Wlmail.exe is loaded in the current user (HKCU) registry as an auto-starting executable named 'Windows Live Mail' and executes as C: Program Files windows live mail wlmail.exe. As of January 10, 2017, Windows Essentials 2012 — including Windows Live Mail — is no longer supported on Windows 10. There is no updated version available for download. Windows Live Mail is a desktop application that gives you access to all of your email accounts in a single window. With this software, you can search for messages across several accounts at once.

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Set Windows Live Mail to always open at the 'Inbox' in Windows 7

How to permanently set Windows Live Mail 2009 to go to the 'Inbox' instead of the last folder viewed.

I have used the method of adding /mail to the Windows Live Mail 2009 shortcut to get it to open to the default account of 'Inbox.' Note the 'space delimiter' in front of / which is essential.

Examples:

'C:Program FilesWindows LiveMailwlmail.exe' /mail

or

'C:Program Files (x86)Windows LiveMailwlmail.exe' /mail

This worked well for extended periods, but sometimes when rebuilding Windows 7 from an image restore or even from scratch, Windows Live Mail reverted to opening at the last folder viewed, much to my annoyance.

My question is, can the Registry be edited in some way to make the patch permanent?

If you restore an image, fix it then take an image, it should return intact when that image is restored.

Agreed. They most certainly do. But, having multiple images to restore from I may have come unstuck this time as I have my Users and Profiles on drive D, not C and this is the first time I have changed them. Curse my trying to get Windows MCE to work as I wanted it to. Currently working from a part restored image to drive C [SSD] and a very much altered drive D Users and Profiles.

So, question still stands. Anybody now how to edit the Registry to make a permanent fix?

Yes, but it doesn't work '.. even from scratch, Windows Live Mail reverted to opening at the last folder viewed, much to my annoyance' so I still wonder if their is a Registry hack that would be permanent.

Not sure I understand. If you make the shortcut and save it, or image it or whatever what changes it when you restore it that makes it change?

I think it's something in WLM itself, because it is a 'live' app.
I can't get it to work either.
Would like to know if there is a registry hack or something, because like you, caleula, I much prefer it to start simply at the inbox.

Hi Sarah,

Spent all day and tonight at it. Haven't had a meal yet. Worked through a minor heatwave of 34C, but we get minus 4C to plus 45C here.

I finally used a combination of restoring parts of about 20 backup images. I use Terabyte Unlimited's IFL.

To complicate matters, my Users and Profiles are on drive D and I had fiddled with those too. I hate having Users and Profiles on drive C [SSD] as it makes for large images which can sometimes overwrite ones data.

Changing about 4 usernames later, I finally got it all back together and we are talking about something like 1.5 million files on the computer. Then I also have five external eSata, USB3 and USB2 external dsks for multiple backups of various types.

Anyway, much cutting and pasting later it is opening to the 'Inbox' again no matter which folder it is closed from. It's Windows Live Mail 2009. No 'Offshore' or 'Cloud' computing thanks due to my mainframe days and cracking security and then being put in Audit for a while. Too long a story, but I worked from Big Iron down. I could even ring the interstate HQ and tell them their mainframe was about to crash. What would you know they would ask as they put the phone down. A minute later the phone would ring. What do you know they queried :)

Ended up being totally responsible for all to do with every workstation, accounting machine, cash register, mini-computer, three generations of WP, [Wang > Olivetti > Wang again] etc. in house or being purchased. The girls asked for every option for a 4 workstation, two printer and one WP processing unit. Total cost $70,000 and 14 months before we received the go ahead to buy. Oh, and I cabled too. Ended up editing their own VTOCs too. That took some talking to Wang to release it to them.

Like you, I would still prefer a solid Registry hack to make it permanent. I gutted the Registry a few times today in between image restores. Even searched for '/mail'. It seems that it resides somewhere in Users and or Profiles from my experience, but one would think searching the Registry would turn something up. Did come across some suffixed data '/mail%%url' or similar which I tried renaming to '/mail'. Food for thought to put to your experts. Will await an answer in my Inbox when you have it sorted. For me it is currently done and dusted, but even from my first computer problem in the 1970s, I always thrived on the 'impossible' tasks and requests like a bull to a red rag.

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Wow, going way over my head there! <LOL>
Glad you got it sorted though :)
The 'haven't had a meal yet' part sounds familiar.

I still haven't got it to work for me though (single computer, Vista Home Premium), but I won't be spending much time on it, since I only have my hotmail account there and I rarely use it.

Hi Sarah,

Okay. I was moving lots of files and directories around today and WLM stopped opening at the Inbox again. Now 11:30PM and the rain is pouring down in a torrent. Helped me to think of what I might be missing.

Turns out the trick is not only to append /Mail in your shortcut, but also to make sure your email login name is set to default. Go to Tools, Accounts.. and Set as Default. Heaven help those with more than one email account. I have 9 accounts spare but only use one.

One problem, of course with WLM which has the capability to handle multiple email accounts, is which Inbox to open at.

I should change the heading to reflect that I am using an older WLM version.

Read my original post referring to my use of Windows Live Mail 2009. It's all working now as it should.

Wouldn't touch the later WLM 'live' versions with a barge pole and at my age don't require 'social networking' either.

Put it down to my early computer days in the 1970s when I cracked mainframe security and having produced printed evidence, was given a stint in audit to add to my considerable problem solving skills. Ah, the good old days when a little bit of hardware went a very long way and cost a small fortune :)

Not sure if this will work but try this registry key and see what is under the default
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareClasseseml_auto_fileshellopencommand
Then possibly change the default to your shortcut.
C:Program FilesWindows LiveMailwlmail.exe' /mail
I do not have a vista machine i can try this on at the moment it is down for repair.
I read this on different forums but they say to use a different default of
C:Program FilesWindows Mailwinmail.exe' /eml:%1
some ppl said it worked others said it did not work.
If you do try this make sure you backup your registry before you try it just in case it doesnt work, please report back and let us know if it works.

@ caleula - I don't want to touch the later WLM versions either, but have to do a clean install and it will be Win7 I put on that machine (which was it originally, I downgraded to Vista) and I'll be stuck with a newer version. So I'm thinking about ditching all of WLM. Don't use my hotmail much anyway.

You say you have to set your email login name to default. Now I was wondering: do you have WLM set to automatically login?

'Now I was wondering: do you have WLM set to automatically login?'

No Sarah. I only open WLM when I wish to use it. That was my point. I have no wish to login and use it as a Hotmail / Messenger / Windows Live type of email. I have it set as close to Outlook Express as possible and all is now working fine as per above two tips I gave.

Hi unimatrix001,

Thanks. I'm quite a registry hacker from way back.

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareClasseseml_auto_fileshellopencommand doesn't exist. More specifically 'eml_auto_file'.

The two salient points to get it working are adding /mail [with a space as a delimiter] to the shortcut AND using only ONE email account set to default.

Hehe, like me then :)
I don't like the whole live connection thing either.
Still - it doesn't work for me. But I'm currently putting 7 on my machine and I don't think I'll add anything of the live suite.
My hotmail is a spamcollector (not using it anyway, so no reason not to dump it LOL) and since I've run into Trillian Messenger has gotten obsolete too.

Goodnight!

Sarah, be aware that you need to get a copy of Windows Live Mail 2009 as it certainly doesn't come with Windows 7.

Download from http://members.iinet.net.au/~caleula/Sarah/

Oh, and make sure you untick all but 'mail' as M$ sets everything on by default :(

Hey, that is sweet :)
Uploaded is especially for me???
But I meant I won't be installing any of it! <LOL>

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