Fixing "Command Failed to Execute" on attachments

[jamaicanjohnny]

Did not work...

 

[kalpana]

my vista DOES NOT HAVE % COMMAOND THAT U R TALKING ABOUT IN
START PROPERTIES WHAT DO i DO NEXT


Kalpana

 

[kalpana]

I see lots and lots of discussions. This is EASY to fix.

I have Vista & IE8, BTW.

click on Start (or the circle thingy for Vista), All Programs and right
click Windows Mail (under All Programs, not on the start menu). Select
Properties.

The value "Start in:" is set to %UserProfile%. This does not work because
opening an attachment cannot save the attachment to a temporary file on that
folder.

I changed it to "%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Temp" and that fixes the
problem.

You can also just clear the field "Start in:" (remove the value) and that
fixes it also.

Enjoy.

Dave

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

This workaround always works: uninstall IE8. See
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/957700

 

[Kristiwg]

If you are running IE8, uninstall it which will take you back to IE7. For
Vista users, please note IE8 is not considered a program but an update. ( Go
to the control panel, under program click on "uninstall a program" .... on
the left side in the blue panel under task, click on View installed
updates.... go to IE8 and uninstall it.)

This will fix your problem.

 

[Kristiwg]

If you are running IE8, uninstall it which will take you back to IE7. For
Vista users, please note IE8 is not considered a program but an update. ( Go
to the control panel, under program click on "uninstall a program" .... on
the left side in the blue panel under task, click on View installed
updates.... go to IE8 and uninstall it.)

This will fix your problem.

It wasn't in my recently installed programs & doesn't show up on the list of
installed programs unless it was part of a "Windows Update" . So does that
mean I don't have IE8 - then why can't I get attachments.

BTW my other computer keeps trying ot install IE8 and I keep disallowing it
because I am afraid it will mess up email on that computer.

Finally those instructions for fixing IE8 seemed so complicated, will they
be issuing an IE 9 that doesn't cause email problems?

How do I uninstall or remove Internet Explorer 8?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/957700

t-4-2

None of these files helped, I can't open attachments or save them. I
normally
use Mozzila but I have no idea how to remove IE8 or know if I have it -
doesn't appear in my add remove programs list.
Help.

:

Hi Ramesh,
thank you so much for jumping in!
It would be really nice if you might help on getting closer.

I often thought that it would be necessary to monitor what's going on
and store the info in a logfile. Unfortunately this is above my head.

I've been having Procmon on my system for quite a while but never
managed to make use of it.
I just started it on my test-machine but I do not see where to start
:-( :-(

Thanks again and regards

Rainald


Ramesh Srinivasan, MS-MVP wrote:

Hi Rainald,

Thanks for the note! Perhaps someone can capture the events that
occur (when opening mail attachments) using Process Monitor and post
the log file online.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896645.aspx

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Desktop Experience]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
Supporting Windows® 7, Vista & XP http://www.winhelponline.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------


davidh1 wrote:

I see lots and lots of discussions. This is EASY to fix.

I have Vista & IE8, BTW.

click on Start (or the circle thingy for Vista), All Programs and
right click Windows Mail (under All Programs, not on the start
menu). Select Properties.

The value "Start in:" is set to %UserProfile%. This does not work
because opening an attachment cannot save the attachment to a
temporary file on that folder.

I changed it to "%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Temp" and that fixes
the problem.

You can also just clear the field "Start in:" (remove the value) and
that fixes it also.

Thanks for sharing your findings.

I had posted this recipe for a workaround rather often. And Gary
meanwhile includes it with his standard suggestions.

As to my experience this does not really cure the problems. It only
*reduces* them. With all my tests JPG- and TXT-attachments still can
not be opened.
Sometimes it works with these file types initially but after a while
the problem is back.

How do the latter file types behave on your system?

Rainald

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

This workaround always works: uninstall IE8. See
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/957700

Note: Please do not post with your Caps Lock key down.

 

[John]

I have Vista and MSN Premium. I uninstalled IE8 back to IE7 because of the
problem of opening attachments and getting the message "Command Failed to
Execute". I just reinstalled IE8, opened MSN Premium and opened several
attachments without a problem. Does this mean Microsoft has fixed the
problem?

 

[tgpeeps]

I see lots and lots of discussions. This is EASY to fix.

I have Vista & IE8, BTW.

click on Start (or the circle thingy for Vista), All Programs and right
click Windows Mail (under All Programs, not on the start menu). Select
Properties.

The value "Start in:" is set to %UserProfile%. This does not work because
opening an attachment cannot save the attachment to a temporary file on that
folder.

I changed it to "%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Temp" and that fixes the
problem.

You can also just clear the field "Start in:" (remove the value) and that
fixes it also.

Enjoy.

Dave

 

[tgpeeps]

Great solution davidh1, as a comment to yours, I have an HP laptop with a
docking station. The included wireless keyboard woould not allow opening of
attchments when using the remote button to open E-Mail. This happened after
the unstall of IE8. Your suggestion fixed the problem!

