Windows Mail

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 10 Mar 2009 2:42 pm

I liked OE on my xp rig. I've now got Windows Mail on this Vista machine---seems like the same program. But it is acting buggy and has since day 1.

When I open a new blank email (Create Mail) it can take as long as 20 seconds to load and be functional--I get a "not responding" up top at the title bar if I try to work with it before it has fully loaded.
It takes similar long times when I've first booted up and am trying to open new incoming mail---the whole program goes 'not responding' for 20-30 seconds. Otherwise, when given the time it needs, it works ok. All of this stuff worked like a finger snap with OE on the old system. It just doesn't seem right.

It took some frustrating doing to get it configured right and when I first got it and I will not try any fixes that involve wiping the slate clean and re-installing it. I'll just live with it.

Any thoughts?

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 10 Mar 2009 5:49 pm

I upgraded from Outlook Express to Windows Live Mail, from Microsoft and won't go back! WLM is a free upgrade from Windows Mail in Vista.

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 11 Mar 2009 1:10 pm

Thanks, man. Interesting. I didn't know of this. So then my question is---can I load & install this and, most importantly, migrate all my settings, contacts and folder structures containing years of old emails so that this transition can be seamless? I took a quick look but couldn't find an FAQ to address this.

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 11 Mar 2009 2:03 pm

Jon:

Yeah, Windows mail is slow to respond, but I think it's mostly a Vista problem, not a Windows Mail problem.

On my Vista machine, if I poke the mail icon as soon as my desktop appears after a boot, it typically takes 60 seconds, sometimes more, before Windows Mail actually opens. OE under XP took 2 seconds.

You will probably hear lots of drive chatter for several minutes after Vista starts. That's the nature of the beast and I don't think much can be done about it. That chattering takes precedence over whatever program you want to load, such as Windows Mail.

I also have Vista issues regarding folder views staying as I want them, Explorer shutting down randomly once or twice a day, file renaming, and general slower responsiveness as compared to XP. For me, it has been a step backwards. Maybe (??) Windows 7 will be an improvement as I know Microsoft has gotten a lot of complaints re slow responsiveness with Vista.

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 11 Mar 2009 2:15 pm

Yeah, Mitch--you have described it well. I also get that folder view thing. I'm only just getting savvy enough to know how to quickly set it how I want it when it comes up looking wrong. Like the Contacts folder opening up in some other form without columns for phone #'s and email addresses etc. after I had set it up properly. I'm not one of those Vista haters but I am nostalgic for the way my XP ran (before it went to hell.....)
But I am most interested in Wiz's WLM.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 11 Mar 2009 2:52 pm

Jon;
You can download and install only the components of Windows Live that you want. They include Windows Live: Mail, Hotmail, Messenger, Movie Maker, Photo Gallery, Family Safety, Toolbar and Writer. The installer can be downloaded here.

Here is information about the new Windows Live Mail desktop POP client. It imports your folders, messages and accounts from Outlook Express and Windows Mail (Vista).

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 11 Mar 2009 2:54 pm

Jon;

I just downloaded Live Mail and am fiddling with it now.

I don't have any idea yet if will be an improvement--specifically, if it is usable without a minute or more wait after desktop appears.

If it doesn't improve that situation, I don't need it. Other than the delay issue, Windows Mail is ok.

But Vista itself---not so good.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 11 Mar 2009 2:55 pm

To answer the question about whether Windows 7 is faster to load that Vista, is a bullet faster than a spitball?

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 11 Mar 2009 3:01 pm

Wiz:

I take it you are running the Windows 7 beta?

Do you also have a Vista machine currently?

Any comments on general responsiveness of 7 versus Vista, not just the boot process.

I've got half a mind to dump Vista and live with 7 beta.

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 11 Mar 2009 3:09 pm

Wiz Feinberg wrote:To answer the question about whether Windows 7 is faster to load that Vista, is a bullet faster than a spitball?

well--a mcdonalds straw propelled spitball or a bic pen projectile?

Thanks for the discussion, gents. I'll look at WLM. oooh--family safety. I like the sound of that! Free condoms!

