Here's a solution for all who want to use winmail and windows 8. Many people have tried to do this. I found this solution in another forum. TechnoMage has tried this and tells me it works.

The procedure is almost the same as windows 7 , but we will need an additional dll file.

First , we do the same procedure as in windows 7 :

a) Take ownership of winmail forder ( if you use windows 8x64 , you need to take ownership of "Program Files/winmail" and "Program Files(x86)\winmail". Remember to check the " show system files " before that.*

* On a 64 bit Win-8, you will do nothing in the "Program Files(x86)\winmail" folder, only in the 64 bit folder.

b) Delete all the files in winmail forder and replace them with the windows 7 / winmail files.

c) Copy msidcrl30.dll to c:/windows/system32 folder

d) Now , we have to register the above dll. Open cmd and type : regsvr32 "c:/windows/system32\msidcrl30.dll" and press enter.

Reboot , just in case , and you're done

!! Attached Files

• WinMail 8.zip (4.30 MB)

Actually,,,,,, the only file that needs to be transplanted from Vista, to activate Windows Mail in Win-7 is the msoe.dll file.

So to make Windows Mail work in Windows 8, I copied the entire WinMail folder from Win-7 where it was working, to Win-8. I renamed the old WinMail folder in Win-8 to WinMailOld.
Then I found that other .dll file and put it in the same folder. It works fine from there and does not need to be in the System32 folder.*

* I'm preparing a batch file, to rename the WinMail folder and copy the replacement folder and .dll file to Win-8.
It will be a part of my Windows 8 installation folder that will be uploaded to my web site on or after Oct 26.

For people who have been using Outlook Express for the past 12 years, or so, WinMail is a Godsend. It looks and runs almost exactly like O.E. and will readily accept the Address Book from XP and O.E.6.

Thank you, Medico, for that great find.

TM

Hello,
I'm trying to get Windows Mail working in Windows 8 Pro (64 bit). I have renamed the Windows Mail folder in both Program Files and Program Files (x86) to "oldWM" and copied the Windows Mail folder from a VISTA system into both Program Files and Program Files (x86). I have also renamed msidcrl40.dll in both System32 and SystemWOW64 to "msidcrl40.wasdll" and copied into each of these folders msidcrl30.dll from the VISTA system. I tried to regsvr32 the msidcrl30 file but got a "No RegisterServer" error. When I start winmail.exe from the Program Files/Windows Mail folder the system loops producing continual Winmail (32 bit) processes. When I start winmail.exe from the Program Files (x86)/Windows Mail folder I get a Windows Mail process and a Windows Mail (32 Bit) process but no App. Can anyone put me on the right track?

On a 64 bit system, you will do NOTHING with the (x86) program files folder. It won't be used for this exercise.

All you need to change in the "Program Files\winmail" folder is the MSOE.dll file, from Vista, and the msidcrl30.dll file....nothing else. Do nothing else!

That's my simplified way to get WinMail working in Win-8.

It helps a bunch, if you'll run "Grant Admin Full Control" on your PC before you even start this exercise.
Get that here: (it's like 'Take Ownership' on steroids)
https://www.box.com/s/hfjzhq3z64e2f475dvn1

And, if you can't figure out how to 'show all files', then download and run this little script,
"Toggle hidden files.vbs". Each time you run it, it will toggle the hidden files on and off.
https://www.box.com/s/1wpqunani0c1sao9a1ay

What more can I say? I've taken a somewhat complex procedure and cut it down to just a few simple steps.

Enjoy!
TM

Want to thank TechnoMage for this simple solution. I have installed WinMail from Vista several times before but not for a long time. This forum and 2 others stated same complex method & even though was different from my previous experience tried anyway. This was familiar and worked as well.

After running "Grant Admin Full Control" on the WinMail folder, I run a batch file that I wrote that does the rest of the job of RE-Activating WinMail in Windows 8 and 8.1.

WinMail looks and acts almost exactly like the old Outlook Express 6, that I used and liked for many years.
So I want to preserve it as long as possible.

I tried Windows 10, which totally removed WinMail, so that OS only lasted less than an hour before I dumped it.

Cheers Mate, and Happy Holidays!

TechnoMage