E-mail attachment problems

[X-QUORK]

I'm having a problem with missing attachments on outgoing e-mails, nobody seems to receive them - only the e-mail text arrives.
I contacted my ISP earlier this evening, no reply yet. What do you think, is this likely to be a configuration problem or something to do with the ISP ?

I use Windows Me and MS 2000 Outlook.

Any advice gratefully received.

Regards,

X-Q.

[What_does_this_button_do?]

I am wondering if Outlook is stripping the attachments before it sends, so, if you go into the sent items folder do the mails that you sent with an attachment show as still having an attachment in Sent Items?

Also see this (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q235870)

B

[X-QUORK]

Thanks for the info, but I've checked in the Sent Items box and the attachments are present. Have tried sending both Powerpoint and Word files.

[FL310]

I assume that the problem is NOT at your end.
It is either a firewall or an anti-virus program which is set to not allow certain attachments to pass through to the receivers end.

BTW, the last weeks there was a popular run for an Outlook 2002 extension called Extensio, this little program adds a tab to the OPTIONS section and allows or denies attachments to pass to Outlook 2002. If someone just installs the add-on, only the plain text comes through...the attachment file types need to be selected individually. Sounds very much like this filter is doing the job properly...check for that at your friends end.

Another reason for Linux...ahh well...SuSe 8.0 is running nicely here http://www.kaletas-board.org/wbb/images/avatars/avatar-167.gif
http://www.kaletas-board.org/wbb/images/avatars/avatar-188.gif

[G.Khan]

FL310 Is this Extensio part of an MS update/patch etc? or is it from outside MS altogether?

I am having great trouble sending emails with attachments at the moment using MS XPpro and Outlook 2002, some go, usually after a re-boot, most don't go at all, neither the text or the attachment. Had long 'phone sessions with my ISP but to no avail. Norton AV handles incoming only, (no problem, mail or attachments) and Zone Alarm is configured not to handle mail at all. Wondering if you had any ideas please?

[X-QUORK]

FL 310,

Can you confirm that the Extensio patch would only affect Outlook 2002 ? My PC operates on Windows Me and Office 2000, so I'm assuming I send e-mails on Outlook 2000 ?

I did download some sort of update from Windows last week, but it didn't refer to what the changes would be. I've noticed a few "funnies" on the PC since then. Booting-up seems to take longer, the printer driver went AWOL (had to download a 4 in 1 from VIA) and possibly this e-mail attachment problem. Of course, these events could be completely unrelated - but it all seems a bit odd.

I have McAfee Anti-Virus and Zone Alarm Pro installed, but to be honest I haven't spent any time tweeking them or adjusting any settings - could it be that these filter outgoing e-mail ?

As you've probably guessed, I'm no wizard.....just trying to learn as I go along.

Cheers,

X-Q

[Lord Lucan]

I don't know if I am stating the bleedin obvious here but......

With all email trtoubleshooting it is worth sending stuff to yourself and examing the problem first hand.

Maybe the people you sent to before do not know how to handle attatchments. perhaps there are filenameing problems...

At least this way you can see what everyone else got.:rolleyes:

[FL310]

G.Khan no, it is a 3rd party add-on..sorry, don't remember where I saw it. It does not effect outgoing mail, it effects filtering of incoming mail.

X-QUORK yes, only 2002. I don't know what you downloaded, but you should have read it before you started downloading :D ....most probably the 22nd revision of the 38th addendum to the 10th issue of the update notification tool....:mad:

G.Khan Lord Lucan is completely right. Send mail to yourself and see how it arrives...than report back if there are further problems.

http://www.kaletas-board.org/wbb/images/avatars/avatar-167.gif

[G.Khan]

Yes - I have tried several times to 'mail myself', it was a suggestion from the ISP too but all to no avail. Right now short text only going out OK but anything with an attachment and it just hangs up, says connection to server was interrupted, try later or contact ISP, have tried re-configuring to ensure not timed out also!:confused:

[FL310]

G.Khan, click TOOLS-->ACCOUNTS-->MAIL tab-->highlight the account-->PROPERTIES-->ADVANCED tab and in the middle move the slider to the right and set the server time out to 4 minutes.

Report further

[G.Khan]

Yup - Already had it set at 6 mins!

Possibly about time I had a session on the MS helpline asa it could well be an MS problem rather than ISP/connection etc. ?

Just my thoughts - thanks for the interest. GK:)

[Caslance]

There is a Micro$oft Security Update for Outlook 2000 that imposes the same ludicrous restrictions on attachments as those in Outlook 2002.

It caused me no end of fun and amusement at work after the Network Manager insisted we install it, and 800+ network users suddenly found their lives a lot harder. and guess who had to sort it all out???:D

What do if you've downloaded this update, or you use Outlook 2002?

Well, the more adventurous out there can delve into the Windows Registry and do the following (ALWAYS back your Registry up before you modify it):

Find HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Outlook\Sec urity. If the key isn't there you'll have to create it yourself.

Next, add a new string value: Level2Remove. Modify this, and key in a list of the file types that you want to unblock like so: .com;.mdb;.url. The leading "." and semicolons dividing file types are essential!

If you're using Outlook 2002 under WinXP, you could download DetachXP from www.mcdev.com as this will do the job without your having to hack the Registry yourself.

Mind you, if you use Winzip you can always zip your attachments up, as ".zip" isn't one of the blocked formats.

Hope this helps.

edited by Caslance in the interests of sanity

[G.Khan]

Thanks Casalance - I tried using the downloaded DetachXP but no luck. Tried a test to myself with two .jpeg attacments, one 31kb and the other 118kb but nothing happened, all is as before!

Thanks anyway and will talk with MS tomorrow.

[X-QUORK]

Well, I've just successfully sent a Word file and .jpg attachment to myself, so I guess it's nothing to do with the ISP. This is strange....I've proved I can send e-mails out with the attachments, but no-one else receives them ?!

I do have Alarm Zone Pro and McAfee Anti-Virus installed, so I'll check to make sure the settings aren't causing a problem. But if something's blocking outgoing attachments, howcome I can send them to myself ??

Answers on a postcard please ! :(

[FL310]

X-QORK...this is already a major step towards a solution. Next step, send the mail with these attachments to a hotmail, yahoo or whatever account you have (pprune will not work :D ) and see if the attachments arrive there.
I am very convinced now that they do arrive.
This means in simple termes that the problem IS NOT AT YOUR END!

I don't know what your recipients use or filter, but it is at there end.

You can actually try and send a testmail to me at [email protected] with a word attachment or whatever (don't worry, viruses have no chance here). I will let you know immediately.

[X-QUORK]

Thanks to FL 310 I've proven that the problem isn't with my set-up, but everyone else I send e-mails to. This is either a strange coincidence or there are a lot of people out there with similar problems.....

If you've received e-mails minus attachments recently, I'd be interested to know how you solved the problem.