Outlook Automatically zips ALL attachments

[Diannascats]

I am using Microsoft Offce Small Business Edition 2003. A few months ago I
downloaded the SP2 for Office that contained all updates. But whenever I try
to send an attachment the recipient receives it in a zipped folder that's in
ANOTHER zipped folder and then, I am repeatedly told, "jibberish" appears in
the last folder. This happens when sending simple, one-paged Word docs to
trying to send a couple of photos. When I RECEIVE attachments they are in a
compressed mode and the sender did not send them in that manner. I have
looked "everywhere" and cannot figure out how to get Outlook back to sending
attachements the way they should be. I would greatly appreciate any help
anyone can give. Thank you.

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

Outlook has no ability to zip attachments. Look to see what you have for add-ins that would do this. For instance, the old program quickview plus used to have this as an option.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact.

After furious head scratching, Diannascats asked:

| I am using Microsoft Offce Small Business Edition 2003. A few months
| ago I downloaded the SP2 for Office that contained all updates. But
| whenever I try to send an attachment the recipient receives it in a
| zipped folder that's in ANOTHER zipped folder and then, I am
| repeatedly told, "jibberish" appears in the last folder. This
| happens when sending simple, one-paged Word docs to trying to send a
| couple of photos. When I RECEIVE attachments they are in a
| compressed mode and the sender did not send them in that manner. I
| have looked "everywhere" and cannot figure out how to get Outlook
| back to sending attachements the way they should be. I would greatly
| appreciate any help anyone can give. Thank you.

 

[Diannascats]

Thank you for your quick response, Milly. I feel foolishy inept! Windows XP
actually does the "zipping," right?? (I'm using Windows XP Professional).
I'm not giving the command for Windows to zip any folders. Am I making any
sense whatsoever??

 

[VanguardLH]

in message

Thank you for your quick response, Milly. I feel foolishy inept!
Windows XP
actually does the "zipping," right?? (I'm using Windows XP
Professional).
I'm not giving the command for Windows to zip any folders. Am I
making any
sense whatsoever??

Nope. Not Outlook or Windows is doing the automatic zipping. You
have a plug-in or local proxy that is altering your e-mails. The zip
facility in Windows XP only works on folders and files on your hard
disk. There are no folder or files inside of Outlook. Folders and
items inside of Outlook are to represent the hierarchy of your message
store and are inside a single database file.

Start Outlook in its safe mode ("outlook.exe /safe"). That loads
Outlooks without any plug-ins. If your e-mails then send without
getting zipped then you have a plug-in that is causing the problem.

 

[Diannascats]

Thank you VanguardLH!

Excuse my ignorance but I am trying to learn all I can. Where do I find
"add-ins" and "plug-ins?" And, what are they?

 

[VanguardLH]

in message

Excuse my ignorance but I am trying to learn all I can. Where do I
find
"add-ins" and "plug-ins?" And, what are they?

Under Outlook 2002, Tools -> Options -> Other -> Advanced Options
- Add-in Manager
- COM add-ins

Navigation through the menus and panels may differ in Outlook 2003.
Did you try running Outlook in its safe mode, as suggested, to see if
the problem went away?

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

if they are coming from the sender, it could be happening on the mail
server. What type of mail acct do you have?

using command line switches is explained here:
http://www.outlook-tips.net/beginner/switches.htm





** Please include your Outlook version, Account type, and Windows Version
when requesting assistance **

 

[Diannascats]

Yes, I sent an email with an attachment but haven't heard back from my sister
who lives in a different state. She uses AOL. I don't know if that's part
of the problem or not. Thank you for the info regarding add-ons and plug-ins.

I am using a pop and smtp mail account with Roadrunner. Does this info help??

 

[Diannascats]

Diane,

It happens when I send emails. I have a pop/smtp email account using
Roadrunner. Does this help? Also, in the other messages I said I was using
Office 2003 Small Business Edition and the operating system is Windows XP
Professional.

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

I don't think RR does it, but some companies do for their employees email.

Do you have WinZip installed? What firewall and antivirus software do you
use?

In outlook 2003, go to tools, options, other tab, advanced options, add-ins
to see what is installed.



** Please include your Outlook version, Account type, and Windows Version
when requesting assistance **

 

[Diannascats]

Again, thank you Diane!

I don't think I have WinZip installed -- it's not in Add/Remove Programs and
it didn't come up with a "search." Under Add-In Manager two boxes were
checked: "Exchange Extensions propertypages," and "Fax Server Extension."
However, "Install" was highlighted so I don't think either is actually
installed. Under COM Add-Ins there was the sub "Add-Ins Available: "Qurb
Outlook Add-In." I don't know what "qurb" means but since it's "available" I
don't think it's installed, either.

Hope this helps.

