Windows 7 email client

[Bert Coules]

When I ran WinMail.exe after copying the folder from a Vista Home Premium
32-bit PC, performance decreased rapidly. There was a horrendous memory
leak
(Task Manager showed Physical Memory Usage increasing over the space of a
minute or so until it was at 100% on the graph). In the list of processes
there was an ever-increasing number of WinMail.exe *32 processes. As fast
as
I killed them, new instances were spawned.

I'm probably talking through my hat here, but could this possibly be a
consequence of putting a 32-bit version of WinMail into a 64-bit version of
Win7? Or is that combination usually quite stable?

Bert

 

[Mortimer]

I'm probably talking through my hat here, but could this possibly be a
consequence of putting a 32-bit version of WinMail into a 64-bit version
of Win7? Or is that combination usually quite stable?

That's what I'm beginning to wonder, although I thought that 32-bit apps ran
OK on 64-bit Windows - backward compatibility and all that.

If WinMail is an exception, where would I get the 64-bit Vista files from,
given that I've only got 32-bit Vista? Or is there a trick to getting 32-bit
WinMail to run on 64-bit Win7? Strangely, the forum entries seem to ignore
this situtation which surely can't be *that* unusual.

Windows Live Mail really is atrocious:

- no proper dividing lines between panes
(folders/one-line-per-email/details-for-selected-email)
- no +/- icons for the folder tree structure; doesn't remember which sub
folders you've opened when you next run it
- can't set it to default to opening the Inbox of the default mail account
(it seems to default to the last folder that was open before you closed the
app)
- list of folders is in such a large font that you can't see all the folders
(only 16 mail folders on my laptop's WinMail) simultaneously; it doesn't
help that space is wasted by repeated Inbox/Sent Items/Deleted Items for
each of my three mail accounts

Why did MS get rid of Windows Mail and not supply it for Windows 7 - or at
least make it available as a download as an alternative to the new Windows
Live Mail bundled with Win7? Whatever happened to customer choice?

 

[Bert Coules]

Mortimer,

I just tried it myself (32-bit WinMail into 64-bit Windows7) and I had
exactly the same result.

If WinMail is an exception, where would I get the 64-bit Vista files from,
given that I've only got 32-bit Vista?

I'm afraid I don't know, but since I'm in the same boat I hope someone chips
in with the answer.

Windows Live Mail really is atrocious:

I couldn't agree more. I had a new oddity today, with the Search function
only displaying the results of a search for about a second before reverting
to the original display. Wonderful.

Bert

 

[Bruce Hagen]

I'm probably talking through my hat here, but could this possibly be a
consequence of putting a 32-bit version of WinMail into a 64-bit version
of Win7? Or is that combination usually quite stable?

Bert

I have WinMail on my Win7 but use it for news only. It works fine except
the few caveats below. Someone here said they could open eml & nws files,
but never said how they did it.

First, you need access to a Vista machine.

On the W7 machine, find the "Windows Mail" folder in Program Files. Rename
it to "OldWindows Mail" as a precaution.

Using a Flash or CD, copy the "Windows Mail" folder in its entirety from
the Vista machine.

Go back to the Win7 machine and copy the "Windows Mail" from the Flash or
CD to a location in Program Files.

Open it and right click on the WinMail.exe file and send a shortcut to the
Desktop. Done.

A few caveats: EML and NWS files will not open in WinMail, but rather
another e-mail client that you will need to have. WinMail also cannot be
made the default mail or news client.

See this as well:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/5481-windows-mail.html

 

[Mortimer]

I have WinMail on my Win7 but use it for news only. It works fine except
the few caveats below. Someone here said they could open eml & nws files,
but never said how they did it.

First, you need access to a Vista machine.

On the W7 machine, find the "Windows Mail" folder in Program Files. Rename
it to "OldWindows Mail" as a precaution.

Using a Flash or CD, copy the "Windows Mail" folder in its entirety from
the Vista machine.

Go back to the Win7 machine and copy the "Windows Mail" from the Flash or
CD to a location in Program Files.

Open it and right click on the WinMail.exe file and send a shortcut to the
Desktop. Done.

Yes, I've done that. But on a 64-bit Windows 7 PC, do I put the files in
c:\program files or c:\program files (x86) - or both? And have you been able
to make the 32-bit version from Vista 32-bit run on 64-bit Win7?

A few caveats: EML and NWS files will not open in WinMail, but rather
another e-mail client that you will need to have. WinMail also cannot be
made the default mail or news client.

