Vista - I can't open some email attachments.

I can open a small amount of my email attachments but not very many on my new
laptop. I get a message from windows that says, Windows cannot open this
file. To open this file, Windows needs to know what program you want to use
to open it. Windows can go online to look it up automatically, or you can
manually select from a list of programs that are installed on your computer.
What do you want to do? Use the web server to find the correct program?
Select a program from a list of installed programs? I am at a loss as to what
to do. I have never had a problem opening attachments and am very confused.
Thank you.

"PackerFan" <PackerFan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:7A0BFE91-15BF-45A3-B5F8-A97F8A549353@microsoft.com...
>I can open a small amount of my email attachments but not very many on my
>new
> laptop. I get a message from windows that says, Windows cannot open this
> file. To open this file, Windows needs to know what program you want to
> use
> to open it. Windows can go online to look it up automatically, or you can
> manually select from a list of programs that are installed on your
> computer.
> What do you want to do? Use the web server to find the correct program?
> Select a program from a list of installed programs? I am at a loss as to
> what
> to do. I have never had a problem opening attachments and am very
> confused.
> Thank you.

What kind of attachment?

Is it an expected attachment from someone you know? If not you probably
shouldn't open it.

If you know it's safe can you save it to your Documents folder and open it
there?

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
Do not send mail.

"Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM" <franksaunders@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:242D8701-63DB-4130-8C10-FC7939DC56B5@microsoft.com...
> "PackerFan" <PackerFan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:7A0BFE91-15BF-45A3-B5F8-A97F8A549353@microsoft.com...
>>I can open a small amount of my email attachments but not very many on my
>>new
>> laptop. I get a message from windows that says, Windows cannot open this
>> file. To open this file, Windows needs to know what program you want to
>> use
>> to open it. Windows can go online to look it up automatically, or you can
>> manually select from a list of programs that are installed on your
>> computer.
>> What do you want to do? Use the web server to find the correct program?
>> Select a program from a list of installed programs? I am at a loss as to
>> what
>> to do. I have never had a problem opening attachments and am very
>> confused.
>> Thank you.
>
> What kind of attachment?
>
> Is it an expected attachment from someone you know? If not you probably
> shouldn't open it.
>
> If you know it's safe can you save it to your Documents folder and open
> it there?
>
> --
> Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
> Do not send mail.

In addition to the advice offered, after saving it to the My Documents
folder, I always use a 'belt and braces' approach, and right click the
attachment and choose scan with my AV software before opening.

--
Regards Steve.
MS-MVP. OE. [DTS]
http://www.getsafeonline.org/

They are from people I know. I just tried that, and it does the same
thing.Then if I click the use the web to search for a program it goes to a
windows file association page, that says. Windows has the following
information about this type of file type. This page will help you find
software needed to open your file. file type. Email. File extension. email .
Description... This file is an email message. The file can be opened by
launching the "select the program from a list "and select notepad You may
search following web sites for related software and information. Windows live
search. You may purchase or download software related to this file type from
following websites. Windows Marketplace. These email attachments are just
regular email attachments that I have always received and opened on all of my
computers. I just purchased this laptop and I haven't been able to open them
at all on this one.

"Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM" wrote:

> "PackerFan" <PackerFan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:7A0BFE91-15BF-45A3-B5F8-A97F8A549353@microsoft.com...
> >I can open a small amount of my email attachments but not very many on my
> >new
> > laptop. I get a message from windows that says, Windows cannot open this
> > file. To open this file, Windows needs to know what program you want to
> > use
> > to open it. Windows can go online to look it up automatically, or you can
> > manually select from a list of programs that are installed on your
> > computer.
> > What do you want to do? Use the web server to find the correct program?
> > Select a program from a list of installed programs? I am at a loss as to
> > what
> > to do. I have never had a problem opening attachments and am very
> > confused.
> > Thank you.
>
> What kind of attachment?
>
> Is it an expected attachment from someone you know? If not you probably
> shouldn't open it.
>
> If you know it's safe can you save it to your Documents folder and open it
> there?
>
> --
> Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
> Do not send mail.
>

Save the attachment. Rename the saved file, changing .email to .eml.
When you double-click that file it should open in Windows Mail.

Gary VanderMolen

"PackerFan" <PackerFan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:FFF7F5BD-E1B7-4B93-A0EF-1C093848C88C@microsoft.com...
> They are from people I know. I just tried that, and it does the same
> thing.Then if I click the use the web to search for a program it goes to a
> windows file association page, that says. Windows has the following
> information about this type of file type. This page will help you find
> software needed to open your file. file type. Email. File extension. email .
> Description... This file is an email message. The file can be opened by
> launching the "select the program from a list "and select notepad You may
> search following web sites for related software and information. Windows live
> search. You may purchase or download software related to this file type from
> following websites. Windows Marketplace. These email attachments are just
> regular email attachments that I have always received and opened on all of my
> computers. I just purchased this laptop and I haven't been able to open them
> at all on this one.
>
> "Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM" wrote:
>
>> "PackerFan" <PackerFan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:7A0BFE91-15BF-45A3-B5F8-A97F8A549353@microsoft.com...
>> >I can open a small amount of my email attachments but not very many on my
>> >new
>> > laptop. I get a message from windows that says, Windows cannot open this
>> > file. To open this file, Windows needs to know what program you want to
>> > use
>> > to open it. Windows can go online to look it up automatically, or you can
>> > manually select from a list of programs that are installed on your
>> > computer.
>> > What do you want to do? Use the web server to find the correct program?
>> > Select a program from a list of installed programs? I am at a loss as to
>> > what
>> > to do. I have never had a problem opening attachments and am very
>> > confused.
>> > Thank you.
>>
>> What kind of attachment?
>>
>> Is it an expected attachment from someone you know? If not you probably
>> shouldn't open it.
>>
>> If you know it's safe can you save it to your Documents folder and open it
>> there?
>>
>> --
>> Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
>> Do not send mail.
>>

