Don Trauger – Kennett
Windows Live Mail is a recently updated free email program from Microsoft similar in function to Outlook Express in Windows XP or Windows Mail in Vista.
The advantages for using a dedicated program such as Windows Live Mail for email are that your emails can reside on your computer not your Internet
provider’s server, there are no ads that can interfere with printing your emails, and a better overall experience. The program features, among other
things, a spelling checker, an appointment calendar, and a very good junk mail (Spam) filter. To download Windows Live Mail for Vista users, copy
this link: http://www.filehippo.com/download_windows_live_mail/ into Internet Explorer’s address field and press Enter. Next, click the green arrow on
the upper right of the web page to download it. For Windows XP users copy the following link into Internet Explorer. http://explore.live.com/windows-live-mail-xp.
Choose English and Click Download Now.
Here’s the detail on how to save the download file. Click Save and save it to your Desktop by selecting Save in: – Desktop at the top of the window. Then
click Save at lower right of window and then click Close. Also, close Internet Explorer after you have downloaded the file. On your Desktop double click
the wlsetup-web.exe file to start the installation. You will then be presented with a window to install other Microsoft programs. Review them closely but
I would only leave a check next to mail and remove the other checks. Next, click the Install button. In the next window uncheck both “Set your search
provider” and “Set your home page” and click Continue then Close. Windows Live ID is not needed. You may now delete the Windows Live Mail setup file
(wlsetup-web.exe) from your Desktop.
For Windows XP click Start go to All Programs and locate Windows Live and move the mouse to the second Windows Live (at right) and right click it. Move
the mouse to Send to, then left click on Desktop (create shortcut). You should now have a new shortcut on your Desktop for Windows Live Mail. For Windows
Vista or Windows 7 just locate Windows Live Mail in the All Programs Menu, right click it, move to Send to, and click on Desktop (create shortcut).
Double click it to open the program. If all went well everything including your address book, settings, and messages will be copied over to the
new Windows Live Mail program from Outlook Express or Windows Mail. There’s no fiddling around to get it to work properly!
Windows Live Mail has some major interface changes from Outlook Express and Windows Mail. First it has a soft color to it and almost a lack of contrast.
Actual messages however are clear and easier to read. For XP users major points are the New button at the far left top replaces the Create mail button,
the Sync button replaces the Send/Receive button, and the address book is now named Contacts.
For XP and Vista users you now have 2 email programs on your computer. How should you handle this scenario? What if you don’t like Windows Live Mail?
First, the important issue is which one should handle the incoming email? Open Outlook Express or Windows Mail and click Tools, Accounts, highlight
your email account, Click Properties, click the Advanced tab, and under Delivery place a check next to “Leave a copy of messages on server”. Click OK
and close any open windows. Do the same thing with Windows Live Mail. With Windows XP click the button on the left next to the question mark on the top
at the far right. Click on “Show menu bar”. Then follow the procedure I previously described. Now both programs will be setup to share incoming messages
in case something should go wrong. After a period of time when you have decided which program will be your choice, you may uncheck the Delivery option
so all your email will be downloaded to your program of choice. You may uninstall Windows Live Mail in Add/Remove programs but you can’t uninstall
Outlook Express or Windows Mail.
For Windows 7, the computer hardware manufacturers should have added Windows Live Essentials components, so Windows Live Mail should already be installed.
Just follow the preceding instructions to configure it if necessary.
To see Windows Live Mail, as well as view other options available in this program, come to our PC Club meeting. We meet the 2nd Tuesday evening of
each month at 7:00 PM upstairs in the Community Center.