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Windows Live Mail will not open PDF attachements

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Lance

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Apr 21, 2009, 6:18:04 PM4/21/09
to
Ok, First, I am MCP.
Second, the machine I am going to mention is fresh out of the box with this
problem.
It is a brand new HP system. The first thing I did was configure Windows
Mail for the customer's info, so we could get the keycode for one of her
programs.
Attached was a PDF which would not open... error stating that NO
program was associated with this file.... I went back and checked, Adobe
Reader 9 was installed, and pdf files were already associated with it. As
soon as I save the pdf attachment to the desktop, it opens. Go back and
attempt to open from Windows Mail, and it fails with the same error.

I thought AV, so I uninstalled the demo, which had not been opened yet,
but no change in Windows Mail.

Let me stress that this is fresh out of the box, ordered directly from the
MFG. My customer really would like an answer to this problem besides "use a
different email program"
Thank you

PA Bear [MS MVP]

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Apr 21, 2009, 9:32:54 PM4/21/09
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cf.
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.internetexplorer.general/msg/8e52faea715b4a9e

> Ok, First, I am MCP.

Are other MCPs unable to tell the difference between Windows Mail and
Windows Live Mail? Do other MCPs know the difference between multiposting
and crossposting (http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm)?

In any event, you'll find support for Windows Live Mail (WLMail) in this
public newsgroup: microsoft.public.windows.live.mail.desktop

Or if it is Windows Mail, this one: microsoft.public.windows.vista.mail

Rainald Taesler

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Apr 22, 2009, 5:28:52 AM4/22/09
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Lance wrote:

> Attached was a PDF which would not open... error stating that NO
> program was associated with this file.... I went back and checked,
> Adobe Reader 9 was installed, and pdf files were already associated
> with it. As soon as I save the pdf attachment to the desktop, it
> opens. Go back and attempt to open from Windows Mail, and it fails
> with the same error.

Obviously a problem with the file associations.
Pls see my reply to your (misplaced) posting in the thread "Windows Mail
attachments won't open after installing IE8" in
"internet.explorer.general", Message-ID:
<#GxZBkyw...@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl>
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.internetexplorer.general/browse_frm/thread/b4e2d99e6f8e5350/c7e40d3229268df1?hl=de#c7e40d3229268df1

Rainald
P.S. Why do you come through the crippled web-interface and do not use a
NewsReader? You have WinMail which works fine

Rainald

unread,
Apr 22, 2009, 5:34:02 AM4/22/09
to
Lance wrote:

> Attached was a PDF which would not open... error stating that NO
> program was associated with this file.... I went back and checked,
> Adobe Reader 9 was installed, and pdf files were already associated
> with it. As soon as I save the pdf attachment to the desktop, it
> opens. Go back and attempt to open from Windows Mail, and it fails
> with the same error.

Obviously a problem with the file associations.

Lance

unread,
Apr 22, 2009, 10:56:06 AM4/22/09
to

"Rainald Taesler" wrote:

> Lance wrote:
>
> > Attached was a PDF which would not open... error stating that NO
> > program was associated with this file.... I went back and checked,
> > Adobe Reader 9 was installed, and pdf files were already associated
> > with it. As soon as I save the pdf attachment to the deskto

> > opens. Go back and attempt to open from Windows Mail, and it fails
> > with the same error.
>
> Obviously a problem with the file associations.
> Pls see my reply to your (misplaced) posting in the thread "Windows Mail
> attachments won't open after installing IE8" in
> "internet.explorer.general", Message-ID:
> <#GxZBkyw...@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl>
> http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.internetexplorer.general/browse_frm/thread/b4e2d99e6f8e5350/c7e40d3229268df1?hl=de#c7e40d3229268df1
>
> Rainald
> P.S. Why do you come through the crippled web-interface and do not use a
> NewsReader? You have WinMail which works fine
>
>

Ok, I mis typed the problem. It is Windows Mail.
It is NOT a file association problem as PDF files open just fine if saved to
the desktop. ONLY when one attempts to open the pdf attchment in Windows Mail
does it fail to open. I have gone into settings and checked file
associations and it shows Adobe Reader is set, but it still will not open
unless first saved to the hard drive someplace

Lance

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Apr 22, 2009, 10:51:02 AM4/22/09
to

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:

> cf.
> http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.internetexplorer.general/msg/8e52faea715b4a9e
>
> > Ok, First, I am MCP.
>
> Are other MCPs unable to tell the difference between Windows Mail and
> Windows Live Mail? Do other MCPs know the difference between multiposting
> and crossposting (http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm)?

