Viewing saved .eml files containing images (can't do it any more)

I have a folder to which I have long been saving emails with images that I want to keep; some of them are emails with jpgs attached, others have embedded jpgs or gifs. It used to annoy me that any time I went to look at any of these, my computer automatically used Outlook Express to open them (I only use Thunderbird for my email) - but at least then I used to be able to see all the emails in that folder in their entirety.
I reinstalled WinXP on my computer this week, and today's the first time I've tried browsing through that folder since then. I'm sure the files used to have some icon associated with them before, but I can't remember now what it was. In any case, now the Thunderbird icon shows up for each one, which is definitely different from before. And when I click on the files, any pictures therein are represented by those darned blank boxes with a little red diamond in the upper left corner - and at the end of the emails, the attachment box shows a listing of "Part x.x" (x's being numbers) or jpgs/gifs (clicking on these doesn't do anything).
What happened? Does anyone know what settings I might try changing in order to visualize these .eml files the way I used to? I tried "Open with Outlook Express" (hmm, does this mean I'm posting this question in the wrong forum?), but then I have to choose from a set of exe programs within OE, and none of those seems appropriate.
Thanks!

 

Rebecca,

Open Windows Explorer
Click on Tools | Folder Options
Click on the File Types button

Scroll down to EML File
Is this file associated with Thunderbird?

If not you want to change it to Open with Thunderbird
In the Application to use to open this type of file enter:
C:\PROGRA~1\MOZILL~1\THUNDE~1.EXE "%1 "

 

Interestingly, I don't have EML file type listed, although I have Outlook Express installed, nor is it listed in the Open With list.
OE should be open with msimn.exe.

 

I'm stumped! When I try your suggestion, Ramona, I don't see an .eml file type listed, just as Westside reported.

When I tell the computer to open the .eml files with OE (msimn.exe), all that happens is that Outlook Express itself opens up - no file is displayed, the screen is just the regular ol' OE screen that you get when you first open the program. When I double click on the .eml files (which, as I mentioned before, all have the TB icon associated with them now), TB opens, I get an Alert saying, "d is not a registered protocol ", and then the file opens - text is all there, but pictures are represented by blank squares with a little red diamond in the upper left corner.

I copied a few of the files to a floppy, and inserted the disk into my laptop (Win98SE). The associated icon there is an open envelope (which is OE's icon for email that's been read/opened). When I double click on the file, I briefly see the OE6 splash screen, and then the email opens with all the images (jpgs/gifs) displayed as they were in the original emails that I saved.

I had to reinstall TB the other day, because I couldn't get AVG to scan incoming mail with TB. Now it works fine in that respect, but I have this newfound problem with my .eml files! Should I try reinstalling again?

 

How the problem developed in the first place remains a mystery to me, but I found the solution at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;312355 - "OLEXP: Unable to Open EML File Attachments in Outlook Express ".
I must've missed the EML extension under File Types the first two times I looked (why the dickens isn't the listing alphabetized, anyway?!), because I did see it when I was trying to run the suggested fix.
Now the icons associated with my .eml files are back to being open envelopes, and when I double click on the files, they open up looking just the way they're supposed to again!
Go figure!

 

Rebecca,

Good for you! I certainly was no help, as I had Thunderbird on the brain. rolleyes:

 

Rebecca,
you did not miss EML the first two times.
I followed the instructions given by the reference which you gave, and the EML appeared in File Types only after I registered the type of file, i.e.
To run the Msimn executable file with the /reg option:
1. Quit Outlook Express.
2. Click Start, and then click Run.
3. In the Open box, type msimn /reg, and then click OK.

After doing this EML appeared in the right order, in the file types list.
Why did OE give up on us? May be, in my case, because I had given up on it.
I do not have any POP account set up. Only a couple of IMAP accounts. May be they don't count.

 

Just to muddy the waters a bit, I have never used OE for any purpose other than an occasional test message to compare OE with Tbird.

I just took a look at my File Types, though, and found that the EML File Type was associated with OE, even though all messages, including those with inline images or attachments, open in Tbird.

Initially, this statement had me puzzled, as my File Types listing has always been alphabetized by extension. When I looked more closely, I realized that the list can be displayed in two ways:

by Extension, DOC

by File Type, Microsoft Word Document​

both of which are alphabetized. Apparently, Rebecca was looking for the EML extension in the File Type list . To change the way the list is ordered, click on the words "Extensions" or "File Types" at the head of the list.

 

Jim,
it may be possible, but I did not have a EML file type, nor extension, associated with OE. I am using OE so rarely that I think that it gave up on me.
Also, I had one POP account, which no longer exists. However the EML file type and extention, showed up after I registered the file.
As for .doc, I am using OpenOffice 2.0.1 (I will have to check if there is a more recent version).

 

Westside ...

I used DOC only as an example ... the email File Type (EML File) and extension (EML) are so similar I thought it might cause some confusion, whereas the listings for a Word file are completely different (Microsoft Word Document versus DOC).

Perhaps I muddied the waters more than I intended.

 

That's ok. My point was that the extention was not listed until I followed the recipe given by Rebecca. She was not sure, but thanks to her, the extention showed up. Obviously my OE had lost grip of reality (not that I care, though).