Ah, this might be a bit of a show-stopper. Maybe it's not going to be worth
persisting with Windows Mail. I frequently copy some emails from one PC to
another - for example sent mails from my Windows Mail / Vista laptop to the
Sent Items folder on my master PC (currently Outlook Express / XP, but
migrating to Windows Live Mail / Win7). I do this by dragging the emails to
a shared folder, where they become .eml files, and then on the recipient PC
I drag those .eml files into an Outlook Express folder. If Windows Mail on
Windows 7 isn't going to support dragging of of email messages between the
mail program and .eml files in a folder, as I suspect from your caveat, then
I'm no better off than with Thunderbird which I'd also considered but which
is piss-poor at importing/exporting multiple emails as .eml.

I wonder if for Windows Mail, it's a matter of changing a file association
so Windows knows what app to use for opening .eml (and .nws) files.

I *wish* I could meet the pillock at Microsoft who decided it was actually a
*good* thing to replace Windows Mail with Windows Live Mail - I'd put him
straight on the need for Windows Mail to continue and for Windows Live Mail
to be put back in the toy-box where it belongs.

If I'd known I was going to have this problem, I'd have bought a version of
Office that included Outlook, rather than going for the Home and Student
edition which doesn't. Mind you, I wonder if *that* supports drag/drop of
..eml files...

 

[Bert Coules]

Mortimer,

If I'd known I was going to have this problem, I'd have bought a version
of Office that included Outlook...

I'm not familiar with Outlook but is it a sort of souped-up version of
Outlook Express?

If so, and if it runs on Windows 7 (64-bit) perhaps I should investigate it.

Bert

 

[Bruce Hagen]

Yes, I've done that. But on a 64-bit Windows 7 PC, do I put the files in
c:\program files or c:\program files (x86) - or both? And have you been
able to make the 32-bit version from Vista 32-bit run on 64-bit Win7?


Ah, this might be a bit of a show-stopper. Maybe it's not going to be
worth persisting with Windows Mail. I frequently copy some emails from
one PC to another - for example sent mails from my Windows Mail / Vista
laptop to the Sent Items folder on my master PC (currently Outlook
Express / XP, but migrating to Windows Live Mail / Win7). I do this by
dragging the emails to a shared folder, where they become .eml files,
and then on the recipient PC I drag those .eml files into an Outlook
Express folder. If Windows Mail on Windows 7 isn't going to support
dragging of of email messages between the mail program and .eml files in
a folder, as I suspect from your caveat, then I'm no better off than
with Thunderbird which I'd also considered but which is piss-poor at
importing/exporting multiple emails as .eml.

I wonder if for Windows Mail, it's a matter of changing a file
association so Windows knows what app to use for opening .eml (and .nws)
files.

I *wish* I could meet the pillock at Microsoft who decided it was
actually a *good* thing to replace Windows Mail with Windows Live Mail -
I'd put him straight on the need for Windows Mail to continue and for
Windows Live Mail to be put back in the toy-box where it belongs.

If I'd known I was going to have this problem, I'd have bought a version
of Office that included Outlook, rather than going for the Home and
Student edition which doesn't. Mind you, I wonder if *that* supports
drag/drop of .eml files...

I went from Vista Ultimate 64 bit to Win7 Ultimate 64 bit, so all I did
was to copy the Windows Mail folder in Vista's Program Files and drag it
back in the Win7 Program Files after renaming the current Windows Mail
folder. Have a look here.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/5481-windows-mail.html

Steve Cochran, the author of DBXpress and other programs has not found a
way to open nws and eml files yet, (last I heard), so take that for what
it's worth. In my case, even though I don't use WLMail for news, a nws or
eml file will open in that program since it is on my machine.

They told us that Windows Mail was going to fix all the shortcomings of
Outlook Express, but remain virtually the same for the user. Well, they
were headed in the right direction until someone thought "Live" was a
better option. FYI: All production of Windows Mail ceased in June, 2006,
(the same time as OE), so resources could be put in the live program.

Get the date? June 2006? Vista was still in beta and they jumped ship! I'm
100% behind you as to what I think of WLMail.

 

[Zootal]

I couldn't agree more. I had a new oddity today, with the Search
function only displaying the results of a search for about a second
before reverting to the original display. Wonderful.

Bert

FWIW...I used Outlook Express for many years, and it did the job for me. I
used Windows Live Mail for less than a week before I got so sick and tired
of the issues, that I abandoned it and switched to Thunderbird. Between the
lack of stability and reliability, I found it to be a piss poor replacement
for OE.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Mortimer,


I'm not familiar with Outlook but is it a sort of souped-up version of
Outlook Express?

You might say that about Outlook's e-mail capabilities. But there are
two very large differences between the two:

1. Outlook Express does newsgroups. Outlook does not.

2. Besides newsgroups, Outlook Express does only e-mail. Besides
e-mail, Outlook does much more. It's a personal information manager,
not just an e-mail client.

If so, and if it runs on Windows 7 (64-bit)

Yes it does.

