Winmail.dat -> NOT RTF related

[beauco]

Hi there,

I have several users in an Exchange 2003, various OL versions
environment who receive emails from eachother with winmail.dat
attachments regardless of mail format from sending client.

So:
- Internal all Outlook client
- regardless of setting on client
- Checked the Exchange server, and the send as RTF setting is unticked
there.

What strikes me the most with this problem is that its Outlook clients
who get an email with winmail.dat. So regardless of the fact that there
is clearly something wrong here (possibly on the Exchange server) IMHO
Outlook should recognise and process winmail.dat, no?

Thanks

 

[Thomas Quester]

There are at least two settings, one global in tools/options and one hidden
in the email address. If you double click an email address, you can choose
the format. The format is also stored in email addresses in your contact
folder and address books. The format specification in the email address is
stronger than the global options.

Thomas Quester
www.olfolders.de

 

[beauco]

Hi,

could you please explain how exactly I can access this setting "in the
email address".
I can't find it.

Thanks

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

double click on the address in the to field. if a contact form opens, double
click on the address in the email address field. You'll see the format
option in the dialog.

BTW -

Outlook should recognize and process winmail.dat, no?

No... this doesn't mean anything. Some SMTP servers corrupt the winmail.dat
and outlook can't decode it.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Coauthor, OneNote 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)

Need Help with Common Tasks? http://www.outlook-tips.net/beginner/

 

[beauco]

HI, thanks,

when I add the user to the to: field and double click it, the user
properties open with all the users AD details on the first tab except
her email address. When I switch to the email addresses tab I see all
her email addresses and they are selectable but I cannot get any
additional properties of them.

Additional info:
Im in an Windows 2003 AD environment with Exchange 2003 and the
properties brought up are the details from the Global Address List.

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

The GAL doesn't have the properties, because it shouldn't matter as the
users are generally all within the same exchange server. They shouldn't get
wimmail.dats at all unless the message leaves the server.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Coauthor, OneNote 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)

Need Help with Common Tasks? http://www.outlook-tips.net/beginner/

 

[beauco]

" They shouldn't get
winmail.dats at all unless the message leaves the server. "

Yeah! I know ... I figured that too thats why I was stressing that
there appears to be something else wrong here then the usual problem
reported.

Fact is they DO get winmail.dat attachments on some of the emails sent
around the office.

So help much appreciated.

 

[Brian Tillman]

Fact is they DO get winmail.dat attachments on some of the emails sent
around the office.

Some versions of Exchange had an issue with that, I think. See of one of
the articles here helps:
http://support.microsoft.com/search...t=0&comm=1&ast=1&ast=2&ast=3&mode=a&x=15&y=19

 

[beauco]

I have checked the list of kb articles again (I had actaully already
looked) and found nothing new/applicable to us.

The ultra weird thing here is that this problem "normally" only appears
to be related to internet mail and not internal mail over the Exchange
server.

Maybe someone can explain to me which part of the mail handling on the
Exchange server could mess up the email format?

 

[beauco]

-kick-

Let me explain again:
These are Outlook 2000/2003 Exchange clients connecting to a local
Exchange 2003 Server, sending email to eachother in HTML format with
"Never use RTF" ticked in Exchange System Manager.

And they still get winmail.dat attachments!

I find it trully amazing after all these years of experience in IT I
finally have a "new" problem the community has no answer to

 

[Guest]

Hi, I was wondering if you ever found the problem. I have come across it as
well. My situation:
Two exchange server 2003 boxes. Mailboxes in either server can send
attachments to the outside world just fine. Server1 users can send
attachments to Server2 mailboxes just fine, but users on Server2 cannot send
attachments to users on Server1, they get winmail.dat files. Both servers
have Exchange 2003 with SP2 installed.

My research has turned up info that Exchange sends messages within a Routing
Group via TNEF with is very similar to RTF, this seems to be the problem, but
can't turn off this "feature."

Of course, this should NOT be a problem because all users are using Outlook,
HOWEVER, they are getting winmail.dat files.

Thanks,

 

[Nikki]

You may want to look into the configuration of the Exchange Servers:

How to configure Internet e-mail message formats at the user and the domain
levels in Exchange Server 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;821750

Fixing problems recipients have with your Outlook messages
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA010549391033.aspx?mode=print

I will check my stuff at work. I think I have more there that may help.

Nikki Peterson

"(e-mail address removed)"

 

[Guest]

Thanks, the 821750 article is helpful, but my problem is within the exchange
org - from one server to another in the same routing group.
821750 says: Note ...Setting [RTF] to Never use so that you can communicate
with external parties will not affect the use of Exchange RTF format for
interchange between Outlook users within your internal Exchange organization.
Essentially, Exchange keeps using RTF (or actually NTEF) internally. One
would think this would not be a problem because everyone is using Outlook as
the client, but alas, they all get winmail.dat when sending attachments from
the second server's mailboxes to the first server's mailboxes -
interestingly, not the other way around. That is, all is OK from Server1 to
Server2, but not from Server2 to Server1.

Thanks, again...

 

[Nikki]

Have you tried posting this on the microsoft.public.exchange?
There are alot of possible gotcha's with this. I would give the
Exchange Admins a try.

Nikki

"(e-mail address removed)"

Thanks, the 821750 article is helpful, but my problem is within the
exchange
org - from one server to another in the same routing group.
821750 says: Note ...Setting [RTF] to Never use so that you can
communicate
with external parties will not affect the use of Exchange RTF format for
interchange between Outlook users within your internal Exchange
organization.
Essentially, Exchange keeps using RTF (or actually NTEF) internally. One
would think this would not be a problem because everyone is using Outlook
as
the client, but alas, they all get winmail.dat when sending attachments
from
the second server's mailboxes to the first server's mailboxes -
interestingly, not the other way around. That is, all is OK from Server1
to
Server2, but not from Server2 to Server1.

Thanks, again...
--
BillB

You may want to look into the configuration of the Exchange Servers:

How to configure Internet e-mail message formats at the user and the
domain
levels in Exchange Server 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;821750

Fixing problems recipients have with your Outlook messages
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA010549391033.aspx?mode=print

I will check my stuff at work. I think I have more there that may help.

Nikki Peterson

"(e-mail address removed)"