 

[Diannascats]

Diane, I'm sorry I forgot the anti-virus/spyware programs: I use CA and
Windows Defender and Spybot Search and Destroy. CA is operational in real
time, of course, and it's always up-to-date. I started using CA about four
months ago. RR offers it free to its customers.

 

[VanguardLH]

in message

Yes, I sent an email with an attachment but haven't heard back from
my sister
who lives in a different state. She uses AOL. I don't know if
that's part
of the problem or not. Thank you for the info regarding add-ons and
plug-ins.

I am using a pop and smtp mail account with Roadrunner. Does this
info help??

Not really. If a plug-in is doing the zipping, it probably doesn't
matter what type of e-mail account(s) you have defined in Outlook.
Don't know why you need to wait for your sister to read your test
e-mail. Just send a test e-mail to yourself but use the webmail
interface to your account to look at that test e-mail rather than
download it back to Outlook.

So when you review the list of add-ons and plug-ins that have been
installed in Outlook, what were they?

 

[VanguardLH]

Again, thank you Diane!

I don't think I have WinZip installed -- it's not in Add/Remove
Programs and
it didn't come up with a "search." Under Add-In Manager two boxes
were
checked: "Exchange Extensions propertypages," and "Fax Server
Extension."
However, "Install" was highlighted so I don't think either is
actually
installed. Under COM Add-Ins there was the sub "Add-Ins Available:
"Qurb
Outlook Add-In." I don't know what "qurb" means but since it's
"available" I
don't think it's installed, either.

If it is listed then it *is* installed. If it is not deselected then
it *is* active.

Qurb is an old anti-spam program that Computer Associates bought and
renamed to their AntiSpam product.

http://www.qurb.com/

So Qurb, er, CA AntiSpam installed a plug-in and is manipulating your
e-mails. Typically anti-spam products only interrogate or touch the
inbound e-mails but some will modify the outbound e-mails. If you
start Outlook in its safe mode ("outlook.exe /safe") then plug-ins are
NOT loaded, and that would include the Qurb plug-in.

I don't bother with products from CA. When CA buys a product, it is
to penetrate a market and not because it is a good product. I've been
in competitor companies that rejoice when CA buys their competitor's
software because that means customers will start to look elsewhere for
the same functionality, especially after the 3-year period after which
CA drops any further development on a product (which was minimal to
start with after they bought the existing software). Like Symantec
regarding consumer-grade software, CA is a publishing house and does
little development other than try to keep their product marketable for
a few years after acquiring it.

Since the name "Qurb" has absolutely no recognition by you, it is not
something that you use or know how to use. So you might as well as
uninstall it. While you mention finding Qurb in the list of plug-ins,
I thought that it added a toolbar to Outlook yet you didn't mention it
(or didn't think about mentioning it).

 

[Diannascats]

Thank you Vanguard. Would anything I mentioned as Add-Ins affect my
attachment problem?

 

[VanguardLH]

Thank you Vanguard. Would anything I mentioned as Add-Ins affect my
attachment problem?

The Qurb plug-in that I already mentioned in my prior post. Starting
Outlook in its safe mode would eliminate that plug-in from loading.

 

[Diannascats]

Hi -- Sorry this is so late but I just returned. I did open Out in Safe Mode
(you can do this by holding down the control key while clicking onto the
Outlook icon to open it). It didn't seem to help but thank you for the
information and all the help you have give.

 

[Diannascats]

Should I eliminate the qurb add-in? I couldn't find where you had responded
to the question about "qurb" before.

 

[VanguardLH]

in message

Should I eliminate the qurb add-in? I couldn't find where you had
responded
to the question about "qurb" before.

From my prior post:

"Qurb is an old anti-spam program that Computer Associates bought and
renamed to their AntiSpam product.

http://www.qurb.com/

So Qurb, er, CA AntiSpam installed a plug-in and is manipulating your
e-mails. Typically anti-spam products only interrogate or touch the
inbound e-mails but some will modify the outbound e-mails."

I have no experience using Qurb. I might've looked at it years ago
but since I didn't stick to using it means that I did not consider it
of value. It is up to you if you want to continue that anti-spam
program. There are better and free solutions available. I use
SpamPal.

 

[VanguardLH]

in message

Hi -- Sorry this is so late but I just returned. I did open Out in
Safe Mode
(you can do this by holding down the control key while clicking onto
the
Outlook icon to open it). It didn't seem to help but thank you for
the
information and all the help you have give.

I have heard that holding the Ctrl key while starting Outlook 2007
will load Outlook in its safe mode. I don't use Outlook 2007 to know
if that actually works. I did not hear of that trick until Outlook
2007. You said you were using Outlook 2003.

Have you yet tried sending your outbound e-mails through Outlook
EXPRESS to see the problem remains? If so, the problem is not in
Outlook but with something upstream of the e-mail client.