e-mail set up

[John H]

I have Vista for my os. I use gmail for my e-mail. I cant seem to make the gmail my default e-mail. When ever I want to send a link or something it sends me to the windows e-mail system. I hope that makes sense.

[soybean]

I presume you access Gmail solely via a web browser.  I don't believe you can do what you want to do, accessing your mail via web browser.  You web browser is not an email program.  Windows Mail is an email program.  That's why it opens when you click on an email link.

Have you thought about enabling POP or IMAP mail in your Gmail so that you can use Windows Mail with your Gmail account?

[John H]

I tried that but to no avail,probably because I did it wrong. I will try it again. If I succeed, how will I be able to use the e-mail then?

[John H]

I tried again and it said the host could not be found.

[soybean]

Exactly what did you do?  This is a two-part process.  You need to enable POP or IMAP in Gmail and you need to setup the Gmail account in Windows Mail.  Did you logon to Gmail via your browser and enable POP or IMAP?  The screen where POP is enabled looks like this:   http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=13273&topic=13293

[John H]

I've been using gmail so long I didn't realize that I never set up widows thru my isp. That would help wouldn't it? 

[soybean]

Well, you probably could be using an email account provided by your ISP.  Is that what you mean?  Yes, you may want to do that, even if you continue using Gmail.

But, you don't need to start using an ISP email account or set one up on Windows Mail in order to use Windows Mail for your Gmail account.  Again, to get Windows Mail working with a Gmail account, the account must setup in Windows Mail and POP or IMAP (whichever you prefer, or can do both) needs to be enabled from a setup screen accessable via web browser while logged onto your Gmail account (see link I previously posted).

Here's one of the screens you would use when creating your Gmail account in Windows Mail: .

Here's a reference on the setup in Windows Mail: http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=86383