Attachment problem

[Panic]

My friend uses vista mail and, for the last few days, finds that he cannot
open attachments there. He can save them and if he does save them and goes
to them in Explorer he can open them. Any thoughts? He has been able to
open attachments normally until the last few days. He says he has done
nothing in Tools...Options to change things.

 

[Bob]

My friend uses vista mail and, for the last few days, finds that he cannot
open attachments there. He can save them and if he does save them and goes
to them in Explorer he can open them. Any thoughts? He has been able to
open attachments normally until the last few days. He says he has done
nothing in Tools...Options to change things.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

WinMail: Tools | Options | Security | Block images... <=if you
disable/uncheck this option, does the behavior persist?

Has he installed IE8?

What anti-virus application or security suite is installed, is your
subscription current, and is it supported in IE8? What anti-spyware
applications (other than Defender)? What third-party firewall (if any)?
Were any of these applications running in the background when IE8 was
installed?

Has a Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on this machine
(e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you bought it)?

Is there an available Restore Point which predates the install of IE8?
<=Just asking for now!!

 

[Panic]

As an add=on information. He has 2 identities. I had him forward an email
with attachment that he can't open to his other identity and it opens there
just fine.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Not sure what you mean by two "identities".
Windows Mail doesn't support identities.
Do you mean two different Windows users with their own
Windows password?

 

[Panic]

Yes. I use Outlook Express which uses "identities". Not having Vista or
Mail myself I couldn't remember what term is used there. With your reminder
I recall it is "users". But I don't think he uses password protection for
either user. He's the only one who uses his computer and changes user only
to have separate Mail identities for special uses.

Not sure what you mean by two "identities".
Windows Mail doesn't support identities.
Do you mean two different Windows users with their own
Windows password?

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

The solution to this problem depends on which error message he gets
when he attempts to open the attachment. Please post the exact
wording of that error message.

Also, is the problem limited to certain types of attachments
(JPG, DOC, PPS, etc.), or does it affect all attachments?

 

[Panic]

He reports that he gets no message at all. When he chooses Open nothing
happens. And it is that way for all types of attachments. He can Save
them somewhere and open them using Explore. He can forward it to his other
User email address and open it there.

The solution to this problem depends on which error message he gets
when he attempts to open the attachment. Please post the exact
wording of that error message.

Also, is the problem limited to certain types of attachments
(JPG, DOC, PPS, etc.), or does it affect all attachments?

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Strange. Did this problem start after installing IE8?
If so, some have found relief by uninstalling IE8.

The only other possible explanation is interference from an
antivirus program. Which antivirus is he running? Some of
them cause problems with Windows Mail over time.
Make sure the antivirus is not configured to scan emails.