Can't See Message Body in Outlook 2003

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jeff Bramwell
  • Start date Start date
J

Jeff Bramwell

Hello,

I can't seem to figure out how to view the message body for my e-mails.

I chose the "Upgrade" option and upgraded from Office XP
to Office 2003 (the version released yesterday). Outlook
2003 is downloading the message body because the first
few lines of the message will display in "AutoPreview"
mode but the message body will NOT display in
the "Reading Pane". Also, if I double-click the message
to display it in its own window the message body does not
display - only the headers.

I have checked and I do have all the latest updates (both
Windows XP Pro and Office 2003) downloaded and installed.

Can someone please help?

--- Thanks, Jeff
 
Header mode will download the first few lines of the message. Check to see
how you're connected. At the bottom right hand corner of the screen, does it
say "Connected (Headers)"? What type of mail account? Are you connected to
Exchange?
 
It doesn't say anything in the bottom right-hand corner. I am checking a
POP3 account and am not connected to Exchange. I am connected to the
Internet via cable modem so I should never have to work in offline or
low-bandwidth mode.

Any other ideas?

--- Thanks, Jeff
 
Hmmm, so there's nothing you can do to view the message. If you open a
message and forward it (you don't have to send it, just hit Forward to
display the message window), do you see the message then?
 
Try going to Tools, Send/Receive Settings. Define Send/Receive Groups. Edit
your default send/receive group and see if "Download headers only" is
selected. If so, select Download Complete Item including Attachments.
 
Afraid not. If I hit Forward or Reply, all that is included in the body are
the headers from the message - no message body text. I know the body is
being downloaded because I can see the first few lines in "AutoPreview" mode
but I can't get the full message to display anywhere.

Still looking... :-)

--- Thanks, Jeff
 
Further information...

If I compose an e-mail within Outlook 2003 and send it, then go to the "Sent
Items" folder and look at the sent message - the message body of the sent
message will not display either.

So, it pretty much boils down to the fact that the "Reading Pane" is not
displaying the message bodies for ANY messages whether I download them or
send them myself.

I hope someone can help me figure this out soon or I'll probably have to
uninstall and go back to Office XP.

--- TIA, Jeff
 
Yet one more thing...

If I select a message that shows several lines of the body in "AutoPreview"
mode and then do a "Save As" and save the message as a text file, only the
message headers are saved to the text file - the message body is not saved
(even though I can see the first few lines in "AutoPreview" mode).

What gives?

--- TIA, Jeff
 
Well, you're NOT getting the entire message. A message header contains the
Internet headers of the message and the first 255 characters of the message
(same amount that displays in AutoPreview). So you're definitely not getting
the entire message at all. It's not just the Reading Pane.

I'd suggest you create a new profile, and add your POP3 account again. See
if that fixes the problem. If not post back.

--
Patricia Cardoza
Outlook MVP

Author, Special Edition Using Microsoft Outlook 2003

***Please post all replies to the newsgroups***
 
Patricia,

Thanks for the clarification. I didn't realize the headers contained the
first part of the body. I'll try your suggestion later this afternoon and
post back how it works out.

--- Thanks, Jeff
 
Patricia,

I deleted my existing profile and created a new one. I then added my POP3
account and tried it. Same problem - no message body. It seems interesting
that the message body for e-mails I send don't show up either (e.g. if I
click on an item in my "Sent Items" folder, the body will not display).

Is there any way of turning this feature on or am I just wasting my time? I
really need to get this resolved or I'll have to revert back to Office XP.

--- Thanks, Jeff
 
I've never seen this problem before with Outlook 2003. But let me ask a few
friends of mine and see if they've heard anything about it. Stay tuned...

--
Patricia Cardoza
Outlook MVP

Author, Special Edition Using Microsoft Outlook 2003

***Please post all replies to the newsgroups***
 
If it is any consolation, this happens to me as well.

Some messages people send me, I can see, others I cannot.

Likewise, when I send messages out, people just get blank emails. I have
heard it may be something to do with the format of the message (Word, RFT,
Plain text HTML, etc)

An answer would be great, as I am having to resort to Outlook Express at the
moment.

Cheers,

Jonathan
 
Thanks Patricia for checking into it. I have received several e-mail from
people viewing my post asking if I had found a resolution as they were
having the same issue. Another poster who replied to your message (same
thread level as this message) suggested maybe it had something to do with
the message format (HTML, RTF, etc.). I tried them all (including plain
text) and it had no effect.

I ended up uninstalled Office 2003 and reverting back to Office XP as I
can't do business without a working e-mail client. If you find a resolution
for this issue I would be more than happy to reinstall 2003 and try again as
I think it would be an improvement of Outlook XP (if it would work that is
:-).

I look forward to any resolution.

--- Thanks, Jeff
 
I am also having the same problem since i have been using
2003. I have tried everything that has been said. I have
tried repairing and reinstalling as well.
-----Original Message-----
Thanks Patricia for checking into it. I have received several e-mail from
people viewing my post asking if I had found a resolution as they were
having the same issue. Another poster who replied to your message (same
thread level as this message) suggested maybe it had something to do with
the message format (HTML, RTF, etc.). I tried them all (including plain
text) and it had no effect.

I ended up uninstalled Office 2003 and reverting back to Office XP as I
can't do business without a working e-mail client. If you find a resolution
for this issue I would be more than happy to reinstall 2003 and try again as
I think it would be an improvement of Outlook XP (if it would work that is
:-).

I look forward to any resolution.

--- Thanks, Jeff


I've never seen this problem before with Outlook 2003.
Click to expand...
But let me ask a
few
friends of mine and see if they've heard anything about it. Stay tuned...

--
Patricia Cardoza
Outlook MVP

Author, Special Edition Using Microsoft Outlook 2003

***Please post all replies to the newsgroups***
Click to expand...
I then added my
POP3
body. It seems
interesting
Click to expand...
just wasting my
time?
I
Click to expand...
revert back to Office
XP.
--- Thanks, Jeff


"Patricia Cardoza - [MVP Outlook]"
Click to expand...
Well, you're NOT getting the entire message. A
Click to expand...
message header contains
the
Internet headers of the message and the first 255 characters of the
message
(same amount that displays in AutoPreview). So you're definitely not
getting
the entire message at all. It's not just the Reading Pane.

I'd suggest you create a new profile, and add your
Click to expand...
POP3 account again.
See
if that fixes the problem. If not post back.

--
Patricia Cardoza
Outlook MVP

Author, Special Edition Using Microsoft Outlook 2003

***Please post all replies to the newsgroups***
message
Click to expand...
as a text file,
only

.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Thanks to an e-mail tip from Chris who saw my post in another group, this
issue has been resolved (for us anyway). We both happened to be running PGP
v6.x. Chris found that when PGP was removed, the e-mail message bodies
would display in Outlook 2003. I uninstalled PGP v6.x from my PC, upgraded
Office XP to Office 2003 and all worked just fine. PGP v8.x appears to work
just fine with Outlook 2003.
 
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