SO ARE ALL MVPs RUDE AHOLES WHO DON'T BOTHER TO ACTUALLY ANSWER THE QUESTION
AND INSTEAD BELITTLE PEOPLE WITH LEGIT PROBLEMS?
IT IS PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO HELP GIVE MICROSOFT A BAD NAME.

Rainald

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Apr 22, 2009, 11:33:03 AM4/22/09
to

Hi Lance,
it is a WinMail problem.
But I am sure that in your case it is a problem with the file-associations
too.
That the a PDF opens correctly does not at all mean that the associations
for mail are OK.
This a "known problem" which appears rather often. And I have been dealing
with it every so often.

The recipe I suggested woks reliably.
Pls also read the article I quited in the other thread[1]

Rainald
[1]
http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/236/1/Unable-to-open-PDF-attachments-from-Windows-Mail.html

Lance

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Apr 22, 2009, 11:54:15 AM4/22/09
to

"Rainald" wrote:

Rainald,
Thank you for your help and good advice. I will look into it and see what
happens. I appreciate your help and considerate wording, unlike that other
jerk further up the thread.
Your response is 1) the type of help one would expect from a Microsoft site,
and 2) a PROFESSIONAL response

Thank You

Rainald Taesler

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Apr 22, 2009, 1:46:24 PM4/22/09
to
Lance schrieb:

> Thank you for your help and good advice. I will look into it and see
> what happens. I appreciate your help and considerate wording, unlike
> that other jerk further up the thread.
> Your response is 1) the type of help one would expect from a
> Microsoft site, and 2) a PROFESSIONAL response

Thanks for the flowers, Lance.
As I had benn fighting with this problem under several versions of
AdobeReader and Acrobat and OE, I just try do what I can for others.

Pls report how things develop.

Rainald

N. Miller

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Apr 22, 2009, 4:32:14 PM4/22/09
to
On Wed, 22 Apr 2009 08:54:15 -0700, Lance wrote:

> Thank you for your help and good advice. I will look into it and see what
> happens. I appreciate your help and considerate wording, unlike that other
> jerk further up the thread.
> Your response is 1) the type of help one would expect from a Microsoft site,
> and 2) a PROFESSIONAL response

Except that this isn't a Microsoft "site", it is a Microsoft operated
newsgroup, staffed by non-Microsoft volunteers. The appearance of being a
"site" is through the courtesy of an extremely, and typically MS lame,
"HTTP-to-NNTP" thingamajig. Which doesn't work well half the time, and
doesn't work at all the rest of the time.

--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum

N. Miller

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Apr 22, 2009, 4:29:11 PM4/22/09
to
On Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:51:02 -0700, Lance wrote:

> SO ARE ALL MVPs RUDE AHOLES WHO DON'T BOTHER TO ACTUALLY ANSWER THE QUESTION
> AND INSTEAD BELITTLE PEOPLE WITH LEGIT PROBLEMS?

In my experience, MVPs are twice as smart, and half as rude as hip shooting,
caps typing MCPs.

> IT IS PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO HELP GIVE MICROSOFT A BAD NAME.

Microsoft got their bad name through their own corporate arrogance, and
independent of anything any MVP could say, or do.

Rainald

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Apr 22, 2009, 6:09:02 PM4/22/09
to
"N. Miller" wrote:
> On Wed, 22 Apr 2009 08:54:15 -0700, Lance wrote:
>
> Except that this isn't a Microsoft "site", it is a Microsoft operated
> newsgroup, staffed by non-Microsoft volunteers.

Sorry, I take the liberty to object!
This is an MS site, indeed.

> The appearance of being a
> "site" is through the courtesy of an extremely, and typically MS lame,
> "HTTP-to-NNTP" thingamajig. Which doesn't work well half the time, and
> doesn't work at all the rest of the time.

Basically it's a *newsgroup*.
The web-interface which has been put on top is terrible.
IMHO it's hardly usable.

I for one would plea for abolishing it.

But - really counterproductive - is the fact that at present the mirroring
does not work in a reliable way.
The msnews newsserver is mirrored on a larger number of newsservers run by
other news-providers (Google groups, f.e.).
This is broken since early April.
Therefore things posted via the MS newsserver do not appear on the mirrors.
And - partly - vice versa.
What Google presents at present is the pattern of "Swiss Chease" (a lot of
big wholes).

Not even what is posted with a NewsReader over the MS newsserver is
appearing if the group is visited via the web-interface and vice versa; only
parts of what is posted over the web-interface appears in a newsreader with a
subscription for msnews.

