All attachments received are corrupt in Outlook 2007

[Guest]

I just installed Office2007 and all attachments that are coming in(PDF, XLS,
ZIP) will not open without warnings of corruptions. Media files will not open
at all. I am on XP Home with all updates. I must be missing something
somewhere. I cannot even get embedded pictures to show. Any ideas how to fix
this problem??
thanks

 

[F. H. Muffman]

I just installed Office2007 and all attachments that are coming in(PDF,
XLS,
ZIP) will not open without warnings of corruptions. Media files will not
open
at all. I am on XP Home with all updates. I must be missing something
somewhere. I cannot even get embedded pictures to show. Any ideas how to
fix
this problem??

Do you have web based access to your mail? If you do, are you able to open
the attachments there?
Are you able to save the attachments locally and open from the desktop?

My first target for 'blame' would be an add-in to Outlook that is playing
with the messages on download. Disable any A/V email integration and any
add-ins and have someone send you a test message with attachment and see
what happens.

 

[Guest]

Yes, it works fine on web based opening. No, I cannot save it to my desktop
and then open it. I have disabled AV and that seems to be the problem. I will
have to figure out a way around that. Thank you.
Jim

 

[Brian Tillman]

Yes, it works fine on web based opening. No, I cannot save it to my
desktop and then open it. I have disabled AV and that seems to be the
problem. I will have to figure out a way around that. Thank you.

No need to figure a way around it. There is no need to scan mail as long as
you have your on-access scanner running in the background.

 

[Guest]

I do not know what an on-access scanner is or how to tell if it is running.
Is it a feature of Outlook? If so, where do I access its settings? If not,
and you have time, please explain. thanks for the input
Jim

 

[John]

I think Brian is referring to AV background scanning which will scan files
when you access (read or open) it. What AV are you using? If it's messing up
attachments, check for updates.

 

[Guest]

I'm using Grisoft AVG and I had to completely disable it(not just the email
scanning portion) before it allowed files to come in properly and be opened.
It has never created a problem in any other version of Office, that is why I
thought I must be missing some kind of option on Office2007 that was creating
the problem. I always keep my AV up to date, but I am going to remove it and
reinstall, then try again. Any other solutions are still welcome.

 

[Brian Tillman]

I'm using Grisoft AVG and I had to completely disable it(not just the
email scanning portion) before it allowed files to come in properly
and be opened. It has never created a problem in any other version of
Office, that is why I thought I must be missing some kind of option
on Office2007 that was creating the problem. I always keep my AV up
to date, but I am going to remove it and reinstall, then try again.
Any other solutions are still welcome.

When you reinstall it, leave off the Email scanning portion.

 

[Brian Tillman]

I do not know what an on-access scanner is or how to tell if it is
running.

It's the background process of your antivirus scanner. You can usually tell
it's running because it will display an icon in the notification area of the
Taskbar.

Is it a feature of Outlook?

No, it's a feature of the antivirus program you use.

If so, where do I access its settings?

You'll have to read the help in your AV program for that.

 

[John]

It sounds like compatibility issue between Outlook 2007 and AVG. I don't use
AVG so I can't say much about it. I'd say google for AVG (the version you're
using) + Outlook 2007 related problems. Also, install Office/Outlook 2007
patches, if there's any.

I'm using Grisoft AVG and I had to completely disable it(not just the
email
scanning portion) before it allowed files to come in properly and be
opened.
It has never created a problem in any other version of Office, that is why
I
thought I must be missing some kind of option on Office2007 that was
creating
the problem. I always keep my AV up to date, but I am going to remove it
and
reinstall, then try again. Any other solutions are still welcome.

 

[Guest]

I did reinstall AVG with the email scanner initialized and it seems to work
fine now. Thanks for everyones help!!
Jim

 

[Brian Tillman]

I did reinstall AVG with the email scanner initialized and it seems
to work fine now. Thanks for everyones help!!

Pray that you don't run into trouble in the future. You should not be
scanning incoming mail.

 

[Guest]

Pray that you don't run into trouble in the future. You should not be
scanning incoming mail.

Ok, I'm totally confused now. Should I just turn off the email scanner that
is a feature of AVG or not?? I have always used AVG and had the email scanner
running and with no problems for 6 years, now you are suggesting that I not
scan email. To be frank with you, I have no idea what it is doing when it is
running, but I cannot see where it would create any problems if it were
scanning. This AVG is set to "Check incoming mail and Outgoing mail" Maybe I
just don't understand the whole concept of how and when something gets
scanned, but I am smart enough to take advice from someone who is more
involved in a particular process than I am, so I'm all ears. I can tell you
this, I do NOT open any email from anyone I do not know religiously......

Jim

 

[Brian Tillman]

Ok, I'm totally confused now. Should I just turn off the email
scanner that is a feature of AVG or not??

There is no need to install the mail scanning portion of AVG. Although AVG
is better than some in integrating well with Outook, there is simply no need
to intruduce the vagaries that scanning of mail introduces.

I have always used AVG and
had the email scanner running and with no problems for 6 years, now
you are suggesting that I not scan email. To be frank with you, I
have no idea what it is doing when it is running, but I cannot see
where it would create any problems if it were scanning.

It introduces unnecessary delays in the communications process between the
mail client and server.

is AVG is
set to "Check incoming mail and Outgoing mail" Maybe I just don't
understand the whole concept of how and when something gets scanned,

Typically, scanners act as proxies between the client and the server,
appearing to be the client, from the server's point of view, and appearing
to be the server, from the client's point of view. This means that the
scanner must log into the server just like the client does, download and
check the messages, then act as the server, handing the scanned messages to
the real client when it asks for them.

but I am smart enough to take advice from someone who is more
involved in a particular process than I am, so I'm all ears. I can
tell you this, I do NOT open any email from anyone I do not know
religiously......

Your brain is, as you appear to realize, the most effective anti-virus tool
you have. By discarding any unexpected message with an attachment and even
those that appear to be from someone you know or trust without first
verifying with the sender, you will protect yourself from any mail-borne
malware.

 

[Guest]

OK, I see now. Thanks for the skinny on the procedure. I never really thought
about the time consumption that scanning would produce. Common sense should
be the big winner here as far as opening strange emails, but common sense
ain't as common as it used to be it seems!! Again, thanks for the pointer.
Jim