Unable to Open or View E-Mail Attachments on Windows CE Device

ID: Q195448

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows CE versions 1.0, 2.0

SYMPTOMS

When you try to open a file attached to an e-mail message you downloaded, you may receive the following error message:

   An error occurred reading <path and file name> because the file is an
   invalid format.

If you try to read the same e-mail attachment after downloading it to your handheld device by using synchronization, you may be able to open it successfully.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because Windows CE versions 1.0 and 2.0 do not support opening e-mail attachments that have not been downloaded by using synchronization.

RESOLUTION

To work around this behavior in Windows CE version 2.0, download your e-mail with attachments to your desktop computer, and then synchronize this message with your Windows CE device. For information about how to do so, tap Start, tap Help, tap the Communications topic, and then tap the "Using ActiveSync" topic.

MORE INFORMATION

Note that if you download a message with an attachment directly to your Windows CE device, the attachment is no longer in a recognizable format, and you will be unable to open it, or view it. Because of this, Microsoft recommends that you download your e-mail with attachments to your desktop computer, and then synchronize this message with your Windows CE device.

Additional query words: 1.00 2.00

Keywords          : kberrmsg kbtool wince 
Version           : WINDOWS:1.0,2.0
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: November 18, 1998