Outlook Express & Attatchments...

[Phantom]

Please help me be a Hero for the wife...

She uses the Outlook Express 5 on our Win98 system, while I use Yahoo. She used to be able to open attatchments all the time with no problem. (i.e. photo's or forwarded text). For some reason or other and for some time now, she hasen't been able to open attatchments anymore...They're just not there! Of course...I'm to blame! :rolleyes:

I don't recall if I might have done something stupid on the last reinstall I did some time ago, to remove a virus?

Any replys, tips and/or links to look for are greatly appreciated!

Thank's.
Phantom

[jadison]

1st of all, welcome!

2nd of all: Have you downloaded all of the updates for your OS?
Also, have you checked MSFT's Office Update Site to update all ur Office Apps.??

Check online for Antivirus Software Updates, as well as update ur AV definitions. Then, scan ur whole system for Viruses.
Be sure that you reboot the computer...I know you probably already tried this, but just in case...

*EDIT* Check to make sure the programs that are assosciated with your attachments (such as Word for ".doc" attachments) are OK, and that Outlook correctly associates them
*EDIT*

Also, run Scandisk, or if you have 3rd party software Like Norton, use their Diagnose utility, and WinDoctor utility.

If all else fails, backup Outlook settings/messages/contacts/etc., uninstall it, then re-install the latest version.

[SalaTar]

Did you patch it?
If you patched you IE or outlook it now has a higher security set to it..

[Phantom]

Thank's for your replys!

On this latest clean install, I upgraded, (bought the lastest version of), Mcaffe Virus scan Ver 6.

I also applied MS Internet explorer updates and updated to Outlook Express 5, the same as I did on my last format & clean install, ('bout a year ago).

I don't have any MS Office app's other than what's standard on Win98.

How would I..."Check to make sure the programs that are assosciated with your attachments (such as Word for ".doc" attachments) are OK, and that Outlook correctly associates them"...As quoted by Jadison. I run Scandisk often. I always backup the wifes Outlook files. (be dead if I lost 'em)
:(

I didn't patch Outlook or IE, just applied an upgrade package like I did before.

Thank's again for any suggestions/help!

Phantom

[jadison]

"Many file types in Windows are registered to be opened by a particular program. For example, Notepad starts when you open a text (.txt) file. You can change the program that starts when you open a particular type of file.

1) In My Computer or Windows Explorer, click the View menu, and then click Options.


2) Click the File Types tab.


3) In the Registered file types box, click the file type you want to open with a different program.


4) Click Edit.


5) In the Actions box, click Open.


6) Click Edit.


7) In the Application used to perform action box, type the path to the program you want to use to open files of the selected file type. Or click Browse to select the path from a folder list.

Note Not all registered file types have an Open action."

I would recommend installing MS Word atleast (2000 or XP is fine), and make sure you get a program installed or d/l that can open .jpg/.gif/etc. pictures, that way if your attachment is an image...you'll have software that can open it. If it's a media file (sound, etc.), then Windows Media Player should be sufficient (Windows already comes with this, so you don't need to do anything).

I would go to this site: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/default.htm
and make sure you have ALL of the necessary downloads/updates/etc. in place.

[I'd upgrade to Outlook 6 if it offers it (I'm not sure if Outlook 6 will work on Win98...)]

Let me know how it turns out...sorry I haven't answered sooner...real busy. =)

[jadison]

I've recently come across a similar story of someone having a similar problem.
You might want to tell the person that's sending the attachment to go ahead and zip it first (using WinZip software: WinZip (http://www.winzip.com) ), and then send it to you. Then, you could just unzip the attachment, and access the files.

Let me know if you've been able to fix this problem.