Can't set Windlows Live Email or Outlook as default email program

[Paul Moloney]

I'm running Windows XP SP2 with the following email programs:

* Windows Live Mail
* Outlook 2003
* Outlook Express (not used)

When I access "Set Program Access and Defaults", and choose Custom,
the only e-mail client which is displayed underneath "Choose a default
e-mail program" is Outlook Express. Does anyone know why this is, and
how I can restore them to the list?

Thanks,

P.

 

[Roady [MVP]]

This is because only Outlook Express is included in Windows XP.
Use the options within Outlook or Windows Mail to set it as the default. The
setting will then change to "Custom"

 

[Gordon]

I'm running Windows XP SP2 with the following email programs:

* Windows Live Mail
* Outlook 2003
* Outlook Express (not used)

When I access "Set Program Access and Defaults", and choose Custom,
the only e-mail client which is displayed underneath "Choose a default
e-mail program" is Outlook Express. Does anyone know why this is, and
how I can restore them to the list?

Thanks,

P.

Have you tried setting your default email via Control Panel-Internet
options-Programs?

 

[Peter.R]

Hi Paul, if you have the mail client Windows Live Mail installed, it
should definitely be listed as an option under "Custom", as well as
mentioned under "Microsoft Windows" and "Non-Microsoft" in "Set Program
Access and Defaults". An uninstall/reinstall may correct it. But make sure
you have the latest version of Windows Live Mail installed (12.0.1606).
--
Cheers,
Peter
(Windows Vista Home Premium with Windows Live Mail 12.0.1606)
"There are more things in Heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in
your philosophy." - Shakespeare

 

[_mikebs]

Yes, Gordon, I think I remember I had to set it there first and then it was available for custom defaults. Can't remember if I rebooted at that point. However, there must be another small glitch there, because no matter how many times I checked Enable access to this program, the next time I looked the check mark was gone.
--
¦·Þ
Thanks, Mike - Windows XP Pro SP2 WLM 12.0.1606.1023
_______________________________________________

I'm running Windows XP SP2 with the following email programs:

* Windows Live Mail
* Outlook 2003
* Outlook Express (not used)

When I access "Set Program Access and Defaults", and choose Custom,
the only e-mail client which is displayed underneath "Choose a default
e-mail program" is Outlook Express. Does anyone know why this is, and
how I can restore them to the list?

Thanks,

P.

Have you tried setting your default email via Control Panel-Internet
options-Programs?

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Is Windows Live Mail installed?

 

[...winston]

Peter...
Iirc that Mail key is the same location that some units have the 'dual
identity' of Hotmail being labeled as Windows Live Mail which caused to the
surprise of many the wrong default program.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail\Hotmail
The default value for Hotmail in an earlier era was Windows Live Mail. It
should now read Windows Live Hotmail, if not edited to say so.


What I can't remember or lost track of is whether or not some update or WLM
installation included fixing that value.


--
...winston
ms-mvp windows live mail


I just discovered that the "Windows Live Mail" option at "Set Program Access
and Defaults" is found at the registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail\Windows Live Mail
within the Value data for the Value called "(Default)". The Data for that
Value should read "Windows Live Mail". If it is blank, then double-click on
that Value and enter "Windows Live Mail" in the Value data field.
--
Cheers,
Peter
(Windows Vista Home Premium with Windows Live Mail 12.0.1606)
"There are more things in Heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in
your philosophy." - Shakespeare
---------------

 

[...winston]

Vista is where I first noticed it having used WLM through-out all beta on
that o/s. I didn't install WLM on my XP laptop until WLM Rtm since I
primarily use that laptop with OL03 and rarely the news client.

I, like you corrected it in Vista thus lost track what
corrected[it]...possibly a Vista Windows Mail update included an unmentioned
tweak or WLM Rtm.

--
...winston
ms-mvp windows live mail


Yes that is correct, thanks Winston.

I didn't think it worth mentioning because I believe WLMail 1606 did correct
the Hotmail misnomer in XP. I can't confirm this because I had already
manually corrected it whilst using build 1365. I think it was already
correct in Vista though.

