These Are Helps from Other Sites That May Or May Not Be the Same Helps on the Microsoft

THESE ARE HELPS FROM OTHER SITES THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE THE SAME HELPS ON THE MICROSOFT HELP SITE

Go to Tools/Internet Options/Advanced and clicking on the box next to "Enable third-party browser extensions".

When troubleshooting the "little red X" problem it is worth noting that when your browser times out for any reason before the image downloads you may see this problem. Try a refresh and make sure it isn't just stuck in cyberspace before spending time on a goose chase.

If that doesn't fix it, consider uninstalling third party security
software, especially anything McAfee or Norton.

Here are some possible reasons why the Red X may appear, and suggested fixes for each:

Problem: The "Show Pictures" setting has been turned off in Internet Explorer.
Solution: In Internet Explorer's Tools menu, click Internet Options, then click the Advanced tab. Make sure the Show Pictures check box is selected under Multimedia, and click OK.

Problem: Your anti-virus or firewall is a little too uppity. Check to see if your anti-virus or firewall software has a privacy setting to "disable web bugs".
Solution: Uncheck or turn it off. (The term "web bug" is a misnomer. They are really just harmless tiny images on a web page or email, sometimes used for tracking purposes.)

Problem: Your Internet Explorer security settings are set too high, preventing you from accessing the web site which hosts the image.
Solution: Reset to the default security settings. In Internet Explorer, click on Tools -> Internet Options -> Security -> Default Level.

Problem: You've installed the Windows XP/SP2 updates and you're being bitten by the "Block images and other external content in HTML e-mail" security option. This is automatically turned ON in Outlook Express after you install Windows XP/SP2.
Solution: Click on Tools -> Options -> Security. Then UNCHECK the "Block images and other external content" check box, and click OK.

Problem: You are the SENDER and others are complaining that they can't see images in emails you sent,
Solution: In Outlook Express, Click Tools -> Options -> Send. Under Mail Sending Format, select HTML, then press the HTML Settings button. Make sure the "Send pictures with messages" box is checked.

Problem: The image is hosted on a website that's busy, temporarily offline or defunct. Or the image file on the website might have been renamed or deleted.
Solution: Try again later or ask the sender to send it as an attachment instead of an inline image.

Problem: The image is hosted on a website, and you're not online.
Solution: Make sure your internet connection is active and try again.

There is more than one answer for this, but if you are using Outlook Express, your security settings may be preventing you from seeing them. Microsoft seems to think image files are harmful, why I don't know!

To check your security settings in Outlook Express, open Outlook Express and go to Tools. Select Options then click on the Security Tab. If you have SP2 installed the first section is 'Virus Protection'. The second heading is titled 'Download Images'. Un-tick this box. A check mark here will cause you to have red X's in your email. Don't forget to click Apply.

However, there can be other reasons why you see a red x instead of a picture.

If the email you are viewing contains a picture that is linked to a file on a website and the site is having a problem or offline, then you will get the red x. If you are reading email offline you will get the red x.

Your firewall settings or ad-blocking software may be causing the file to be blocked. I had this problem with animated gif files until I figured out how to fix it. My firewall seemed to think all animated files were ad files!

Whoever sent you the email with the picture may not have inserted the file properly. If this happens with only emails sent by certain senders, this is probably the problem. Send them to this page, Sending pictures in email, to learn how to send pictures!

If you are seeing that' little red x' in all emails instead of pictures, delete your Temporary Internet files!

Red X image displayed where the applet should be, applets won't run

You should download the newest Java software, available
free, from Sun Microsystems:

Make sure to uninstall the old version of Java first.
--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups