Now Outlook Express 5.5 won't open attachments, at ALL! What happened?

[MiklK]

Sorry to bring this here, but this is where I always come and you guys are awesome. Maybe you can help.
I've read every post I can find about problems with e-mail attachments for 3 hours and didn't see a real answer for the problem, only helpful guesses...
Outlook Express 5.5 just STOPPED opening attachments a month ago. It could be some setting I changed a month ago, or somethiing else (Coke spilled on the keyboard?) but whatever it is, I can't find it.
Please note: this is O Express 5.5, not Outlook or 2000 or 2002 - their solutions (security tab etc.) don't help here - but I hope YOU can, please.
Thx (A bird in the hand greatly interferes with typing.)
Mikl

 

[dragon99]

what is the exact error that you get when trying to open attachment

 

[MiklK]

It asks me to create an association - but since I can't get at the file at ALL, I have no idea what the message type is.

Even more to the point, 4-6 weeks ago it worked fine and opened any attachment I got without any problem - and without asking for associations to be created. Most likely at least some/most are HTML format (although one of my friends sometimes/rarely sent video clips)

If i pushed the wwrong button and set up a setting that's causing this, I wonder what it is - I hae been over every setting I can find at least ten times.

Ah well - maybe someone who knows OE 5.5 will see this and have a suggestion.
And thx for tryin' (A bird in the hand greatly interferes with typing.)
Mikl

 

[davidelnormal]

I use Outlook Express 5.5 and have never encountered that problem.I can only suggest you delete it altogethher and reload it, perhaps a file or files have been corrupted. If it's any consolation I share your frustration. Good Luck

 

[MiklK]

Thx David - I''ve been holding off doing that because 1) I am such an optimist and 2) The desriptions I see on M$ make uninstalling it look like a real pain!! <G>
(There also seem to be several complaints from people having this problem, and a number of fairly ineffective replies on the Knowledge Base and elsewhere).
Regards (A bird in the hand greatly interferes with typing.)
Mikl

 

[Ladygnome]

Some thoughts on fixing Outlook Express problems:

1. Go to Control Panel's Add/Remove Programs and remove Outlook Express and Reinstall it. You can backup your email messages first or clear them out. I think this process actually leaves everything in tact though.

OR

2. Upgrade to Outlook Express 6.0 and see if the problem resolves itself.

OR

3. Try removing your mail accounts and closing the program and then adding them back in. Make sure you make note of the information to set them back up.

 

[MiklK]

Thx for your thoughts, ladygnome -
1)The info on M$''s sites makes it clear that ther's a lt more to uninstalling OE5.5 than Add/Delete - so likely you're right, that everything is actually left intact - including, i fear, the &quot;problem&quot;.
2) OE 6.0 is possible but I've seen a lot of negative word of mouth (including on Tek-Tips) that has made me hesitate -especially being sloooo

http://wwwww

3)I don't get why removing the mail accounts would affect opening attachments automatically ... but then, there's a lot I don't know <g> (A bird in the hand greatly interferes with typing.)
Mikl

 

[Crustyoldbloke]

Why not just create the associations as your system requests?

BTW, OE6.0 is just fine, and an excellent follow-up to 5.5. And that's from someone who is on record as a Microsoft knocker.

If you upgrade, you will not lose any of your stored e-mails,,unless you fdisk or format c:\ to do so. Regards

Phil

Please tell me if the answer I gave was helpful or a bus ride out. Without your feedback I won't know.

 

[roamer1]

I will add my voice to Ladygnome and Crusty. Do the OE6 UP. I doubt this is a setting unless your AV or Firewall settings are doing it

Are you certain it will support NO attachments? have someone send you a .txt attachment (made with Notepad)

Some ISPs or IT's will shut off attachments at the server if you get a virus to limit spreading, but I don't know if that is done with extension stripping or not. might be worth a hmmm.

 

[MiklK]

Good to know it's noot likely a OE5.5 setting. I have also been over the firewall and AV settings, and I don't see anything misplaced ...
Y'know, I SHOULD geet someone to send me a .txt file.

I checked associatioons and they all looked functional - for some reeason both Winword and IExplorer were listed as HTML editors (or decoders or ...).

And Thx for the encouragement to try OE6 - and maybe I should - and maybe I WILL ! --------

but haven't you all seen the complaints of slowness and other bad press Ver6 has gotten in these rooms (Including this one) by people who went over to it ?

Maybe I misunderstood ...

BUT, THX for your help, I appreciate it! (A bird in the hand greatly interferes with typing.)
Mikl

 

[roamer1]

IT MAY be worth a shot to disable your firewall and AV (each and then both) to see if a buddy can shove something at you- Process of elimination

What extension types are you trying to open? Call the sender and ask.

OE will always allow text and most photos and graphics. it should also allow most office document types.

