Windows Mail Slow

How to Fix a Slow Windows Mail​

   Information

This will show you how to fix four different causes for Windows Mail being slow.

   Note

Check for each of these causes and follow the steps below for how to fix the issue for each of these.
[TABLE=class:-grid,-width:-700][TR][TD]
Known Causes
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[TD]
Description
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[TR][TD]
Antivirus Program
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[TD]
You have the email scanning options turned on in your antivirus program or your antivirus program is not compatible with Vista or Windows Mail.
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[TR][TD]
Restricted Sites List
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[TD]
Some programs (ex:anti-Spyware) may add a large number of entries to the Internet Explorer restricted sites list. This can cause a severe performance problem in Windows Mail after installing the KB931768 Windows update before SP1 is installed. The slowness comes from Windows Mail having some kind of conflict with the update and the spy program making it read through the long list of restricted sites first.
[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]
To Many Contacts
[/TD]
[TD]
For each 100 contact files in your Contact folder (name and email address totaling 2KB) there is a 0.25 second delay imposed by Vista for when you Create, Reply, Forward, or AutoFill a message. (EX: A 2 to 3 second delay for every 1000 contacts) The timing delay will vary due to processor speed and size of contact file.
[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]
To Many Messages
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[TD]
If you store or have a ton of messages in a mailbox folder (EX: Inbox), it can cause a delay while opening it.
[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]
Large Attachment
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[TD]
If you try to attach or receive a large file size attachment, then this can cause a slow receive or send depending on your internet speed.
[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]
Database Issues
[/TD]
[TD]
The Windows Mail database may need to be compacted and repaired.
[/TD][/TR][/TABLE]

   Tip

A Workaround:

• Open Windows Calendar from within Windows Mail. (Tools -> Windows Calendar)
• Close Windows Calendar after a minute.

CAUSE ONE

How to Fix the Antivirus Program Issue

1. For how, see the section titled FIRST in Problem One of this link below:​

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Windows Mail problems​

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CAUSE TWO

How to Fix the Restricted Sites Issue

1. To Fix the Restricted Sites Issue ​

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A) Click the Download button below to download the file below, and save it to your desktop.​

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SlowWinmail_Fix.reg​

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B) Go to step 3.​

2. To Undo the Restricted Sites Fix​

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A) Click the Download button below to download the file below, and save it to your desktop.​

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Undo_SlowWinmail_Fix.reg​

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3. Right click on the downloaded .reg file, and click on Merge.​

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4. Click on the Run, Continue, Yes, OK if prompted.​

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   Note

This will add or remove the winmail.exe value in the registry location:

   Note

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HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet[/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT]
[INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][INDENT]Explorer\MAIN\FeatureControl\FEATURE_MIME_SNIFFING

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CAUSE THREE

How to Fix the To Many Contacts Issue

NOTE: This is more of a workaround than a fix, but it works.

1. Simply go the Contacts folder and reduce how many you have. You can either delete or relocate these contacts to a different or new personal folder. (EX: C:\Users\(your username)\Contacts2)​

NOTE: The default Contacts folder is located here: C:\Users\(your username)\Contacts​

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2. You can then just simply browse to this new location when you click on Tools and Windows Contacts in Windows Mail to navigate to and select your other contacts.​

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CAUSE FOUR

How to Fix the To Many Messages Issue

1. Simply delete the messages when done with them.​

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OR​

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2. If you want to store messages, then use Windows Mail Import and Export Messages feature to save the messages in a separate new folder on the desktop or in a personal user folder.​

NOTE: For how, see: Windows Mail - Messages​

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CAUSE FIVE

How to Fix the Large Attachment Issue

1. For Sending ​

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A) Make the attachment smaller by putting it in a ZIP file.​

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B) Break the attachment up and send it in separate messages.​

2. For Receiving ​

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A) Ask the sender to do step 1.​

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CAUSE SIX

How to Fix the Database Issue

1. If open, close Windows Mail.​

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2. Open Task Manager, and End Proccess any instance of winmail.exe if listed.​

NOTE: You will use OPTION TWO at that link.​

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3. Do the Compact Database and Repair Database with the free program WMUtil.​

NOTE: Be sure to follow all directions for the program at that website.​

​

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Fix Most Problems with Vista's "Windows Mail"

 

[bence]

Thanks Shawn but I didn't like Outlook before and I expect I would be equally unimpressed noe. Besides I do not use Windows Office any more. I have gone to Open Office and find it quite adequate. I just hope that Thunderbird's development comes along so that I can switch over completely to Open software and get away from Microsoft's dominance and smugness. Rather than making their software more user friendly they are doing just the opposite.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Brink]

Your welcome Ben. I hope you find a email program that will work for you like you want.

Shawn

 

[Sharon Machado]

I tried the fix WINDOWS MAIL SLOW and it still has not resolved my problem. While using Windows Mail if we click on Create New Email/Forward Email/Reply All takes a lot of time to 'Open', when option is ticked to automatically complete email addresses, BUT when the option is unticked to automatically complete email addresses, the email opens immediately however then it takes a lot of time to complete the send process, while searching for the email id from the address book

 

[Brink]

Hi Sharon,

What antivirus program do you have? Some of these have a email scanning option that cause problems with Windows Mail like this.

What is the size of the email you are sending? If the email file size is to large, it can take a while to send it.

You might also check to see if you have any other messages stuck in the Outbox that may be causing a delay.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Sharon Machado]

I am using Mcafee virus guard and have disconnected the option of scanning emails while sending/receiving.

When I try to create a new email or forward an email it takes a lot of time to open the page but if I am replying to an email the page opens immediately.

Sharon

 

[Brink]

Sharon,

You might consider trying the free Windows Live Mail (WLM) to see how you like it instead. It is a lot more stable program. Your contacts will have to be manually imported from within WLM though. (Tools, Contacts, File, Import, Address book for current Windows User.)

http://www.vistax64.com/windows-live/92348-windows-live-suite-downloads.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Rooney]

I still don't think WM is as good or as fast as OE but deleting the Contacts & the restricted sites fix does help. But surely MS can work out a fix for this?

 

[Brink]

Hi Rooney, and welcome to Vista Forums.

In a way MS did with Windows Live Mail.

http://www.vistax64.com/windows-live/92348-windows-live-suite-downloads.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Rooney]

Thanks for that Shawn..I never heard of windows live mail before....do you think its worth upgrading? I use 32 bit vista?

Best, Rooney

 

[Brink]

I believe it would be worth the upgrade. It's what I use, and I like it better.

 

[laconiccaba]

Re: Windows Mail problems

Hi Everyone,
I am a new user of this forum & would like some help from you guys.
Please find the link below:

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

Under this link there is a cause two for slow windows mail, which says the following from 4th point:

4. Click on the Run button in the Security Warning pop-up.

5. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.

6. Click Yes for the pop-up window.

7. Click OK for the pop-up window.


Can anyone please tell me where I can in windows vista change the above settings?

I await for your kind reply.
Many thanks & regards,
Laconiccaba

 

[Brink]

Hello Laconiccaba, and welcome to Vista Forums.

I'm afraid that I do not know what you mean. Running the downloaded REG file and doing those steps is what changes the settings. Could you please explain further on what you mean exactly?