You cannot use an MP3 or WMA file as the background sound for an e-mail message in Outlook Express (883355)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Outlook Express 6 for Windows
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.5 for Windows Millennium Edition

SYMPTOMS

When you use Microsoft Outlook Express to format an HTML e-mail message with a Windows Media Audio (WMA) or MP3 background sound, you may receive the following error message:
One or more of the pictures in this message could not be found. When you send this message these pictures will not be included. Are you sure you want to send this message?
The recipient who reads the MHTML-formatted e-mail message does not hear the sound.

This problem occurs even if the *.wma or *.mp3 file name extensions appear in the Files of type box.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use a format other than the WMA or MP3 formats for your sound file.

The following table lists the file formats that Outlook Express supports for background sound.

Audio files.wav, .snd, .au, .aif, .aifc, .aiff
MIDI files.mid, .rmi, .midi
Real Media files.ra, .rm, .ram, .rmm

To create an e-mail message that contains background sound, follow these steps:
  1. Create or select a sound file, and then note the location of the sound file.
  2. Start Outlook Express, point to New on the File menu, and then click Mail Message.
  3. On the Format menu, click Rich Text (HTML).

    Note: You cannot use the plain text format to run background sound.
  4. On the Format menu, point to Background, and then click Sound.
  5. Click Browse, and then locate your sound file.
  6. In the Files of type box, click the file type for your sound file.
  7. Click your file, and then click Open.
  8. In the Repeat Settings box, click to select the number of times that you want the sound to play, and then click OK.
  9. Your sound is played in the e-mail message. You can return to the Background Sound dialog box if you want to change the file or the settings before you send the e-mail message.
  10. Address your e-mail message, and then click Send.
Note To play the sound, the recipient must have one of the following:
  • An e-mail program that can read a MHTML-formatted e-mail message.
  • A plug-in for the sound format that you selected.

For additional information about troubleshooting audio problems, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

263065 How to troubleshoot audio problems in Outlook Express e-mail messages

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:8/27/2004
Keywords:kbmm kbmusic kbDialUp kbnetwork kbBug kbSecurity kbwinxpsp2rel kberrmsg kbtshoot kbprb KB883355 kbAudEndUser
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