But OE6 and probably your ver as well DO limit attachments- it will not allow an .exe or any other executable attachment to be delivered to prevent virus activity. This behavior is very desirable even if you have a bullet proof AV program that monitors mail and you are very mindful of virus def updates.

In OE6 it can be disabled from the Security tab. In the Virus Protection section remove the check from the box labeled: &quot;Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened which could potentially contain a virus&quot;.

IF unchecking that box allows your attachments and they are needful things, you need to develop a different way of getting them. Have your Pal put em in a zip or something, and leave the box checked. Or send by IM or get from FTP.
NUFF SAID, I'm such a nag...>

Good luck
-Bruce

 

[MiklK]

Thx Roamer1
It was suggested that nav could do it (tho it didn't used to) - I sure will try disabling nav and the firewall before opening the next attachment.
And I am also thinking OE6 would take care of this ... so would re-installing 5.5 (One M$ format for that is like 5 pages, registry, etc., but I found a shorter less complex on elsewhere on M$) (Odd).
The Security options are different on 5.5, there is no lock-out of .exe, and the Security tabs/options are different and, sadly, not helpful to this problem.

That's why I guess that someone who is still pretty familiar with good ol' 5.5 SP2 might know some fix - OE 6 is actually pretty different.
Thx for pitching in, everyone (A bird in the hand greatly interferes with typing.)
Mikl

 

[Ladygnome]

I have been on Outlook 6.0 for a while now and am very pleased. I hope you will check it out, especially for the extra security features. Moving to IE 6.0 makes it much safer for you on the internet. Make sure you get the service packs as well if you upgrade. If you truly wish to stay with IE 5.5. Then try the restore/reinstall feature in Add/Remove programs for IE 5.5 / Outlook 5.5 and see if it corrects some of the problems.

I've never had to apply associations to Outlook Express and have had several versions of this program. I do know that some issues occurred if you went right to IE 5.0 without having IE 4.0 installed first. So if you do reinstall IE 5.5, I would start by installing IE 4.0 and then upgrade to 5.5. I've never had problems when starting with IE 4.0.

You can check with Microsoft's knowledge base or Technet to see if others have had this problem and perhaps there are some suggestions there.

You may want to also make sure you have all the current Windows critical updates (windowsupdate.microsoft.com) and that you are virus scanned from an off-site source (

http://www.bitdefender.com

or

http://www.pandasoftware.com

are my preferred choices) to rule out any issues there.

Good luck with your problem!

 

[MiklK]

Thx esp for the off-site AV sources. Why did you recommend them - good reason, I figure. (I run Norton often and it is all up to date)
I have spent easily more than 6 hours on M$ Knowledge Base and their &quot;Support&quot; areas. There's TONS more data re: OE6 than for OE 5 or 5.5.
I would have thought that I have enough security added to OE 5.5 from the active e-mail protection on Norton and the e-mail protection on the Zone Alarm firewall, making OE 6's process redundant (a redundant nuisance?)... but I certainly could be wrong.

I'm guessing a un- and re-install is my next step ---> but will I lose the extra help from the SP2 updates? (A bird in the hand greatly interferes with typing.)
Mikl

 

[Crustyoldbloke]

Forget SP2, there's a new (NOV 22nd) one out for IE 4-6 to fix newly found vulnerabilities. This is a cumulative fix and a must for everyone using IE.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/security/bulletin/MS02-066.asp

Happy downloading. DOS Tip #1701: Add DEVICE=FNGRCROS.SYS to CONFIG.SYS
Regards
Phil
Please tell me if the answer I gave was helpful or a bus ride out. Without your feedback I won't know.

 

[Grenage]

Indeed OL6 is a very good email client, it's much better than 5. And as for having enough security - you can never have enough, especially when it comes at little cost or effort.

 

[MiklK]

Thx again everyone -
CRUSTY - How the h--- did you FIND that?? ! I have been all over M$'s OE site, Download site, Support (?) site and Knowledge Base site ... and never saw THAT!

Thx :<) (A bird in the hand greatly interferes with typing.)
Mikl

 

[MiklK]

I looking at that IE download now - but this thread is actually about problems with opening attachments the e-mail program OUTLOOK EXPRESS 5.5 SP2.
(A bird in the hand greatly interferes with typing.)
Mikl

 

[Crustyoldbloke]

Yes I recall those days when the thread was started, but did I not read that the SP was for both as a cumulative package. And as for how did I find it/ - Well that would very nice thankyou, how did you find it?. COFFEE.EXE missing - Insert Cup and Press Any Key.
Regards
Phil
Please tell me if the answer I gave was helpful or a bus ride out. Without your feedback I won't know.

 

[MiklK]

Fouund it fine thx - and a tech-site location i somehow hadn't seen before
anyway, got it - thx
mikl (A bird in the hand greatly interferes with typing.)
Mikl