Frequently Asked Questions - General
Please check back later as we post the FAQs we've collected.
Outlook Express 6: Why can't I see file attachments people send me?
Microsoft, in its (sic) wisdom, has configured OE to protect you from malicious file attachments. Attachments are the most prevalent method used by nefarious folks to get a computer virus, worm, or trojan onto your computer. If you already have active and comprehensive antivirus protection (such as Norton's Antivirus 2004), you can disable this feature: On the OE menu, click Tools, Options, Security, and uncheck the box that says: "Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened that could potentially be a virus". Alternatively, you can leave this feature enabled as there is a workaround: If you get an email with a blocked file attachment you simply must have, click the "Forward" button (as if you were going to forward the email to someone). The resulting draft email now shows the file attachment, which you can double-click to open, or save on your hard drive. NB: Be wary of file attachments--don't open anything you don't know absolutely that you need.
Email: I've been accused of emailing someone a virus. The email message looked like it was from me, but I didn't send it!
Here are two points: First, it is absurdly easy to change the From: line of any message to reflect any email address you wish. Anyone can put your email address in their email program's setup so that email they send looks like it comes from you. Only by examining the 'header' information (see the View|Options dialogue box in an Outlook or OE email message) can you see where the message actually came from--and you can only identify the Internet Service Provider used to send the email-not the actual person or computer that sent the email. This is the state of email on the internet, lots of smart folks are working on identity validation methods, we're still waiting for some method to become mainstream. Second, a computer virus (actually a worm) called "klez" and its variants has been around for several years, and one of its tricks is to send itself to others by taking a random email address from your computer's addressbook and sticking that in the From: line of the messages it sends out. Simple way to defeat this: HAVE ANTIVIRUS PROTECTION ON YOUR COMPUTER! Unfortunately, that doesn't help you if you're the recipient of those messages, it's someone else's computer that's sending them to you. Trying to track them down is usually an exercise in futility. About the best thing you can do is to promote safe computing to everyone you know. Feel free to use our Smart Computing Checklist as a reference.
Email: I got an email from someone with a .vbs file attachment. What do I do?
Do not open the attachment. As amplification, do not open any file attachments that have the suffix (the 3 characters after the dot in the filename) vbs, bat, exe, or com. These are 'executable' files that can do great damage to your computer! And, as you'll see often on this website, our recommendation is that you don't open any file attachment that you don't absolutely need to open. Even MS Word documents can have malicious payloads embedded (often using an embedded macro).
SPAM (aka unsolicited email): I'm getting advertisements that just pop up on my screen and look like a standard Windows message box. How can I stop this?
You are the victim of unscrupulous spammers. Their latest trick is to use Windows Messenger Service (not to be confused with Instant Messaging-another program entirely) to deliver junk mail to your screen. Since most folks don't need or use Windows Messenger Service, you can disable it. The easiest way I know of (courtesy of Gibson Research Corp.) is to use their "Shoot the Messenger" tool.
What should I do to customize Microsoft Outlook?
Don't use MS Word as the email editor. Turn it off on by going to Tools|Options and selecting the Mail Format tab. Also turn off preview pane on the inbox.
Anything special I should do to customize Microsoft Outlook 2003?
Edit the junk filter/Blocked Senders List regularly, removing everything to the left of the "@" sign so you block the entire website, not just the specific email address. If using Outlook 2004, import our junk.txt into your Blocked Senders List to get a jumpstart on fine-tuning your anti-spam capabilities.