 

[Mortimer]

You might say that about Outlook's e-mail capabilities. But there are
two very large differences between the two:

1. Outlook Express does newsgroups. Outlook does not.

2. Besides newsgroups, Outlook Express does only e-mail. Besides
e-mail, Outlook does much more. It's a personal information manager,
not just an e-mail client.

I've never managed to work out why the developers chose to leave newsgroup
capability out of Outlook. I wonder how easy it would have been to modify
the Outlook Express / Windows Mail code for this to be used with Outlook.

 

[Sunny Bard]

I've never managed to work out why the developers chose to leave
newsgroup capability out of Outlook.

Perhaps because they expect Outlook users to use it with an Exchange
server, and Exchange itself can provide Usenet access within Public Folders?

 

[Bert Coules]

1. Outlook Express does newsgroups. Outlook does not.

Thanks for that. It does make Outlook much less interesting for me.

Bert

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I've never managed to work out why the developers chose to leave newsgroup
capability out of Outlook. I wonder how easy it would have been to modify
the Outlook Express / Windows Mail code for this to be used with Outlook.

Many people feel that Outlook should have a built-in newsreader, as
you do. Personally, I've never felt that way. They are two different
functions, and I see no reason why one program should do two things.
In fact, I prefer it if a program does fewer things, since it lets me
make my own choice of each function. For example, I prefer Forte Agent
to outlook express for a newsreader, but Outlook to outlook express or
Forte Agent for e-mail.

 

[ozzie]

You can make Win Mail your default mail and N/G mail client in Win7.

after Windows Mail is installed on Windows 7, apply the two
registry fixes mentioned here:
http://www.sevenforums.com/software/2300-cant-make-windows-mail-default-5.html

You will need both files see *xsmile #43* and *xsmile32* on the previous
page..


You can rename your NWS files To EML so they open in WinMail
Or you can drag your NWS files into a folder in Winmail and they will open
from there.
Otherwise you can open them in Windows Live Mail if you have that
installed;..

ozzie





I have WinMail on my Win7 but use it for news only. It works fine except
the few caveats below. Someone here said they could open eml & nws files,
but never said how they did it.

First, you need access to a Vista machine.

On the W7 machine, find the "Windows Mail" folder in Program Files. Rename
it to "OldWindows Mail" as a precaution.

Using a Flash or CD, copy the "Windows Mail" folder in its entirety from
the Vista machine.

Go back to the Win7 machine and copy the "Windows Mail" from the Flash or
CD to a location in Program Files.

Open it and right click on the WinMail.exe file and send a shortcut to the
Desktop. Done.

A few caveats: EML and NWS files will not open in WinMail, but rather
another e-mail client that you will need to have. WinMail also cannot be
made the default mail or news client.

See this as well:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/5481-windows-mail.html

 

[Char Jackson]

I'm not familiar with Outlook but is it a sort of souped-up version of
Outlook Express?

If so, and if it runs on Windows 7 (64-bit) perhaps I should investigate it.

Outlook and Outlook Express share a name and both are MS email
clients, but that's about where the similarity ends.

 

[Char Jackson]

If I'd known I was going to have this problem, I'd have bought a version of
Office that included Outlook, rather than going for the Home and Student
edition which doesn't. Mind you, I wonder if *that* supports drag/drop of
.eml files...

I just poked around in Outlook 2007 and didn't see any obvious support
for saving emails as .eml files. Outlook wants to save them as .msg
files. Also, on the Import/Export dialog I saw nothing relating to
..eml there either.

 

[news.eternal-september.org]

Win 7 64 bit

I use Eudora 7.1.0.9 (the last "real" one) for email and Thunderbird for
reading news.

Both work as designed.

Eric

 

[Barking]

Thanks for that. It does make Outlook much less interesting for me.

If your life requires you to connect to Microsoft Exchange, Outlook really
comes into its own. It is the killer app of its class. I don't need it on
this machine for exchange but I keep a copy for the calendar/contact
functions.

For email I use Eudra 7. I'm exploring Eudora 8, the Thunderbird/Penelope
experiment because I can tweak the code. It's not production ready for my
needs but Eudora 7 is a rock and very fast.

Good luck,
Jake

 

[Bert Coules]

Jake,

If your life requires you to connect to Microsoft Exchange, Outlook really
comes into its own. It is the killer app of its class.

Thanks for that. It does sound as though Outlook isn't what I'm after.

Bert

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Jake,


Thanks for that. It does sound as though Outlook isn't what I'm after.

I personally like Outlook a lot (and I don't use Exchange). But my
views, or anyone else's, are not what you should model your views on.
I recommend that you try a bunch of such programs (there are free
trial versions of Office/Outlook available) and make your own decision
about what you prefer. Avoid making decisions based on what it "sounds
like."