XCLN: Cannot Open Attachment in Windows NT Client Service Pack 2

 Last reviewed: October 2, 1997
Article ID: Q159177
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Exchange Windows NT client, version 4.0 Service Pack 2

SYMPTOMS

If you are using the Microsoft Exchange Windows NT client 4.0 Service Pack 2 and you attempt to open an attachment in an e-mail message sent from the Microsoft Exchange Macintosh client, the following error message may be displayed: 

   The application associated with this attachment could not be started.
   Verify the application is installed on your system with the correct
   directory path. <path>:\<filename>.BIN
where <path> is the location of the Windows temporary folder and <filename> is the file name of the attachment that you are attempting to open. This problem may occur even if the attachment does not have a .bin extension.

CAUSE

When you attempt to open an attachment in an e-mail message, the client attempts to locate the attachment's extension in the list of valid extensions under the following registry key: 

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Exchange\Client\Mac File Types
If the extension is not in the list, the client attempts to open the MacBinary version of the attached file. If you are using the Microsoft Exchange Windows NT client 4.0 Service Pack 2, this causes the above error message to be displayed.

RESOLUTION

To work around this problem, add a new string value under the Mac File Types key for the type of file that is being sent as an attachment. To do so, use the following steps.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious, system-wide problems that may require you to reinstall Windows NT to correct them. Microsoft cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use this tool at your own risk.

  1. Determine the Creator and Type attributes for the file that is being sent as an attachment. To determine a file's Creator and Type attributes, use a utility designed for this purpose, for example, ResEdit. For information about obtaining and using ResEdit or another program designed for this purpose, contact Apple.

  2. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).

  3. Locate the following registry key: 

          HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Exchange\Client\Mac File Types

  4. On the Edit menu, click Add Value.

  5. In the Value Name box, type <creator>:<type> and then a trailing space, where <creator> is the file's Creator attribute and <type> is the file's Type attribute. For example, if the file is a .bmp file, type "8BIM:BMP " (without quotation marks).

  6. In the Data Type box, verify that REG_SZ is selected, and then click OK.

  7. In the String box, type the file's extension, and then click OK. For example, if the file is a .bmp file, type ".bmp" (without quotation marks), and then click OK.

  8. Quit and then restart the client.

If you are still unable to open the attachment, try saving the file to your hard disk instead of opening it in the e-mail message. If the file is saved with the correct extension, then the registry has been modified correctly. Verify that a program is associated with the extension in Windows NT.

If the file is not saved with the correct extension, then the registry has not been modified correctly. Verify that the string value for the type of file that is being sent as an attachment is correct. In particular, verify that the Creator and Type attributes are correct and that a trailing space appears after the Type attribute. 

Keywords          : XCLN kberrmsg
Version           : 4.0
Platform          : winnt

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Last reviewed: October 2, 1997
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