USING OLD OUTLOOK EXPRESS IN WINDOWS 7

[moveit]

Although I now use Thunderbird for emails I would still like to use Outlook 6 or 7. As Windows 7 does not support these can anyone tell me if there is a way of using the old Outlooks? I cannot get on with the newer versions and find Thunderbird not that reliable. I have seen some sites advertising the old versions but do not know if they are safe or a scam.

 

[ChrisHirst]

The problem with a 'patched' version to make it work is you never know what else they may have done.

List of alternative email clients >> faq605-7932 not a 100% complete list but ones I have tried personally.

Chris.

Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
Time flies like an arrow, however, fruit flies like a banana.

Never mind this jesus character, stars had to die for me to live.

 

[goombawaho]

I find Thunderbird to be COMPLETELY reliable. Maybe we should investigate that angle before you go off in different directions. I would agree NOT to try to get Outlook Express to work on Windows 7 - sounds dodgy.

Wait - were you talking about Outlook or Outlook Express. The version numbers you cited don't match up.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[spamjim]

Maybe we should investigate that angle before you go off in different directions.

+1

This discussion could use some explanation why old versions of Outlook appeal to you. Operating a secure system requires modern email/internet apps. There's not much sense in going backwards.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outlook_Express#Security_issues

If all you miss is the interface, you can bend Thunderbird (after your reliability issues are sorted) to appear like Outlook with some free add-ons.

 

[goombawaho]

Even spamjim is mixing Outlook/Outlook Express if only by actual wording.
I moved from Outlook Express to Thunderbird a long time ago and didn't really feel very out of place.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[vacunita]

If I remember correctly, Windows 7 had Windows Live Mail the successor to Outlook Express bundled in with the Windows Essentials package.

Windows Live Mail, and the Windows Essentials package do not appear to be available from Microsoft anymore however. Windows Live Mail was replaced by just Mail from the Windows Store for Windows 8 and later.

Outlook on the other hand has had continuous releases through the Microsoft Office Pro / Home and Business etc... versions. So it can be acquired much easier than Outlook Express.

As said already, Thunderbird seems pretty stable to me. I use it pretty much daily, without any issues.

Perhaps if you explain what issues you are having with it, someone can help you solve them.





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Phil AKA Vacunita
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OS-ception: Running Linux on a Virtual Machine in Windows which itself is running in a Virtual Machine on Mac OSx.

Web & Tech

 

[goombawaho]

I concur with all those statements.

Nobody should be running Outlook older than about 2010 anyway due to End of Extended Support for Office/Outlook 2007 and also due to improved handling of IMAP accounts in versions AFTER 2010 (i.e. 2013 and 2016).

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[xwb]

I found that Windows live mail and outlook aren't as easy to use as express. I only stopped using Express 2 years ago when I could no longer connect to my service provider using Express. If that hadn't happened, I'd still be using Express.

I don't know about Thunderbird but Live Mail, Outlook and W10 Mail do not have the filters that Express has. For instance the and/or on the rules - full blown outlook doesn't even come close - it only has AND rules or OR rules. You can't combine them. This was a problem on Office 2000 and it is still a problem on Office 2016.

 

[moveit]

MY problem with Thunderbird is I can receive emails but cannot send them. Last year I had the same problem and Virgin Media told me to change my settings from ntlworld.com to virginmedia.com. I did this and things were okay until now. Virgin cannot understand why I am having this trouble. I have tried Outlook but find it complicated. I am a simple soul!!! I have had intermittent glitches with Thunderbird which puts me off it.

I liked Explorer 11 but know it will not run on Windows 7. Another problem I have with Thunderbird is no matter which format I use, it will not back up my email addresses. This means I cannot create a file for another email program.

The trouble I have with Outlook 2013 etc. is they seem very messy to use and integrates too much with Office. Reading the responds so far I feel a bit more confused. I do not want to use a web based email program. I look forward to further advice.

Since sending this post emails can now been sent. This stop and start is why I am not happy with Thunderbird.

 

[ChrisHirst]

The trouble I have with Outlook 2013 etc. is they seem very messy to use and integrates too much with Office.

Well, it is the general intention for Outlook to integrate with and fully act as part of the Office Suite.

This means I cannot create a file for another email program

Claws mail with the Address Keeper plugin saves the addresses in XML format.

Chris.

Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
Time flies like an arrow, however, fruit flies like a banana.

Never mind this jesus character, stars had to die for me to live.

 

[spamjim]

so far I feel a bit more confused. I do not want to use a web based email program

I'm confused too. Nobody has suggested a web based email program.

I liked Explorer 11 but know it will not run on Windows 7.

IE11 certainly runs on Windows 7.

MY problem with Thunderbird is I can receive emails but cannot send them

This is clearly a configuration problem that anybody could resolve. There are two separate mail server settings...one for incoming; one for outgoing. You can also look into blocked ports with a firewall.

Most everything motivating you to use an old version of Outlook is based on false information.

 

[moveit]

There was nothing wrong with my settings. Virgin told me that here must be a fault with Thunderbird. They seem to have been right as after 2 days of not being able to send emails, they started to work without any alterations of settings. I had no problems with incoming emails.

 

[spamjim]

...They seem to have been right...

...started to work without any alterations...

Technology does not operate on faith and assumption. There is no magic. There is an answer for everything if you put effort into finding a solution.

When a service fails, there is an error message. I suggest you start there.

 

[Beilstwh]

Thunderbird is NOT going to just magically start running after 2 days with no setting changes or software upgrades on your machine. The problem had to be on the virgin POP email server and they fixed it.

Bill
Lead Application Developer
New York State, USA

 

[moveit]

When I was talking with Virgin's technical man he did checks and assured me there was no problem with their SMTP. I had not done any updates just before or after the trouble started. Nor have/had I altered any settings.

 

[strongm]

> he did checks and assured me there was no problem with their SMTP

Perhaps he should have checked more thoroughly. Many people were suffering with a Virgin SMTP problem last week and into the weekend, and Virgin themselves acknowledged that it was under investigation

 

[moveit]

That must explain it, strongm. I do not think the various ISP etc. like to admit they have problems. Changing the subject, about 5 weeks ago some old Panasonic TVs just switched themselves off. It turned out Panasonic had not told people that there was a software update. Even the technical support did not know there was one. The update had to be done by the shops. Goes to show that firms are not always honest with the public.

I will stick with Thunderbird and hope there are not anymore problems for now. Thanks everyone for your help.

 

[edfair]

Spamjim's comment:
"When a service fails, there is an error message."

Well, maybe. You could try AT&T's email service (or the several pseudo names) that is coupled into yahoo for the actual service and you might find, like I have to work with, that TBird will fail to connect about 7 our of 10 times and reports those failures about 3 out of the 7 times. This across 3 machines. There are several indications that the connection has failed and generally messages can be retrieved in 2 or 3 tries. This is not a new problem, it has been happening for at least a year.

OE6 fails at about the same rate across 3 machines and 5 instances (multiboot equipment) but the failure is noted by a lack of a security certificate warning.

I understand all too well the ISP support problems. I saw the same issues with the landline support over the years.



Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[spamjim]

Well, maybe.

Well, no. There is always an error message when failing to connect to a mail server. If you're not seeing the error message then you need to make some effort to find it. It may be obscured by a program's limited interface or by the ignorance of the user...but you can be certain, there is an error message somewhere, offering a first step toward troubleshooting.

 

[technome]

If you looking to use outlook, use 2010 or better. I work networks and have issues below 2010 causing hours of frustration, rarely does a machine handle outlook below 2010. 2010 works great with W7 and Win 10


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"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons."
Popular Mechanics, 1949