Export Import Problem

[Ed.]

I have followed all the links in the newsgroup for transferring messages,
address book and accounts from XP Outlook Express to Vista Windows Mail.

This is one of the links I followed:

http://www.vista4beginners.com/Migrate-from-Outlook-Express-to-Windows-Mail

I have a problem after the transfer when I open a mail in Windows Mail. It
is a mail with pics with a gif extension. In fact it is the one mail you
have from Microsoft when you first open Outlook Express.

In Outlook Express it shows fine. In Vista it has Red X's where the pic
should be. If I have a mail with pics with a jpg extension, it will open and
show pics just fine with no problem.

In OE I have in Options under the Security Tab to allow attachments and not
to block html content. I have in Vista Windows Mail the same options
unchecked.

I trying to get this right testing on my test computers as I have a friend
who has tons of mail that must be saved and pics in the mail. Don't know if
they will all be jpg extensions or not. I trying to get this right so she
don't loose anything.

Can anyone tell me what is going on and what I may have missed? It seems
that Vista Mail is the problem as no problem in XP Outlook Express.

Thank You,
Ed.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

First ascertain whether a picture file is present in that transferred email.
With that email selected, press F3. Is part of the email a solid mass of
random characters? That would be the encoded attachment. Also, the
size of the email tells you whether an attachment is present. Even the
smallest photo will result in a file size of at least 10K.

The next possible problem source is your antivirus.
Which antivirus are you running?
As a minimum, email scanning in the antivirus must be turned off,
although that may not be sufficient to eliminate all bad effects.
In a worst case scenario, your antivirus may need to be uninstalled.

Email scanning in any antivirus must be disabled, for reasons
explained here:
http://thundercloud.net/infoave/tutorials/email-scanning/index.htm

If no improvement after disabling email scanning, consider upgrading
to Windows Live Mail, because it is less prone to suffering bad effects
from overly intrusive antivirus programs:
http://get.live.com/wlmail/overview

 

[Ed.]

Thank you for the reply.
I am using the free Avast 4.8.
The pictures aren't attached. They are embedded in the email.
I tried F3 like you said but it only brings up a Search Window.
I disabled Avast and did the export and import again running the Vista Mail
as Administrator and same results.
I also checked out the link you provided.

I will tell her to try to go thru all those mails and try to find the ones
with gifs in it and save as before we do her export & import. I don't want
to loose any of her stuff.

Thanks again for the reply,
Ed.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Sorry, that should have been Ctrl+F3.
Use that key combination to see the source code of a message.
Also, the size column will give you a clue as to whether a picture
is present (either embedded or attached). A message without a
picture seldom exceeds 10KB.

Your Avast antivirus was probably installed with its default install option.
If so, uninstall it, then reinstall, but select 'custom' install, which then
allows you to unselect installing its troublesome email scanning module.
Disabling it after the fact is not sufficient.

 

[Ed.]

I turned off Avast on the XP computer I am trying to get the import from and
also on the Vista computer importing it to.
I opened the mail on both and used Ctrl+F3. I see no mass of random
characters. I also see no size column.

I tried forwarding the mail from the XP box back to it. It appears fine when
opened. I forward it to the Vista box and get the red x's. I use a cable
company ISP and AOL. I sent to both and get the red x's. I then try to
forward it from the Vista computer it says "one or more the pictures in the
message cannot be found" and says when you send the mail the pictures won't
be included.

So, it must be something on this Vista computer. I am leaving in a few
minutes to catch a plane and will be gone for a week. I don't have time now
but when I get back I will do as you said and uninstall Avast and try that.
Will try to get back here and update you.

Thanks again,
Ed.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

If you don't see a solid mass of random characters when viewing
the source code via Ctrl+F3, then no picture is present.
It is possible that the message contains merely a pointer to a
web page that has the actual picture.

To prove that your Vista box is working correctly, compose a new
email on it, include a picture, then send it to yourself. The picture
should be viewable when that message arrives in your Inbox.

 

[Ed.]

Thanks again for the reply. I finally got home and had time to try what you
said. I uninstalled Avast from both machines and still have the same
problem. Oh well, will just live with it. As long as the jpg pics get
imported with the mails, that is great.

Thanks for all your input and suggestions,
Ed.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Sorry I couldn't be more help.
If you have any other third party security programs installed,
like antispyware, try uninstalling those.
Also, an upgrade to Windows Live Mail sometimes helps:

http://download.live.com/wlmail