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October 3rd, 2008 14:00
Word file breaks email
A friend received a Word file named One_of_the_coolest_emails_I_have_ever_seen.doc and ran it using Word 2003 on a Vista machine. Now his email doesn't work.
He says:
" I tried to open it and windows mail program gave a error message that windows mail had to restart and the log on box popped up. Now every time I try to open something contained in a message the error message pops up saying windows mail has quit working and needs to restart and the log on box pops up. I sign on and then re-open the message and I can open the attachment but the next time I try to open an attachment I get the same merry go round.I tried re-booting but that didn't work any wonders."
I'll try to help him, but I'm at a loss on Vista. Suggestions on where to start would be deeply appreciated.
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mombodog
2 Intern
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12.7K Posts
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October 3rd, 2008 15:00
Download, install, update twice, scan
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php
Davet50
6 Operator
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14.4K Posts
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October 3rd, 2008 15:00
The file was probably infected. I would recommend your friend immediately run av and malware/spyware scans.
just the title would tip me off that something is not right ...
ConesE
2 Intern
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October 3rd, 2008 18:00
I ran over to his office at lunch -- a long lunch -- and just got back. He's got Norton and MS Defender on the computer and both report the system fine.
On investigation and more questions, I think the Word doc didn't break it; it's just the first file the symptoms showed up on.
He said Defender updated this morning. Since then, he can open an email attachment, and it works. But if he tries to open a second, his email program (the Vista version of Outlook Express) reports that it's stopped working and restarts. Since he doesn't have his email password saved, he has to input it again. It does this without fail. Open an attachment and it's fine. Try to open it again, and the mail program restarts. It doesn't seem to matter what sort of attachment -- PDF, DOC, whatever.
On questioning, I learned that the Word doc was the second attachment of the day.
Thanks for the responses.
ConesE
2 Intern
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131 Posts
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October 3rd, 2008 19:00
Julzie
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381 Posts
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October 3rd, 2008 19:00
I would still download and install Malware Bytes because Norton and MS Defender can't get everything, and it still sounds like an infection. Plus if it's not an infection, you haven't hurt anything.
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php