Attachments do not download in Microsoft Mail (Vista)

[KCB]

I sent attachments (Word, Pictures) from my laptop. I can see them when I
access my email via the web. But when they download into MS Mail, they drop.
There's no evidence on the email they were even sent. I've been trying to
figure this out since I got my new PC over 5 weeks ago and keep hitting dead
ends. Hewlett Packard is stumped, so is my internet carrier. HELP!

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Include some additional details, like which email program are you using to
send from the laptop? If Outlook, it has a proprietary RTF format that can't
be decoded by non-Outlook recipients.

You say there is no evidence of the attachment when it's received in
Windows Mail. What about the file size of the email? Do you see
anything when you look at the source code (Ctrl-F3)?

Incidentally, don't misname it "Microsoft Mail". That is something else.

 

[Mellowed]

I sent attachments (Word, Pictures) from my laptop. I can see them when I
access my email via the web. But when they download into MS Mail, they
drop.
There's no evidence on the email they were even sent. I've been trying to
figure this out since I got my new PC over 5 weeks ago and keep hitting
dead
ends. Hewlett Packard is stumped, so is my internet carrier. HELP!

Try this.

From Windows Mail, Go to TOOLS, OPTIONS, SECURITY. Under VIRUS PROTECTION,
make sure that there is no check mark opposite DO NOT ALLOW ATTACHMENTS TO
BE SAVED OR OPENED - - -

 

[KCB]

It's Windows Mail and came with my new PC. The file sizes are small ranging
from 6K to 415K. I checked under OPTIONS/TOOLS/SECURITY and confirmed under
VIRUS Protection, the box prohibiting attachments was not checked.

Since I can send myself attachments using my new PC, but cannot receive the
same attachment using my laptop, I'm beginning to wonder if this issue may
be caused by a firewall protection inherent with the setup of Vista. I
removed the Norton Utilities program that came with the PC so I know that's
not the problem. Any thoughts?

 

[KCB]

I am using Windows Mail and came with my new PC. The file sizes are small
ranging from 6K to 415K. I checked under OPTIONS/TOOLS/SECURITY and
confirmed under VIRUS Protection, the box prohibiting attachments was not
checked.

Since I can send myself attachments using my new PC, but cannot receive the
same attachment using my laptop, I'm beginning to wonder if this issue may
be caused by a firewall protection inherent with the setup of Vista. I
removed the Norton Utilities program that came with the PC so I know that's
not the problem. Any thoughts?

 

[DGT]

I am having exactly the same problem with Windows Mail that comes with Vista.
Some attachments simply do not show up at all. Most of the ones I send from
my laptop (running Windows XP and Outlook) do not show up. Some of the ones I
receive from other people do not show up. It seems to be random what shows up
and what doesn't. I received one from a friend today that was on my laptop,
but not on my desktop. I too have the "attachment virus peotection" disabled.

It is not my Avast anti-virus doing this. I have that on both computers with
the same settings. Plus, it would warn me if it were about to delete an
attachment.

Anybody have any ideas?

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

I asked you about the sending machine. It sounds like you are answering
about the receiving machine.

Vista's Windows Firewall is fully compatible with Windows Mail.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Same question I asked KCB: When there is a problem, is it always a
matter of the sending machine using Outlook? The reason this is often
a problem is because Outlook has a proprietary sending format called RTF.
If the attachment was sent using the RTF format, Windows Mail won't
recognize it. The solution is for the Outlook sender to use plain text or
standard HTML format when sending.

 

[DGT]

Gary,

That's not it either. I checked my settings on the sending machine (laptop)
and it is set for HTML, not RTF.

I did find one thing though, when I went to my e-mail server on the web -
there is an attachment there. But it is not the Microsoft Word Doc file that
I sent. The attachment is called "winmail.dat" - and I can't open it.

The strange thing is that I did receive the attachment back on my laptop
(sending machine) perfectly as a Wod.doc, but on the desktop (receiving
machine) it doesn't show up at all.

One thing to note. I am not using Microsoft Office on the receiving machine.
I am using OpenOffice. Could Microsoft be checking to see if I have Microsoft
Office on my machine when Windows Mail receives an e-mail with a Microsoft
Office attachment and, if I don't, stripping the attachment from the e-mail?

 

[DGT]

OK... I just saw somewhere else on the board to try changing the sending
machine Outlook settings to "Plain Text". I tried that and it worked
perfectly.

But I really don't want to change my settings to plain text every time I
need to send a file from my laptop to my desktop, and I don't want all of my
e-mail to be going out in plain text.

Plus, how could I notify everyone that might send me an attachment to send
it in plain text?

There has to be a better way.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Sorry, but a "winmail.dat" attachment is evidence of the sending machine
having used the non-compatible RTF format. For more on this topic see
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/138053

Whether the receiving machine has Office or not should make no
difference with regard to the type of attachment received by the recipient.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Read the Microsoft KB article I referenced in my previous reply.
You should be able to send compatible HTML from Outlook.

 

[DGT]

Gary,

Thank you very much. It worked - and you saved me a lot of time!

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

You're very welcome.