ownership" if needed.

Note: If this link does not work, the "Take Ownership" zip file is attached to bottom of this page. Click to download and save.


Go to Win7 Program Files and right click "Windows Mail" folder ==> Click: Take Ownership ==> Copy and Paste the folder to a storage folder as back-up ==> Delete the Windows Mail folder entirely without opening it.


Open Vista Program Files ==> Copy the whole "Windows Mail" Folder intact ==> Paste the whole folder In Win7 Program Files.


Open the new Windows Mail folder ==> Right click: WinMail file ==> Send to Desktop as Shortcut.

Windows Mail can now be opened and emails created, sent and received. However, they can't be opened when saved to desktop.

2. How to edit the registry so email .eml files from Windows Mail can be opened from the desktop or storage folder.


Download the following two registry edit files by clicking the word "here". Open Zip file, extract to desktop, and click to auto run:

"Windows-Mail.reg" here (http://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/software/9886d1241651554-cant-make-windows-mail-default-windows-mail.zip) & "Windows-Mail2.reg" here (http://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/software/9856d1241627782-cant-make-windows-mail-default-windows-mail2.zip).

Note: If these links don't work, the two files are attached to this post at the bottom of the page. Click to download and save.


Now manually edit the registry using the following steps.


Click: Start ==> All Programs ==> Accessories ==> Run ==> Type in: regedit ==> OK


Open: HKEY_CURRENT_USER ==> Software ==> Classes ==> eml_auto_file ==> shell ==> open ==> command

Note: If the "eml_auto_file" option is missing, it will normally not be necessary to do this edit.


Highlight: Command ==> In the right panel double click: Default ==> Copy and paste the following key into "Value Data":

"C:\Program Files\Windows Mail\winmail.exe" /eml:%1

Save and exit.

Reboot the computer and Windows Mail is fully operable; and .eml email files on the desktop can now be opened and worked with as in Vista.

3. General Notes


After installing "Take Ownership", (in the 2nd method for importing Windows Mail from Vista), one other program would not run until "Take Ownership" was removed by running: "Take Ownership Remove" regedit .exe file.


If Windows Mail in Win7 becomes corrupt for any reason; such as running system file check, (sfc /scannow), or updates, etc; then simply delete the Windows Mail folder in Win7 and copy and paste the Vista Windows Mail program files folder in place of it. It should not now be necessary to take full control of ownership to do this.

Hi Poppa,

I moved your thread to the software forum because it's more related to an application than a core OS functionality, although Windows Mail was a Vista built in program that is no longer the case in 7, as you obviously know.

I can't help you much since I never used Windows Mail. I would assume the program has some kind of export/backup mechanism though a few quick searches revealed the program is quite limited in this regard. No wonder why they got rid of it as a bundled OS app.

Perhaps the best automated method for you is going to be to export to Outlook (link below). If you don't have an Office licence you could use a trial version or borrow a CD, export your info and uninstall later. The full Outlook gives you many more options to export and manage your email. Then you can decide more freely where to move your data or maybe even keep Outlook:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/196347

Personally I like the combination of Outlook and Gmail for automatic storage in the cloud.

Mozilla Thunderbird will open any .EML file :)

Outlook Express should too.

Did you attempt to drag-n-drop the file onto the ICON of your email program?

1. Thanks for your reply Julio.

Re your statement:

I moved your thread to the software forum because it's more related to an application than a core OS functionality, although Windows Mail was a Vista built in program that is no longer the case in 7, as you obviously know.

It's your call of course, but I have to disagree with this statement because Windows Mail is included in the Program Files of Win7 as part of the package. Furthermore, the actual "Windows Mail" file within the Windows Mail program can only be viewed by un-ticking: "Hide protected operating files" & showing "Hidden files". So it is an integral protected hidden operating file. The problem is it doesn't work.

And I have related it specifically with Win7 because that's the only application to which it applies. It does not apply to any other general applications or programs. And the problem has been raised over and over again in forums specifically on Win7.

After speaking to Microsoft they informed me it was originally going to be put into all Win7 versions. However, because of problems with the European market, it couldn't be included for them. They debated whether to only put it in the Western market, but ended up compromising with what we've got now.

You also stated:

Personally I like the combination of Outlook and Gmail for automatic storage in the cloud.

Thanks for you suggestion, but because I do extensive work with emails I prefer a single-stand alone program from which I can do everything on the desktop or from a storage file. Things such as editing the main message of a saved email; or including embedded objects; or re-naming and forwarding as the amended email, etc. And my experience is that Win Mail is by far the best stand-alone program to do this. And that's why so many people are making a fuss about it's absence as a working program.

1. Thanks for the input jobeard.

When I first made this post I was asking if anyone could help with the problem of opening .eml files on Win7 Desktop. Since then I have found a way of doing this, and have amended my post accordingly, as per this extract from my amended post:

One solution to this problem is detailed in the following link. It is the third entry down by Tangent John. The following is a summary of his method:

Re your question:

Did you attempt to drag-n-drop the file onto the ICON of your email program?

Quoting from my own post:

It is possible to drag and drop the .eml email file into a storage folder in Windows Mail and then open it, but this is very time consuming if working with multiple files.

Re the other points you raise:

Mozilla Thunderbird will open any .EML file. Outlook Express should too.

I don't know if Outlook Express can be run on Win7? But even if it could it seems to be step back into the past. Thunderbird does not have the same capabilities as Windows Mail as a stand alone program ; such as variable font size, embedded images, editing and forwarding emails on the desktop when stored in bulk, (Thunderbird only forwards them with the original email as an attachment), etc, etc. As I said in my post none are in the same class as Windows Mail.

In any case this is really now irrelevant since I found the work-around. The main purpose of this amended post is to let others know the solution.

A link to another simpler method which involves downloading the simple registry edit file "Take ownership", can be found at this post here (http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/5481-windows-mail.html).

Cheers Poppa Bear

well done -- thanks for the feedback to assist others :)

Excellent info Poppa Bear, I think its more of a Guide myself ;)
Already over 250 views, pretty sure that will grow to the thousands :grinthumb

Edit:
Well its over 1,100 views at that moment :)