KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q252494: XWEB: Attachments Cannot Be Opened in OWA 5.5 SP3

Article: Q252494
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): 5.5 SP3
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): exc55sp3
Last Modified: 06-AUG-2002

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Server, version 5.5 SP3 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


SYMPTOMS
========

After Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack 3 (SP3) is applied to your
Microsoft Outlook Web Access (OWA) server, you cannot open many attachments,
such as Microsoft Office documents, when you access OWA from a Microsoft
Internet Explorer 5 browser. When you attempt to open an attachment, you are
prompted for a username and password. What happens subsequently depends on
whether you have administrator privileges on the OWA server:

- If you have administrator privileges, you browser opens a blank window
  instead of the attachment.

- If you do not have administrator privileges, you keep getting prompted for
  credentials until you cancel.

However, you are able to open attachments with the following file extensions:
*.gif, *.htm, *.html, *.jpg, *.txt and *.xbm.


CAUSE
=====

Service Pack 3 modified the Webdata\<CountryAbbreviation>\Attach\Read.asp
file so that Internet Explorer 5 can render certain file types that it considers
to be "inline" (or in native format). However, a logic mistake causes all file
types to be passed to Internet Explorer 5 as inline. Because Internet Explorer 5
cannot process non-native formats inline, you receive the errors described in
the "Symptoms" section.

RESOLUTION
==========

A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to
correct the problem that is described in this article. Only apply it to systems
that are experiencing this specific problem. This fix may receive additional
testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, Microsoft
recommends that you wait for the next Microsoft Exchange Server version 5.5
service pack that contains this fix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services
to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services
phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft
Web site:

  http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

NOTE: In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls
may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific
update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to
additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific
update in question.

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or
later:

Component: OWA

+-----------------------+
| File name | Date      | 
+-----------------------+
| Read.asp  | 3/22/2000 | 
+-----------------------+



STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5
Service Pack 3.


Additional query words: in-line *.doc *.xls *.mdb *.ppt IE IE5

======================================================================
Keywords          : exc55sp3 
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbZNotKeyword2 kbExchange550SP3
Version           : :5.5 SP3
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.