Solving: Outlook cant open attachment

This article is to investigate the problem with MS Outlook while opening an attachment. Corporate users are more likely to experience the above Error Message.

So, you can’t open the attachment directly from Outlook, you have to save the attachment then open it. I got the same problem and solve this out and sharing with you.

You might be thinking that this is a bug but no! Microsoft did not whimsically keep this option in Outlook. Each time you open any attachment from outlook, actually it is saved in local drive and rename it as FILENAME (XX) (XX is a number from 1 to 99) for faster access. The problem arises because Outlook does not delete the local copies and when there is no slot to save the file (all slots 1-99 are in use).

The solution is easy!! All we need is to delete the used slots for the particular file. But alas, you do not have any clue about where Outlook stores the files. The folder is both system and hidden folder and very hard. Even the folder name varies from user to user. Also, There are 2 ways to find out the folder:

1. Open any attachment directly from Outlook and click: File > Save As. And look the tree to find the secured folder.
   
   
2. Second method is little advanced and for advanced users.
   1. Click Start Menu > RUN…
   2. Type “Regedit”, press Enter.
   3. Navigate to:
      [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Security]
   4. Find the entry: "OutlookSecureTempFolder" and find it’s value.
   5. Typically the folder name is: “OLKXX” in “Temporary Internet Files”
   6. DO NOT CHANGE ANY THING. Just note down the value.

Now, we are near the solution. Navigate to the folder we found in above step (1 or 2). If you can’t see hidden or system files and folders then click

• My Computer > Tools Menu > Folder Options. (Or Control Panel > Folder Options)
• Click View Tab and select “Show hidden files and folders”
• Click to clear the check box “Hide protected Operating system files (Recommended)”
• Navigate to: “C:\Documents and Settings”
• Double click folder that is same as your user name
• Now navigate to: “Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files”

SURPRISE, YOU DO NOT SEE THE FOLDER!!! That is why I told you that “it is hard to find”, Microsoft made the folder more than hidden!!!

• Click address bar and append “\OLKXX” and press Enter. J

Alternatively, you might paste the path full path (from registry value) in address bar J.

Now delete all slots starting with your FILENAME. You might select ALL FILES (Ctrl + A) and DELETE because these all are temporary files and of no use.

** You might try Disk Cleanup Wizard but keep in mind that that is of no use.

Thank you. Let me know in case of any question related to the article.