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 11 Mar 2009 3:13 pm

Jon:

The verdict is in:

Both Live Mail and Windows Mail just took between 80 and 90 seconds to be usable after my desktop appeared after a boot.

Live Mail doesn't help me, so I am back to Windows Mail.

But I am considering Windows 7 beta.

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 11 Mar 2009 3:22 pm

Thanks for checking that out, Mitch. As you said earlier, it would seem to be a Vista issue. Like you, I've got no problem with Windows Mail itself. Pretty much the same as OE, seems to me.
I don't have the chops to consider changing my OS so I'll just live with what I've got.

John Cipriano · Post by **John Cipriano** » 11 Mar 2009 11:41 pm

I think the public beta period is over anyway.

Jon, how long have you used the same mail account on this machine? You should try cleaning out the old mail, depending on the number of emails you have stored, especially ones with attachments. I'd say something like 1,000 is a lot but it really depends on the disk usage. A few hundred would probably not cause the issue you describe.

Also I have not tried myself but you can probably install Outlook Express on Vista and use that. I see it in a few places online and it'll also be on the XP CD or the IE6 download on Microsoft's site.

That said, it's probably better to figure out what's keeping Live Mail so long to load.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 12 Mar 2009 7:58 am

Jon;
Maybe your security program is checking all of your email messages as the program starts up. Look at the startup and automatic scanning options and see if this might be so. You can exclude the email files location if a security scanner is slowing you down.

Many people disable scanning email with their anti virus programs, because they slow down the loading, downloading and opening of email. You can disable these scans because your AV should still protect you as you open files or save them, including attachments. If you use Trend Micro Internet Security (PC-cillin) it also scans links as you click them and stops you from going to hostile-coded web pages or servers.

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 12 Mar 2009 11:15 am

Although I do in fact have a huge amount of saved emails---10 years worth--the performance problems go back to day one when I received this emachines computer. In fact I didn't transfer the old files to this machine for over a month so it was a clean system when I was first noticing the delays.
The most annoying symptom is not the slow load on bootup. It is the creation of a new email. Also "Reply To Sender". Slow slow execution. Oh well--it is what it is, I guess.

John Cipriano · Post by **John Cipriano** » 12 Mar 2009 12:40 pm

Then like Wiz said, it sounds related to anti-virus.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/72674 ... -slow.html

That page mentions the fact that after a certain Windows update the contact list became very slow to read by certain AV programs. Try to disable the email functions on the AV and see what happens.

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 12 Mar 2009 12:48 pm

I'll do that. But first--could I get a clarification of why this is a safe thing to do? Of all things, email makes me paranoid and AV to the max would seem to be the way to go. I didn't follow why disabling email AV (Norton is what I've got) was ok.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 12 Mar 2009 4:45 pm

Jon Light wrote:I'll do that. But first--could I get a clarification of why this is a safe thing to do? Of all things, email makes me paranoid and AV to the max would seem to be the way to go. I didn't follow why disabling email AV (Norton is what I've got) was ok.

Jon;
The reason I recommended disabling the email scanner is because most anti virus apps still have a real time file monitoring module. This module watches every file and registry access for suspicious or known-hostile activity. So, if you accidentally download a spam email with a hostile attached file and open it, the realtime module will in fact analyze that file, detect the threat and block it.

Of course, if your anti virus program has not been updated to recognize that particular threat (yet) it will probably let the inevitable occur. In that case, having the email scanner enabled or disabled makes no difference to your security, just to the load time of the email application itself.

When it comes to web threats your security is totally dependent on a combination of any installed and up to date anti-malware programs, the computer's alerts when installing or running setup files, your level of suspicion against strange occurrences and the privileges assigned to your logged in account.

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 13 Mar 2009 11:00 am

Ok. Thanks. I'm pretty well covered---daily (or more) AV updates, weekly S&D updates.......

I disabled AV and the jury is out-----initial load is still real long but maybe, maybe, other functions are quicker. Too soon to assess but I'll report back after a couple of days of operation. Appreciate the help.