I suspect the OP was still using WLM 1365, so updating to 1606 would have
corrected his problem.

--
Cheers,
Peter
(Windows Vista Home Premium with Windows Live Mail 12.0.1606)
"There are more things in Heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in
your philosophy." - Shakespeare

 

[Peter.R]

[Inline...]

Thanks Peter.. I had not saved that.

But there's a bit more to that HKCU\Software\Classes\etc regedit in
Vista
(may be the same in XP)

The registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local
Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\MuiCache actually doesn't
exist in XP, which explains why this was not a problem in XP.

- If WLM is already installed, changing the hmmapi.dll entry from
Windows
Live Mail to Windows Live Hotmail *adds* (rather than replace/modify an
existing) the Windows Live Hotmail item to the 'Show on Start
menu\E-mail
link:' drop down option box.

Actually Winston, it does rename the "Windows Live Mail" list entry, but
as I implied, it also "adds" a "Windows Live Mail" entry for Windows Live
Mail. This is because when Windows Live Mail is installed, the E-mail link
selection is a *blank* list entry, because it is apparently not possible
to have two "Windows Live Mail" entries there. If another Mail client is
selected though, the blank entry disappears completely until WLMail is
again made default through some other means. Thus, the fix appears simply
to add a new entry for "Windows Live Hotmail", whereas it actually renamed
the "Windows Live Mail" entry, whilst at the same time allowing the
invisible "Windows Live Mail" entry to appear (two fixes for the price of
one).

These posts explain it further:

My previous fix attempt changed the blank entry for Windows Live Mail to
"Windows Live Mail (client)", whilst retaining the existing "Windows Live
Mail" entry for Hotmail. But the current fix then renamed the "Windows
Live Mail" entry to "Windows Live Hotmail", leaving me with the entries
"Windows Live Mail (client)" and "Windows Live Hotmail" until I renamed
the "Windows Live Mail (client)" entry to "Windows Live Mail".

- enabling Windows Live Hotmail, Windows Live Mail , or Vista's Windows
Mail
as the 'E-mail link:' will add the respective item to Start Menu though
with
different 'Rt Click' Context Menu:
<Read Email, Internet Properties, Remove From List----where the second
provides access to IE7's properties and tabs>

If one already has WLM or Windows Mail(WM) pinned to the Start Menu,
selecting WLM or WM as the E-mail link adds an additional WLM or WM item
to
the Start Menu with the same 3 context menu items, unlike Outlook(OL) if
chosen the Rt.Click Context Menu provides access to OL's
properties(Email
Accounts, Data Files and Profiles)

Yeah, I noticed that too. I have Windows Mail pinned to the start menu
because I have Windows Live Mail as my default mail client in all
respects.

--
Cheers,
Peter
(Windows Vista Home Premium with Windows Live Mail 12.0.1606)
"There are more things in Heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in
your philosophy." - Shakespeare

 

[...winston]

Thanks for the additional info and the confirmation..
Its good when a loop is closed!!

I use OL as default...after 11 years(even more so with Office 2007) I'm
still quite dependent and satisfied with OL's capability and integration.


--
...winston
ms-mvp windows live mail


[Inline...]

.. Thus, the fix appears simply
to add a new entry for "Windows Live Hotmail", whereas it actually renamed
the "Windows Live Mail" entry, whilst at the same time allowing the
invisible "Windows Live Mail" entry to appear (two fixes for the price of
one).

If one already has WLM or Windows Mail(WM) pinned to the Start Menu,
selecting WLM or WM as the E-mail link adds an additional WLM or WM item
to
the Start Menu with the same 3 context menu items, unlike Outlook(OL) if
chosen the Rt.Click Context Menu provides access to OL's
properties(Email
Accounts, Data Files and Profiles)

Yeah, I noticed that too. I have Windows Mail pinned to the start menu
because I have Windows Live Mail as my default mail client in all
respects.

 

[...winston]

I did not realize we were carrying on a WLM discussion cross-posted to the
Outlook Group.
Remind me next time <g>
Cross posting removed.