Outlook can't open attachment

[computertechgrl]

I've got a user who received an email with an attachment that everyone else could open, but she could not. The attachment is a bitmap file, when she tries to open it, it gives her an error stating that it contains an OLE object and may have a virus. She clicks "Yes" to open it anyway, and MS Word gives an error stating that the file cannot be opened.

So the question is, why is Word trying to open this file rather than Paint ?

When I open the same file off of a network share, it opens in Paint just fine!?!

(The computer involved runs Win98se and we use Outlook97.)

Thanks,
Erica

[Garak]

what is set to open *.bmp files on that particular PC. also what Anti-Virus is running?

There could be a few reasons why this is happening such as wrong program is allocated to the *.bmp extension..

[computertechgrl]

As I said:
"When I open the same file off of a network share, it opens in Paint just fine!?!"

The computer is configured to open .bmp files in Paint.

That's why I'm so confused!
Erica

BTW: We're running NAVce Full Version 7.60.926

[ilovetheusers]

Enable extentions so you can see if it's a real .bmp file or something else. It may be an .exe, .scr or whatever hiding as a .bmp.

[Archangel42069]

Originally posted by computertechgrl
As I said:
"When I open the same file off of a network share, it opens in Paint just fine!?!"

The computer is configured to open .bmp files in Paint.

That's why I'm so confused!
Erica

BTW: We're running NAVce Full Version 7.60.926

Test with other document types(i.e. *.doc, *.ppt...) If those don't work either then you will have to reinstall office after removing Norton. Which reminds me...did you install Office before or after Norton? Antivirus progs should ALWAYS be the last thing installed...almost always cause problems with other install progs.

[Ya_know]

Originally posted by Archangel42069
Antivirus progs should ALWAYS be the last thing installed...almost always cause problems with other install progs.

Really?

I always install virus apps immediately following the IE and Windows update, all other apps installed afterwards. I can see your suggestion as a general practice, but as a general rule I have to challenge...

[Archangel42069]

Originally posted by Ya_know
Really?

I always install virus apps immediately following the IE and Windows update, all other apps installed afterwards. I can see your suggestion as a general practice, but as a general rule I have to challenge...

As long as you aren't connecting to the internet or using possibly infected disks, Antivirus isn't even needed...but just for an example, I have forgotten to install office before norton before and had to uninstall both progs and reinstall, office first, because norton interferes with the final part of the installation(causes a system hangup) Not really sure what other programs it interferes with, but better safe than sorry.

[ilovetheusers]

I too concur that I have not had issues with the scanner hosing installs of programs.

I don't agree on that one, sorry.

As for the issue, I'm thinking it's a macrovirus masking itself as a .bmp file. Thus it opens word and tries to run a macro as she described. Her DAT's might not be up to date or NAV just isn't picking it up for one reason or another.

[jimmm33]

I had a customer that had this problem. I ran Spy Bot Search and Destroy. I dont know what was causing the problem cause this person had a ton of spyware. It solved the problem though.