Windows 7 Issues & Solutions - Missing Outlook Express

Believe it or not, Microsoft no longer includes the Outlook Express email client in their software. Therefore, Windows 7 does not include a native email client after installation at all -- it's missing! Microsoft's expectation is that you'll purchase Microsoft Office and use Outlook. However, Microsoft does have a replacement for the lovable Outlook Express; it's called Windows Live Mail.

You can download the installer from Microsoft by clicking here: http://windowslive.com/Desktop/Mail

Windows Live contains a LOT of other cool feature, and the Mail component is just one of them. Time and space doesn't permit covering them all, but we thought it might be a good idea to provide a bit of a roadmap into configuring it so that it works similarly to Outlook Express. Bear in mind that this is not the definitive white paper on Windows Live -- it only scratches the surface. Also remember that this is being provided as a beginning guide and that any support calls made to Club Data relative to Windows Live are not included in your support agreement and therefore become billable support events.

The basic steps are as follows (click on a picture to see it full-size):

  1. Install Windows Live. This may take a few minutes and you may have to restart your computer afterward.

  2. Start Windows Live -- you'll be met with a screen similar to the one below:

  3. In the upper right corner of the screen, click on the "Menus" option to open it. Click the "Show menu bar" option to make the screen appear much like the old Outlook Express:

  4. Now you can click on the TOOLS menu bar option, where you can get to the main configuration settings.
     Safety Options             Options
       

  5. At the SAFETY OPTIONS screen, choose the Security tab. If you're using Club Office E*Statements be sure to UN-CHECK the "Warn me when other applications try to send mail as me" as highlighted in the red box below. Be sure to save the settings by clicking APPLY followed by OK.

  6. Now you can add your email account and other settings as you did in Outlook Express. You may find a few additional features and settings that need attention, but the screens should be very familiar to you.

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