In Outlook Express, Windows XP click on Tools then Options. A dialog box appears. Find the tab Security and click on it. Locate a small square check box with the following wording: Do not allow attachment to be saved or opened that could potentially be a virus. If this box is checked then the grayed out effect is created which prevents access to the attachments. This may be what you want as your default setting if you delete anything with attachments as a standard procedure.

However to open attachments (when you know that they are safe and valid ones) and the save attachments dropdown menu is grayed out, click in the box to remove the check mark. Then to activate this selection, click on Apply and then on OK in the lower right corner of the dialog box. For this to activate in this session you must restart your computer.

Chris