Photo email feature broken

Anonymous
2015-06-25T12:32:01+00:00

Update 14 July 2016

The fault that caused this error for a short period in 2015 was corrected. Users now having trouble using the photo email feature are facing a different problem. The most likely reason is that the Microsoft Account being used has been migrated to the Outlook Mail platform; users will often see an error message including error code 0x8007007A.

Users seeing this error code may not be able to send any messages at all until the offending message has been removed from the outbox (below the account folders in the folder pane). Some alternative methods of sharing pictures are explained in this article: Avoid 'photo email' and send photos by email

Stop press 8 July 2015 13:00 UTC

This bug appears to have been fixed. Once the error has been cleared, it should now be possible to send photo email again. The 'slideshow' view may not work at OneDrive, but the photos can be viewed and downloaded.

In the past two days, a number of users have complained that the photo email feature is no longer working. After creating a photo email and clicking send, the process starts and then stalls.

At this stage, the following is recorded in the program log:

[13:04:26.65] 17d8                 Mail:            Zone_MailChk ERROR: (containx.cpp:3808), failed with 0x800CCE05 <br> <br><br>[13:04:26.65] 17d8                 Mail:            Zone_MailChk ERROR: (containx.cpp:3808), failed with 0x800CCE05 <br> <br><br>[13:04:27.20] 0e78                 Mail:            Canvas_Error [db] <br><br>Photomail failed to complete publish: System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException (0x80010105):<br> <br><br>The server threw an exception. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80010105 (RPC_E_SERVERFAULT)) <br><br>   at WindowsLive.Writer.PostEditor.PhotoAlbums.PhotoMail.IPublishCallback.PublishComplete(Int32 hr, IHTMLDocument2 newEmail, IPhotomailAlbum photoAlbum) <br><br>   at WindowsLive.Writer.PostEditor.PhotoAlbums.PhotoMail.PhotoMailPublisher.Publish(IPublishCallback callback, IHTMLDocument2 document2, String language, String wpost)

To clear the error, the user must:

1.   Disconnect from the Internet (e.g. switch off Wi-Fi or unplug the Ethernet cable).

      This will stop the program from trying to send.

2.   Remove the message from the outbox (below the account folders in the folder pane).

3.   Click Stop in the send/receive progress window.

      An error message with code 0x80004004 (ABORT) is displayed.

4.   Close the progress window.

Instead of using the photo email feature, users could:

A.     Start a new email message from within Windows Live Mail (Ctrl-N), then use either

Attach files to send images as attachments to the message, or

Insert > Single photo to embed images into the message and apply some formatting.

The images will still be sent as attachments, but they will usually be visible to the recipient

in the body of the message.

B.     Upload the images to OneDrive, then use the sharing options there to send a link to addressees by email.

Will support staff please confirm this fault and inform users about when they may expect the broken feature to be mended?

There is a suggestion on the OneDrive UserVoice page asking the OneDrive team please to reverse the change that caused this fault. The more votes the suggestion gets, the more likely it is that the team will look at the problem.

PS A number of users have posted solutions involving forcefully closing down Windows Live Mail, e.g. by using Task Manager to end the wlmail.exe process or by re-starting the computer. These methods can't be recommended except in the last resort, because Windows Live Mail often conducts internal housekeeping after the program interface has disappeared. If this process is interrupted, damage to the program's databases may result.

The program will normally stop trying to send the message soon after the Internet connection has been broken; clicking once on Working online on the status bar may also speed up the release of the program's handle on the unsendable message so it can be removed from the outbox.

Windows for home | Other | Email and communications

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-07-02T07:26:33+00:00

    G'day Ross,

    Join the club.  We are all in the same boat.

    No mater what I try, my W L M  e-mail with a photo or attachment still hangs there until death do us part. I am thinking it might be quicker to put the photos in an envelope and send it my snail mail!!!!

    Cheers Perry

    Snail mail is always an option.

    Since the photo email feature by design needs to create the album and upload the content (photos)...it might be a lot faster than snail mail...to logon to OneDrive web UI, upload the photo(s) and share the album or photo via an email.  Optionally, if one has OneDrive Desktop installed on Windows 7SP1 or 8.1 then the photo can be dragged to the appropriate existing or user created OneDrive folder and then synced - this router may even be faster than uploading/dropping photo's onto the OneDrive web UI....then logon to OneDrive web UI and share the album or photo(s) to the appropriate parties.

    Fyi...I've duplicated this issue on a variety of MSFT accounts (Outlook.com, Live.com, MSN.com, Hotmail.com, 3rd party MSFT accounts [Gmail, Yahoo, etc).

    ¡Firedog's recommended resolution solved the WLM hang issue but not in the posted sequence

    <qp>

    2.   Remove the message from the outbox (below the account folders in the folder pane).

    3.   Click Stop in the send/receive progress window

    </qp>

    At this end...the reverse worked on all the above noted tested accounts.

     - Click Stop on the Send/Receive progress window

     - Delete the message from the Outbox.

    It was not necessary to disconnect the internet connection or work offline.

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-07-01T22:01:21+00:00

    Thank you Dean Manis, yours was the first real helpful suggestion I have seen here. It does not work 100% however. The best I have been able to achieve were 3 pictures @ a time.

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-07-01T12:39:17+00:00

    Open TASKMANAGER goto processes tab find WLMAIL.EXE.

    right click on wlmail.exe and end process tree.

    now open wlm and stop publishing photo album, delete the mail from outbox and deleted emails.

    Goto options-Mail-compose-uncheck convert messages to photo emails while adding photos.---Apply---Ok.

    Close windows live mail restart computer and send photos by creating new email message and attach files but don't send directly by photo emails.

    This works 100%

    How does one get into the WLM "outbox"?

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-07-01T12:24:05+00:00

    Persons posting on here may be interested in the response I received this morning from the Microsoft moderator on this site. Fingers crossed they may get this sorted out soon. What a nightmare and I pity those trying to run a business.

    Rohit Siddegowda replied on

    Accomplishments

    Hi Steven,

    We're aware of the issue and working on it. Please give us some time and we'll update you shortly. Thank you for your patience.

    Rohit S

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    ST

    StevenLock replied on

    Hi Rohit

    Thank you for the update after to be frank too many days of silence with your customers becoming increasingly frustrated and worried as to what is happening.

    Do please ensure your colleagues are made fully aware of the trouble and anger this has caused.

    I await your confirmation that this issue has been completely remedied and resolved without further delay.

    Regards

    Steven Lock

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  5. Anonymous
    2015-07-01T07:33:27+00:00

    Open TASKMANAGER goto processes tab find WLMAIL.EXE.

    right click on wlmail.exe and end process tree.

    now open wlm and stop publishing photo album, delete the mail from outbox and deleted emails.

    Goto options-Mail-compose-uncheck convert messages to photo emails while adding photos.---Apply---Ok.

    Close windows live mail restart computer and send photos by creating new email message and attach files but don't send directly by photo emails.

    This works 100%

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