"this file could not be found" - Windows Mail cant open attached file

Since I installed IE8, I have had a lot of small glitches. I have been able
to clean them all up. But this one has been completely resistant to all my
attempts to solve it.

Here is the problem. Please READ this and do not jump to conclusions (such
as that the problem is a program association problem -- which it is NOT) that
are not based on this scenario, nor recommend to me doing something that I
have already tried.

- I receive a Word document attached to an e-mail.
- I double click on the document in the ATTACH box of the received e-mail.
- Windows Mail opens a MAIL ATTACHMENT window asking if I want to open the
document.
- Word 2007 opens.
- Word 2007 opens a MICROSOFT OFFICE WORD window that says "This file could
not be found. (C:\...\Filename ...)" where Filename is the name of the .DOC
file.

The same thing happens with PDF files: Adobe Acrobat Reader opens but then
opens an ADOBE READER window that says "There was an error opening this
document. This file cannot be found."

So clearly this is not a program association issue. The right programs are
opening. Somehow it is a temporary storage issue. The attached files are not
being put into the temporary storage folder where they are expected to be.

I checked IE8's temporary storage location and it is pointed to
"C:\Users\Me\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files" and is
set to 128MB. I deleted all the temporary internet files just to be sure that
was not the problem. One thing that I did NOT try was moving the Temporary
Internet Folder.

In Windows Mail, I looked at all the Options and could not find any that
dealt with the temporary storage space for attachments.

What is the answer to this one?

No, it's not a problems with the file association and not a problem wit
AntiVirus protection.
It's just problem with Vista security features and changes made by the
IE8 install.
This problem has been reported numerous times.
And there is not yet any solution except uninstalling IE8.
[...]

Your description is the most precise one posted so far. Thanks a
million.
It's exactly what happens on my side on 4 machines under Business 32
(among them a test machine newly set up and with an absolute minimum of
software).

Exactly!!
Part of the game is the specification of the path in "Run in:" in the
link/shortcut used for launching WinMail.
I could break down things to changing the path to a directory with full
writing permissions. If the Run in:" directory is set to "%TEMP% or
%UserProfile%, most file types can be opened (all of Office). But the
problem definitely remains with JPG and TXT attachments (which BTW come
with an error message different from the ones produced by the Office
apps). This has been confirmed by other users un the German Vista NGs.

No need to do so.
Same result as the deletion of the files in "Content.IE5": everything
works for a short while but the problem comes back pretty soon.

The answer is easy: So far nobody knows what is going on backstage. And
therefore no solution.
It would be necessary to make the powers in charge at MS aware of this
serious bug.
And AFAICS it would need experts for the security schemes in Vista.

Thanks again for mist detailed report!

Rainald
P.S. An interesting parallel: In the "msn.discussion" section if these
NGs there are several reports on the same (similar) attachment problems
with the "MSN Explorer". MVP Berit Benson (BeritB, Community Leader -
MSN Internet Access) has posted that disabling UAC (not recommended)
would cure the problem.
I tested it on two of my machines. It did not help.

Well ... I tried the one thing that I had not tried that I thought might work
.... and it did.

I used the Internet Properties (right-clicked on the Windows Mail icon in
the Start list). Under Browsing History, I clicked on SETTINGS. And then I
chose MOVE FOLDER. I moved it to the C: drive root.

And sure enough both Word and PDF attachments open okay.

I then tried moving it back to the directory indicated in my initial post,
and it did still open the DOC file but not the PDF. So I switched it back to
the C: root, and things are now working well.

I have no idea what possible negative implications that there are for this.

One other thing that I did not try was to move the temporary internet files
to the Users\Default\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows folder -- which makes a
bit more sense than using the C: root. But at this point, it is working and I
see no reason to move it out of the root.

Until such time as Microsoft releases a fix, all you can do is use one of
these three workarounds.

1) Uninstall IE8, which reverts you back to IE7.
2) Save attachments first, then open them outside of Windows Mail.
3) Upgrade to Windows Live Mail.

Well ... that "solution" did not last long. Things are back to the "this file
could not be found" problem. But this temporary fix by moving the "Temporary
Internet Files" clearly shows that this is a storage issue.

I sure hope Microsoft steps up to this. It was not a problem until I
installed IE8, which I am now considering uninstalling and going with Firefox
exclusively.

I uninstalled IE8. I have just had it with all the hours of wasted time
trying to clean up the mess that Microsoft made of my PC with IE8 -- even to
the point of unlocking the locked Windows taskbar and reconfiguring it, with
no way that I could re-establish ownership of my own taskbar so that it
stayed the way that I wanted to.

With Vista and now IE8, it is no wonder that Microsoft suffered its first
loss in its corporate history. I certainly hope Windows 7 fixes the Vista
problems, but I have to say that IE8 certainly does not give any reason to
expect that it will. The "we control your PC" that keeps telling me that I do
not have administrator authority when I am the only one on my PC -- phooey
.... I hope Windows 7 is better, but I am not going to be one of the early
guinea pigs to find out if it will.

As for browsers, I am going with Firefox now.

It would have been nice if you had confirmed whether your IE8 uninstall
took care of the Windows Mail attachment problem.
We don't know yet if the finger of blame should be pointed at Microsoft.
The problem could be due to some badly coded third party app that
interferes with a communication between WinMail and IE8.

Yes, uninstalling IE8 did resolve the problem with Windows Mail. I can open
any attachment that I receive again now.

Thanks for that data point. There seem to be several variations
of this issue. Some are fixed by switching to Windows Live Mail
while others are not. I will emphasize only the first two
workarounds from now on.

At one point I upgraded to windows Live Mail and the problem came
along with it. So your number 1) Uninstall IE8 is the only one that
has worked for me.

It is definitely IE8 because I had no problems opening attachments
yesterday, I downloaded IE8 and today I can't open attachements.
Goodbye IE8.

OK... now how do I safely uninstall IE8?

I'm not aware of anyone at Microsoft reading this newsgroup.
Microsoft will not issue any fixes for Windows Mail.
Microsoft long ago advised users who are having problems with
Windows Mail to upgrade to Windows Live Mail.
Windows Live Mail is fully supported by Microsoft, and is receiving the
benefit of ongoing development.

I got the error stating that the file could not be found a couple of days
ago.

The problem was solved when I closed the files I was trying to attach. I
was trying to send the email with the file attached before I had closed the
file. Once I closed it, that error went away.

Your error pertained to sending. What the others are talking about
is the inability to open received attachments. Two different things.

To uninstall IE8: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/957700

I installed Windows Live Mail and it resolved my problem. I also like the
interface better as well as the additional capabilities.

Turn off UAC it will work

Akshay,
I'd wish you were right.
Been there done so and reported a while back already.

Unfortunately even turning UAC off (which not be a working anyway) does
not change anything.