Outlook Express Issue

Greta · Jun 9, 2003

My aunt called me today to ask for help. She just bought a new Dell last month and as she has always done, she is using Outlook Express as her mailer. Since she got this new computer, she has been unable to open attachments to her emails in Outlook Express. The little paperclippy thing is there on the right and she can click on it but nothing happens. The attachments don't open. And the little menu that shows the name of the attachments and the option to "Save Attachments" are muted so that she can't click on them. I know this is something easy but I'm stuck on dumb and can't figure out how to fix this for her. Can anyone help her out here?

(I would really appreciate it if this didn't turn into a thread about why she shouldn't use Outlook Express and how she should get another mailer, blahblahblah... she (and I) both like Outlook Express and are not interested in switching).

TIA!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

e=mc² · Jun 9, 2003

Did you check to see if the "Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened that could be potentially a virus." is <font color="red">unchecked</font>. All current releases of OE and anyone who had an older version of OE6 and applied the microsoft security updates will be affected. It now treats all attachments as "suspicious" according to Microsoft.

Hope this is useful. If not, then I am at a loss.
Added: (my bad)
This is located under options on the security tab.

Ed.

Empath · Jun 9, 2003

Goto "Tools", "Options", "Security". You'll need to untick the option that says something to the effect "Do not allow me to open or save attachments".

Greta · Jun 9, 2003

I just checked that on my own OE and it looks like that is the culprit. I fired off an email to my aunt telling her what to do.

Thanks guys!! I knew someone here would have the answer... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

PhotonBoy · Jun 9, 2003

When she does this, she's opening the barn door, so advise her to be *really* careful or to use an anti-virus program.

If, after installing and running Norton, for example, you have problems, make sure your incoming mail server address and user name are okay. If not, change them to the original values you set; Norton has a habit of over-writing them and crippling your incoming mail.