To make a long story short: It's a total mess at present. {siiiigh}

And obviously nobody cares ...

Rainald

PA Bear [MS MVP]

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Apr 22, 2009, 6:08:25 PM4/22/09
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[Give Norman a gold star!]

...winston

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Apr 23, 2009, 3:55:03 AM4/23/09
to
Then why are you using it instead of a nttp capable client ?
Your properties - X-Newsreader: Microsoft CDO for Windows 2000

--
...winston
ms-mvp mail

"Rainald" <tae...@gmx.de> wrote in message news:BE579E0A-D691-43B3...@microsoft.com...

Lance

unread,
Apr 23, 2009, 10:14:01 AM4/23/09
to
Rainald,

You were exactly correct. The program you suggested corrected the problem.
Thank you for your help, and I appreciate you answering the problem.

Rainald Taesler

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Apr 23, 2009, 10:24:03 AM4/23/09
to
...winston wrote:

> Then why are you using it instead of a nttp capable client ?

Just "per accident" - more or less <g>

> Your properties - X-Newsreader: Microsoft CDO for Windows 2000

My normal instrument for mail and news is WinMail. I hardly ever use the
web-interface.
In the case given I wanted to check the situation with the
malfunctioning if the news-servers and see what appears there. Once
there I posted a reply there. As I got a notification on a reply (one of
the few advantages of using the web-interface) I clicked the link and
then posted again.

But it's really exceptional situation. IIRC I did not send mire then 10
postings there during the last months.

Rainald
P.S. As an MVP you might have some connections to the powers in charge.
It would be nice if you might make them aware of the terrible situation
with the mirrors

> "Rainald" <tae...@gmx.de> wrote in message
> news:BE579E0A-D691-43B3...@microsoft.com...
>> The web-interface which has been put on top is terrible.
>> IMHO it's hardly usable.
>>
>> I for one would plea for abolishing it.
>>
>> But - really counterproductive - is the fact that at present the
>> mirroring does not work in a reliable way.
>> The msnews newsserver is mirrored on a larger number of newsservers
>> run by other news-providers (Google groups, f.e.).
>> This is broken since early April.
>> Therefore things posted via the MS newsserver do not appear on the
>> mirrors. And - partly - vice versa.

>> What Google presents at present is the pattern of "Swiss Cheese" (a

Rainald Taesler

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Apr 23, 2009, 10:45:59 AM4/23/09
to
Lance wrote:

>>> Thank you for your help and good advice. I will look into it and see
>>> what happens. I appreciate your help and considerate wording,
>>> unlike that other jerk further up the thread.
>>> Your response is 1) the type of help one would expect from a
>>> Microsoft site, and 2) a PROFESSIONAL response
>>
>> Thanks for the flowers, Lance.

>> As I had been fighting with this problem under several versions of


>> AdobeReader and Acrobat and OE, I just try do what I can for others.
>>
>> Pls report how things develop.
>

> You were exactly correct. The program you suggested corrected the
> problem. Thank you for your help, and I appreciate you answering the
> problem.

Thanks for the feedback, Lance!

I was pretty sure that it would work ;-)

All the best

Rainald

N. Miller

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Apr 23, 2009, 12:05:52 PM4/23/09
to
On Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:09:02 -0700, Rainald wrote:

> "N. Miller" wrote:

>> On Wed, 22 Apr 2009 08:54:15 -0700, Lance wrote:

>> Except that this isn't a Microsoft "site", it is a Microsoft operated
>> newsgroup, staffed by non-Microsoft volunteers.

> Sorry, I take the liberty to object!
> This is an MS site, indeed.

I suppose 'mail.pacbell.net' is a "site" also. I do not concur. As far as I
am concerned, if it isn't on the web, it isn't a "site". Neither
'mail.pacbell.net', nor 'msnews.microsoft.com' are "on the web".

Rainald Taesler

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Apr 23, 2009, 4:06:06 PM4/23/09
to
N. Miller schrieb:

>>> Except that this isn't a Microsoft "site", it is a Microsoft
>>> operated newsgroup, staffed by non-Microsoft volunteers.
>
>> Sorry, I take the liberty to object!
>> This is an MS site, indeed.
>
> I suppose 'mail.pacbell.net' is a "site" also. I do not concur. As
> far as I am concerned, if it isn't on the web, it isn't a "site".
> Neither 'mail.pacbell.net', nor 'msnews.microsoft.com' are "on the
> web".

It's on the web too! See:
http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.aspx
<bg,d&r>

Rainald

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