A phone acknowledgement...but don't tell anyone

Yeah, Microsoft is kinda sorta talking about photoemailfix.hta. But it's a secret.

I had problem sharing or attatched photos to my e-mail. I called MSN and they made me type this link to the address bar http://autoupdate.msn.com/photoemailfix.hta It did not take that long I can share or attached photos again
MSN advice me if I will share this link to anyone to tell you not to do it without contacting first.

Too late about that, the information is out there. Don't know why MSN wants everyone to call support to find out about the problem. Why not publish the information?

photoemailfix.hta

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MSN Photos Server photoemailfix.hta - an unofficial acknowledgement

Remember when I said that the photoemailfix.hta fix that fixes the "MSN Photos Server is currently unavailable" problem was NOT officially acknowledged by Microsoft? Well, I eventually found this.

Newsgroups: microsoft.public.msn.dialup
From: Chris Burroughs [MSFT]
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2006 08:48:02 -0800
Local: Tues, Dec 12 2006 9:48 am
Subject: RE: photo share server

Hi All,

Sorry for the delayed response. This problem was caused by a bug in our
software that occurs on some machines and not others. We have released a
script that will fix the problem. Simply point your browser to

http://autoupdate.msn.com/photoemailfix.hta

And photo mail will begin working.

Thanks and sorry for the inconvenience.

"nlahey" wrote:
> For a few days now I'm unable to send photos via photo share. They get stuck
> in the outbox. I get a message to the effect that the photo share server is
> UNAVAILABLE. I've been with Verizon online support. They were unable to
> rectify the problem. They have forwarded my 'ticket' to Microsoft. Could be
> days before I get a response. Any ideas?

I guess that's better than nothing.

photoemailfix.hta

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MSN Photos Server is Currently Unavailable - The Summary

For those who are searching this blog for information about the "MSN Photos Server is Currently Unavailable" message:

• The quickest way to get to all information is to check my msnphotosserver blog label.


• The cause of the problem is documented here.


• The symptoms of the problem are described here.


• The (unofficially supported?) fix (photoemailfix.hta) is discussed here. (It worked for me.)

Hope this helps.

msnphotosserver

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photoemailfix.hta and the MSN 9.5 Photos Server problem

Despite the lack of official documentation, I went ahead and ran the photoemailfix.hta fix.

It seems to have worked.

See posts in this blog with the msnphotosserver label for more information.

photoemailfix.hta

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The fun of the unsupported bug fix

Still waiting for some definitive official information on an MSN Photos Server fix. As an example of what I've found instead, look at this (emphasis mine).

Author: Luis [msn]
Date: Dec 23, 2006 01:39

Vel,

sorry to hear your having problems with photo e-mail, please run this patch
this is actually a bug in the software.

http://autoupdate.msn.com/photoemailfix.hta '

and run it then restart your computer.
please let me know if it works properly or if not i will show you how to
take care of this issue.

Luis.
--
[ This posting is provided "AS IS";MSN will in no way be held responsible
for the free support provided during this session. Use At your own risk.]

Huh? Oh well, I guess we got the feature for free...wait a minute, we didn't.

If anyone has a definitely documented and supported fix from Microsoft for the MSN Photos Server problem, please let me know.

photoemailfix.hta

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MSN Photos Server - the auto-update that caused the problem

One more thing about the problems in MSN Premium using the photo sharing feature - namely, the message "The MSN Photos Server is currently unavailable for sharing your photos online." According to bigskyduck, the update was pushed.

You're not alone in this issue. MSN did a 'behind-the-scenes' update from 9.2 to 9.5 on two of my three computers I have MSN Premium installed on. I can still use the 'Share Photos' function of MSN e-mail on the 9.2 version, but I have the exact problem you described on the two machines with 9.5. I've sent an email to MSN support, but (as usual) have gotten no response.

If this is true, then Microsoft pushed the software out that caused the bug, but isn't publicly publishing the fix. Aggravating.

msnphotosserver

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MSN Photos Server - another possible fix

The following discussion from Egghead Cafe mentions two possible fixes. Again, this is not an official Microsoft support site, and I haven't found formal documentation from Microsoft on either of these fixes.

MSN Mail Photos with slide show problem - Robert
16-Jan-07 05:14:01

I signed up for MSN Premium with my Qwest ISP DSL service in July, 2006. The MSN mail feature for inserting photos with a slide show option was working until November, 2006. Since then I cannot attach and send photos for mailing....

Re: MSN Mail Photos with slide show problem - mae
16-Jan-07 08:20:52

http://autoupdate.msn.com/photoemailfix.hta....

