Macromedia and active x

I have a friend that sends me quite a few emails with pictures I can`t open. They have the squares with the little red X,4448xxxb.jpg etc. From what I read I probably need Macromedia and Direct X to open these. Is this correct?
If so what do I download?
Also do I want to download them? I seem to remember reading about some drawbacks to using them. I suppose there`s a way of using them like I do Irfanview and call them up when needed?I`m pretty much in the dark here, Maybe they`re not even what I need to view the pictures.
Running Outlook Express, IE6, XP home sp2 ,
Dick

 

This should explain what you are experiencing and how to enable viewing of the images.

Outlook Express and Windows XP Service Pack 2: Several Problems or Superior Protection?

 

Thanks Whiskeyman. I`m off to try a suggestion I read in the article.
Dick

 

Moore--If Whiskeyman's suggestions do not solve the problem, are these pictures attachments or imbedded in the email? (You can tell if they are attachments by the entry in the Attachment line.)
If the pictures are embedded in the email, then
OE Tools|Options|Read tab|is the box "Read all messages in plain text" checked? If so uncheck it|Apply|OK. Also on the Send tab|click "HTML settings ". Is "Send pictures with messages" unchecked? If so, check it|Apply|OK. ( I know this says the setting is for Sending mail, but it often affects received mail as well.)

If the picture is an attachment and is a Flash file (.swf extension), then you will need Flash Player. You will need to allow ActiveX controls to run so put macromedia.com into your Trusted Sites. (IE Tools|Internet Options|Security tab|highlight Trusted Sites|Sites|enter www.macromedia.com in the line|Add|uncheck the box "Require Server Authorization... "|Apply|OK|OK.
If the attachments are not .swf files, you do not need Flash Player. (you mention 4448xxxb.jpg , which is not a Flash file)
DirectX should not be an issue.
However, when you click a .jpg or .gif image file (any one already on your hard drive) does it automatically open? If not, then we will need to work on your "associations ". Post back if needed.

 

Whiskeymans link didn`t solve the problem.

If the pictures are embedded in the email, then
OE Tools|Options|Read tab|is the box "Read all messages in plain text" checked? If so uncheck it|Apply|OK. Also on the Send tab|click "HTML settings ". Is "Send pictures with messages" unchecked? If so, check it|Apply|OK. ( I know this says the setting is for Sending mail, but it often affects received mail as well.)

The pictures are embedded.
All the above were OK without changing any Checks.
Still no pictures.

(you mention 4448xxxb.jpg , which is not a Flash file)
DirectX should not be an issue.
However, when you click a .jpg or .gif image file (any one already on your hard drive) does it automatically open? If not, then we will need to work on your "associations ". Post back if needed.

I don`t recall having any problems opening any .jpg or .gif files . I`ll go find a couple to be sure they open OK.
Moore

 

jpg, jpeg, gif, and powerpt, all open fine.
Thanks for all the assistance so far. I`ll go through all the previous posts again to see for certain I didn`t miss anything, but it`ll be tomorrow.
I `ve got an appointment shortly.
Dick

 

I double checked the previous advice and believe I did everything as told. Still no pictures.
This "Xmas Funnies " forwarded message, to clear things up a bit, has 15 Rectangles each with a black border. In the upper left hand corner is this little white square with the red X and the first one is numbered 444807b.jpg the next is 444808a.jpg,etc. There are various sized rectangles and the numbering varies but they all end in .jpg. A right hand click/properties, on the Message Icon shows Size as 8KB, that seems strange to me. If all those rectangles contain pictures it would be a lot larger than that? Is the sender messing things up?
Dick

 

Moore--If this is happening only with messages from the one friend, then I would suspect the friend is not sending the pictures properly. (Remember my comment about the Send tab above.)
Can you ask your friend to send the same email to him/her self to see whether the images are showing properly?

 

Sounds good to me. I`ll contact him.
Thanks
Dick

 

Aha!

My friend says Quote, "I don`t seem to get any pictures either. "
I shall venture out to his house and see what`s going on.
If it`s any thing remarkable I`ll report back.
Dick