Why do attachments fail to open in Tb 31.0, while they open fine in 24.6.0?
To cut the long story short, Tb 31.0 fails to create temporary files in [user]\%appdata%\Local\Temp while opening attachments, whereas it doesn't in 24.6.0 or earlier. Indeed files are created with zero size, so the associated application fails to run. Repeated attempts to open an attachment simply create more zero length files with successively numbered filenames. On Tb exit none of the zero length files are deleted. Tb running in safe mode doesn't change anything. Oh, and if click to forward a message with attachments, then I can open the attachment(s) from the attachment pane of the compose window; yet, when opened they don't have their original filename but something like nsmail-1, nsmail-2, and so on…
The same system (Win 7 64bits, account with administrative rights, should it matter), same profile presents no problem, if I revert to 24.0.6 or earlier. In fact the problem first appeared with beta versions after 25.0b1.
I cannot afford to setup a new profile, as I have too many accounts (over 40), too many messages indexed in Gloda (over 70M) and a lot of customizations.
I need help and ideas of where else to look for what is going wrong. I have checked everything I could come up with.
All Replies (17)
To clarify, MSE is the only anti-* real time protection running, it doesn't matter if I disable it, nor if I change the Tb setting to prevent/allow individual message AV quarantine.
Try to start *Windows* in safe mode with networking enabled.
- Win8 http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/windows-startup-settings-including-safe-mode
- Win7 http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Start-your-computer-in-safe-mode
- XP http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/boot_failsafe.mspx
Still in Windows safe mode, start Thunderbird in safe mode.
- https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/safe-mode
Does the problem go away?
I had tried this in the past too, and I tried it again just now, too. No, nothing changes.
What happens when you save the attachment to disk? What type of attachments are we talking about, and what's the application you're using to open the attachments?
I have explained what happens in my initial message, in adequate detail I suppose… We are talking about all file types. Associations in Tb for opening are fine, I have also tried resetting mimeTypes.rdf, and let me remind you that everything worked and is still working perfectly with Tb 24.6.0.
When I save any attachment, it opens just fine with the associated application in the OS; MS-Word should it be doc/docx/rtf, Picasa Viewer should it be an image file and so on.
The same applications are defined in mimeTypes.rdf.
Read "After I save any attachment…" there.
Still there in 31.1.0 :(
Just a random thought. Have you cleaned out the temp folder? I have seen all sorts of weirdness when the temp folder as thousands of orphaned entries.
Yes, I have. Everything I could think of, I have tried it. I engaged process explorer to track what happens, nothing weird there, except what I've already said, that zero length files are created, so no associated application fires. Thunderbird's error console is also blank.
Even though this article is for Firefox, some parts probably apply to Thunderbird as well. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Unable_to_save_or_download_files
As I have detailed in my previous messages, I have no problem saving attachments, then opening them. It is what Tb is supposed to be that it's not working.
When you open an attachment from within its container message, Tb is supposed to create a copy of the attached file in the user's temp directory, then open it with the associated application. As I have previously said, that copy is created with zero size in the temp folder, and nothing happens next.
It is what Tb is supposed to be that it's not working.
Read that as:
It is what Tb is supposed to do with opening attachments from within messages that it's not working.
No fix in 31.1.1 either… :(
Ok, I have no idea what is going on here. so I am shooting from the hip.
If I understand this correctly.
Save attachment work fine. Forward the mail and open attachment works. It is only the initial open that does not work.
I don't see where you have tried Thunderbird safe mode (that is restart with add-ons disabled from the help menu) Please try it.
I do not see loads of bods here with the issue, so we need to be looking at your system and your use to try and work this out. Add-ons / Themes is a logical starting point.
Save attachment work fine. Yes
Forward the mail and open attachment works. Yes
It is only the initial open that does not work. The one from within the message, in the message preview pane, or in a message's own window/tab
Please try it. I have tried it, no luck.
This problem is more than a year old now. Allow me to also refer to the discussion in mozillazine forums: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=2855393 http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=2741393 http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=1998527
Problem still present in 31.2.0 :-(