Can't open this item error. Unable to accept a Task.

[Angela Jackson]

A Microsoft Outlook 2003 client using a POP3 mail account profile gets the
following error when trying to accept or view a task request sent from
another POP3 Outlook 2003 user: "Can' t open this item. Outlook cannot do
this action on this type of attachment. "

We have tried and failed to resolve it by: uninstall and reinstall Outlook
2003 with SP 3. Created a new outlook mail account. Created a whole new
Windows XP User account profile. changed security settings to accept Active
X controls. Deactived email protection including antiviral program and
firewalls. changed settings to not use MS Word as the editing tool. What
else can we try? During the uninstall, I went into the registry and removed
all folders for Outlook 8, 9, 10, 11 for local machine and current user. Any
other ideas?

None of the other clients in our company are experiencing this issue. They
are all running the same software packages.

 

[Nikki Peterson [MVP - Outlook]]

First thing I would try is to clean up the forms cache.

To do so, follow these steps:
1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. Click the Other tab, and then click Advanced Options.
3. Click Custom Forms.
4. Click Manage Forms.
5. Click Clear Cache.
6. Close all open windows, and then restart Outlook 2003.

If the above does not work, try the following.

Deleting the Forms Cache File:
The Frmcache.dat file is the primary file to delete. The Frmcache.dat
file serves as an index of the individual forms that have been cached
on the computer. Use the following steps to manually delete the
Frmcache.dat file. In addition, these steps delete all of the cached
forms on your computer, which are stored in subfolders of the
Forms folder.

1.. Quit Outlook.
2.. Search the Hard drive (<F3>) to locate the Frmcache.dat file.
(Be sure to check in HIDDEN files on W2K or WXP.)
3.. Delete all that are found from the FIND window.
4.. Open Outlook.

When you restart Outlook, and use a form, the forms cache
is re-created.

Nikki Peterson