Thank you very much, they are all opening up!!!!! That was the fix and very
simple

"Gary VanderMolen" wrote:

> Save the attachment. Rename the saved file, changing .email to .eml.
> When you double-click that file it should open in Windows Mail.
>
> Gary VanderMolen
>
> "PackerFan" <PackerFan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:FFF7F5BD-E1B7-4B93-A0EF-1C093848C88C@microsoft.com...
> > They are from people I know. I just tried that, and it does the same
> > thing.Then if I click the use the web to search for a program it goes to a
> > windows file association page, that says. Windows has the following
> > information about this type of file type. This page will help you find
> > software needed to open your file. file type. Email. File extension. email .
> > Description... This file is an email message. The file can be opened by
> > launching the "select the program from a list "and select notepad You may
> > search following web sites for related software and information. Windows live
> > search. You may purchase or download software related to this file type from
> > following websites. Windows Marketplace. These email attachments are just
> > regular email attachments that I have always received and opened on all of my
> > computers. I just purchased this laptop and I haven't been able to open them
> > at all on this one.
> >
> > "Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM" wrote:
> >
> >> "PackerFan" <PackerFan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:7A0BFE91-15BF-45A3-B5F8-A97F8A549353@microsoft.com...
> >> >I can open a small amount of my email attachments but not very many on my
> >> >new
> >> > laptop. I get a message from windows that says, Windows cannot open this
> >> > file. To open this file, Windows needs to know what program you want to
> >> > use
> >> > to open it. Windows can go online to look it up automatically, or you can
> >> > manually select from a list of programs that are installed on your
> >> > computer.
> >> > What do you want to do? Use the web server to find the correct program?
> >> > Select a program from a list of installed programs? I am at a loss as to
> >> > what
> >> > to do. I have never had a problem opening attachments and am very
> >> > confused.
> >> > Thank you.
> >>
> >> What kind of attachment?
> >>
> >> Is it an expected attachment from someone you know? If not you probably
> >> shouldn't open it.
> >>
> >> If you know it's safe can you save it to your Documents folder and open it
> >> there?
> >>
> >> --
> >> Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
> >> Do not send mail.
> >>
>
>

Glad to help out.

Gary VanderMolen

"PackerFan" <PackerFan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:A0DE2A4F-2067-4C23-A944-E194DE04D64B@microsoft.com...
> Thank you very much, they are all opening up!!!!! That was the fix and very
> simple
>
> "Gary VanderMolen" wrote:
>
>> Save the attachment. Rename the saved file, changing .email to .eml.
>> When you double-click that file it should open in Windows Mail.
>>
>> Gary VanderMolen
>>
>> "PackerFan" <PackerFan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:FFF7F5BD-E1B7-4B93-A0EF-1C093848C88C@microsoft.com...
>> > They are from people I know. I just tried that, and it does the same
>> > thing.Then if I click the use the web to search for a program it goes to a
>> > windows file association page, that says. Windows has the following
>> > information about this type of file type. This page will help you find
>> > software needed to open your file. file type. Email. File extension. email .
>> > Description... This file is an email message. The file can be opened by
>> > launching the "select the program from a list "and select notepad You may
>> > search following web sites for related software and information. Windows live
>> > search. You may purchase or download software related to this file type from
>> > following websites. Windows Marketplace. These email attachments are just
>> > regular email attachments that I have always received and opened on all of my
>> > computers. I just purchased this laptop and I haven't been able to open them
>> > at all on this one.
>> >
>> > "Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM" wrote:
>> >
>> >> "PackerFan" <PackerFan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> >> news:7A0BFE91-15BF-45A3-B5F8-A97F8A549353@microsoft.com...
>> >> >I can open a small amount of my email attachments but not very many on my
>> >> >new
>> >> > laptop. I get a message from windows that says, Windows cannot open this
>> >> > file. To open this file, Windows needs to know what program you want to
>> >> > use
>> >> > to open it. Windows can go online to look it up automatically, or you can
>> >> > manually select from a list of programs that are installed on your
>> >> > computer.
>> >> > What do you want to do? Use the web server to find the correct program?
>> >> > Select a program from a list of installed programs? I am at a loss as to
>> >> > what
>> >> > to do. I have never had a problem opening attachments and am very
>> >> > confused.
>> >> > Thank you.
>> >>
>> >> What kind of attachment?
>> >>
>> >> Is it an expected attachment from someone you know? If not you probably
>> >> shouldn't open it.
>> >>
>> >> If you know it's safe can you save it to your Documents folder and open it
>> >> there?
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
>> >> Do not send mail.
>> >>
>>
>>

I bought a new computer this week and have the same problem. cant open attachment in any program i try