 

[tgpeeps]

So much for my last post. I went back to windows mail with the wireless
button and the atachments will not open as i stated. Tried to use the icon
and they will open. So much for IE 8!

 

[jamarc]

Hello David. I'm having the same "Command Failed, etc." problem. I tried
both your solution fixes and neither worked.

Do you know of another fix?
Thanks. Joanne

 

[jamarc]

I see lots and lots of discussions. This is EASY to fix.

I have Vista & IE8, BTW.

click on Start (or the circle thingy for Vista), All Programs and right
click Windows Mail (under All Programs, not on the start menu). Select
Properties.

The value "Start in:" is set to %UserProfile%. This does not work because
opening an attachment cannot save the attachment to a temporary file on that
folder.

I changed it to "%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Temp" and that fixes the
problem.

You can also just clear the field "Start in:" (remove the value) and that
fixes it also.

Enjoy.

Dave

 

[Hamer]

Hi Uri,

Your suggestion was the simplest one offered and the only one that worked.
I can't say that opening mail as administrator has cured all of my problems
but it has taken care of everything I've tried so far. I am happy that I
found your note. Slamming Norton or McAfee and installing a free av package
seems to be the only answer one individual has had for almost tow years.
Uninstalling IE8 is much akin to trying to kill a mosquito with a sledge
hammer.

Thanks, again,
--
usedtowas

I have had this trouble sporadically for a while, it seems to have become
worse recently. The workaround I use is to open Mail by going to All
Programs>Windows Mail(right click)"run as administrator">allow. Attachments
of all file types open on double click or shell command. I suspect this is
not anything related to settings in IE8 but a bug in the code itself. I won't
be holding my breath waiting for a fix...

Hi
I have the same problem.But maybe this can help .
When i Start Mail from the Email-icon,I cant open attatchements.
When I do it from the all programs tab (and declare my trust)-then I can.
Regards
CBS

Hi Ramesh,
thank you so much for jumping in!
It would be really nice if you might help on getting closer.

I often thought that it would be necessary to monitor what's going on
and store the info in a logfile. Unfortunately this is above my head.

I've been having Procmon on my system for quite a while but never
managed to make use of it.
I just started it on my test-machine but I do not see where to start
:-( :-(

Thanks again and regards

Rainald


Ramesh Srinivasan, MS-MVP wrote:

Hi Rainald,

Thanks for the note! Perhaps someone can capture the events that
occur (when opening mail attachments) using Process Monitor and post
the log file online.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896645.aspx

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Desktop Experience]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
Supporting Windows® 7, Vista & XP http://www.winhelponline.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------


davidh1 wrote:

I see lots and lots of discussions. This is EASY to fix.

I have Vista & IE8, BTW.

click on Start (or the circle thingy for Vista), All Programs and
right click Windows Mail (under All Programs, not on the start
menu). Select Properties.

The value "Start in:" is set to %UserProfile%. This does not work
because opening an attachment cannot save the attachment to a
temporary file on that folder.

I changed it to "%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Temp" and that fixes
the problem.

You can also just clear the field "Start in:" (remove the value) and
that fixes it also.

Thanks for sharing your findings.

I had posted this recipe for a workaround rather often. And Gary
meanwhile includes it with his standard suggestions.

As to my experience this does not really cure the problems. It only
*reduces* them. With all my tests JPG- and TXT-attachments still can
not be opened.
Sometimes it works with these file types initially but after a while
the problem is back.

How do the latter file types behave on your system?

Rainald

 

[Sam Hobbs]

It works for me. For some reason WinMail sometimes forgets to use the
temporary folders, but usually it works. The fact that it works most of the
time proves it can work.

To be specific, WinMail usually starts from my StratUp folder. The
properties for that has "Start in:" set to "%UserProfile%".

 

[JohnFXM]

Hi Dave,
Thanks so much for providing this solution! I have Vista, IE8, and Norton
and was putting off IE8 removal (as others suggested) in hopes for less
involved fix like this. Any idea how value "Start in:" got changed (set to
%UserProfile%), as this was working fine until recently (I get and apply
regular Norton and periodic Windows updates but only added IE8 about a month
ago which is about this time problem started)? I can now open attachments
again from within Windows Mail, so I really appreciate your solution.
Best,
John

 

[ail]

Hello Davidh1 I tried this and I still cannot open my attachments.

 

[Sam Hobbs]

I hope it continues to work for you. It might however fail again for you in
the future.

 

[Rainald Taesler]

Joanne,
normally setting the destination path in the "Start in:" field of the
shortcut used for launching WinMail to either "%UserProfile" or %Temp%
*) cure the problem for most types of files, only JPG and TXT files
still not being OK.

Are you sure you are using the properly edit shortcut?

Clear the temporary Internet files through "Tools | Internet options" in
IE8 and then reboot.

Which types of files can not be opened thereafter?

Rainald
*) %TEMP% points to the same directory as davidh1's
"%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Temp".
It's just shorter <g>

 

[Rainald Taesler]

John,
how about JPG and TXT files?
As to my expierence they still do not work.

Rainald