Re: MSN Mail Photos with slide show problem - Robert
16-Jan-07 08:42:00

I received this fix from my Qwest ISP yesterday and it did not resolve the
problem. So I am not sure what other option to use....

Re: MSN Mail Photos with slide show problem - Peter Petrelli
16-Jan-07 10:48:53

While that will work in many cases, the fix the OP was looking for is:
http://autoupdate.msn.com/msn95mailfix.hta....

Anyway, you can get more information on this SECOND fix by clicking the del.icio.us tag msn95mailfix.hta, below. As of now, I'm not applying either of these two fixes until I can find something definitive from Microsoft on this issue.

msnphotosserver msn95mailfix.hta

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MSN Photos Server - one possible fix

The following anonymous possible fix to the MSN Photos Server unavailability problem was not taken from an official Microsoft support page. As of this evening, I have not applied it - primarily because another fix is floating around, and I'm not sure which one is correct.

PHOTO FIX

... the cx is unable to use the MSN Photo Sharing feature within the MSN Premium Client. Error Message: "Photo Sharing is currently unavailable" Resolution Steps

... had the cx Open Internet explorer and navigate to http://autoupdate.msn.com/photoemailfix.hta

... advised the cx to try the msn software now

... end

This has also been documented elsewhere - see the photoemailfix.hta tag.

msnphotosserver photoemailfix.hta

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MSN Photos Server - the solution, censored

I was overjoyed when it looked like I found a solution to the MSN Photos Server unavailability problem. But there was a catch.

dsmfour
join:2005-09-18
moderated: Saturday February 10th, @03:33PM
reply to snevl

Re: MSN Photo Server Broke?

Just go to [removed] and run the fix. Make sure you're not signed into MSN at the time (so run it from IE). Issue resolved.

And yes, that word "[removed]" was literally there. It seems that the moderator had to step in due to rules of the board.

[Mod note - You can post a link to a page that contains a link to a file, but NO DIRECT LINKS. sash]

Unfortunately, once I began finding solutions to the problem (as you will see), all that I was able to find WERE direct links.

msnphotosserver

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MSN Photos Server - the workaround

In my survey of the various solutions to the MSN Photo Server problem, it seems that the most popular response was "don't use MSN Photos Server." For example:

From: Tommyunitedstates Sent: 12/25/2006 12:08 PM
Yes MSN is having problems with photo sharing I talked to them a few weeks ago they told me to send my photos as an attachment, but the work around I have been using is to go to my out box forward it to myself then I trim the FWD: stuff and the photos are there and send them of, you don't get the slid show but the photos get sent. Anyway photobucket is so much better, www. photobucket.com if we Waite for MSN my as well Waite for the cows to come home first....

However, these are not really solutions to the problem. After reading a similar "don't use MSN Photos Server" response, bigskyduck responded.

Shannon69's answer was a non-answer for anyone who knows anything about how nice the 'Share Photos' function is within MSN Premium e-mail.

This started a little war in the thread between bigskyduck and shannon69, but what else is new?

msnphotosserver

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MSN Photos Server - the problem

Here's a brief explanation of the MSN Photos Server unavailability problem, dated December 18, 2006.

OT - MSN Sending Photos (by jessica [CA]) Posted on: Dec 18, 2006 11:04 AM
Message: I'm having a problem sending photos via email (all of a sudden)?? I get a message: "The MSN photos server is currently unavailable for sharing photos on line". This is today and yesterday.

I've sent hundreds of photos over time, and wonder if I've inadvertantly changed a setting on my puter, or something like that? Any input would be appreciated.

If you look at my response at the end of the message, you will see that I was entirely clueless about the cause an hour ago, although I was relieved to know that our home computer was not the only one with the problem.

msnphotosserver

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Blogging style and the MSN Photos Server unavailability issue

One of the reasons why I started this blog and (at least temporarily) stopped publishing new material to my other blogs, such as the Ontario Empoblog and the Ontario Technoblog, was a desire for a change in style.

My blog posts (in this blog especially) have become long posts that morph from one subject to another in a non-toadlike wild ride of whatevers. As you can see from my first few posts in mrontemp, I'm trying a more succinct style.

We'll see how it goes.

I'm going to try this new style with my next series of posts, each of which will present a different aspect on the "MSN Photos Server" unavailability issue. For source material, check my del.icio.us tag msnphotosserver (available at the bottom of this post, as well as related posts). I will also create a Blogger tag with the same name to help group things together.

msnphotosserver

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