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E-mail settings Outlook
Basically there are two ways to send and receive e-mail messages: with an
e-mail application or web based with an internet browser like the Internet
Explorer or Firefox (download:
www.firefox.org). Most
web based solutions are straight forward and easy in use (and available wherever
you are able to browse the internet because your mail are stored on the server
of the e-mail provider). With an e-mail application your
send and received e-mail are stored on your computer. Therefore you need an e-mail
application like Windows Mail
(Windows Vista build-in), Outlook (part of MS Office) or
Outlook Express (Windows XP
build-in). This page describes the different settings of the e-mail applications
Outlook.
E-mail settings Outlook
Setting up Outlook is not that much different from the Outlook
Express procedure. From your
e-mail provider you probably received the settings like e-mail address, POP3
and SMTP server, user account and password. Most times, this is all the
information you need. In Outlook you click
Tools, E-mail Accounts in the toolbar followed by the option Add a
new e-mail account and a wizard appears to setup the account.
In the appearing wizard you first have to
select the type of e-mail server,
most times POP3 (HTTP for Hotmail accounts). In the next screen
you enter your name, followed with your
e-mail address (enter your e-mail address correctly, else nobody will be able to
reply your e-mail!). You also have to enter the POP3 and
SMTP server (provided by your provider). The POP3 server is the
incoming mail server of the e-mail provider, while the SMTP server is the
outgoing mail server (most times you have to use the SMTP server of your
internet provider (probably the same as your e-mail provider)). Furthermore you
need to provide the Logon Information: the username and password, provided by
your e-mail provider.
By clicking More Settings you are able to change some properties. On
the first tab you are able to change the name (as
identification for yourself) and if needed changing the default port numbers
on the tab Advanced. On the bottom of this tab your are able to leave a
copy of the
messages on the server for a certain amount of time. This can be interesting if
you would like to download your e-mail on more then one computer!
ATTENTION: In combination with Windows
Vista, Outlook XP/2002 (and older) is not able to remember the passwords.
An upgrade to Outlook 2003 is necessary to solve this problem.
Changing default Outlook settings
The default Outlook settings aren't always that comfortable, I prefer to
change some of them:
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Use Folder List instead of Outlook Bar: View, enable Folder List, View, disable Outlook Bar.
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Start Inbox by default: Tools, Options, tab
Other, button Advanced Options, change the combo box in Inbox.
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Opening e-mail of your own choice?: Tools, Options, tab
Preferences, button E-mail Options, change combo box to return
to the Inbox.
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Closing e-mail on reply or forward?: Tools, Options, tab
Preferences, button E-mail Options, enable Close original
message on reply or forward.
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Not indenting when replying (prevent placing a tab before the
replied e-mail): Tools, Options, tab Preferences, change first
combo box (When replying to a message) to Include original message
text.
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Disable auto archiving (moving old e-mail out of the current
database): Tools, Options, tab
Other, button AutoArchive, disable Run AutoArchive ever xx days.
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Disabling Instant Messaging (this option delays the time to
startup Outlook): Tools, Options, tab
Other, disable Enable Instant Messaging in Microsoft Outlook.
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Automatically empty Deleted Items?: Tools, Options, tab
Other, enable Empty the Deleted Items folder upon exiting.
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Check spelling?: Tools, Options, tab Spelling,
enable Always check spelling before sending.
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Not using Word as e-mail editor: Tools, Options, tab
Mail Format, disable Use Microsoft Word to edit e-mail messages.
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Not all accounts need to check mail (if e-mail is forwarded to
another e-mail address)?: Tools, Options, tab Mail Setup, button
Send/Receive, button Edit the specific forwarded e-mail account.
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Compacting existing PST database files: Tools, Options,
tab Mail Setup, button Data Files, select PST file, button
Settings, button Compact Now.
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Add Saturday and Sunday in the calendar view: Tools, Options,
tab Preferences, button Calendar Options, enable Saturday
and Sunday.
MINIMZING OUTLOOK TO THE SYSTEM TRAY
With a simple tweak you are able to minimize Outlook to the system tray on
the right of your taskbar. This is done with the
registry editor by creating the DWORD-value MinToTray
with value 1 in the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\
Microsoft\Office\xx.0\Outlook\Preferences.
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OPENING `UNSECURE` FILES IN OUTLOOK
For Outlook there is no work around for the secured attachments, like Outlook
Express has. You need to make changes in the
registry to disable (partly) the security options. Navigate to the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\
Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Security (9.0 for Outlook 2000SP3, 10.0 for
Outlook 2002/XP). Add the String Value Level1Remove.
Change the value with the allowed file extensions, separated with the ;-sign
(example: exe;com).
Actually I advice to use the add-in called Outlook Attachment Options
(download:
www.slovaktech.com).
After installing this add-in, it is available in Outlook by Extra, Options, tab
Outlook Attachment Options. By choosing the allowed extensions and
restarting Outlook, you can temporary change the settings! With this add-in, you
are also able to minimize Outlook to the system tray, as described above.
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THE AUTO COMPLETE LIST
As soon as the first letter of a name is pressed into the To field of
a e-mail message, Outlook shows the previously used e-mail addresses in a
drop-down menu. Not everybody likes this AutoComplete feature, because it
shows the wrongfully spelled and no longer valid e-mail addresses as well. Many
don't know that it is very easy to delete those e-mail addresses using the
DEL key after the e-mail address has been selected into the drop-down list!
Besides that, it is also possible to copy the AutoComplete list to another PC or
user account. Close Outlook and copy the file Outlook.NK2 using the
Windows Explorer to the new location. Windows XP stores this file in the folder
C:\Documents and Settings\login name\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook, Windows Vista uses the folder C:\Users\login name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook.
Would you rather disable the AutoComplete list? Go to Tools,
Options, tab Preferences, button E-mail options, button
Advanced e-mail options and deactivate the option Suggest names while
completing To, Cc, and Bcc fields.
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Changing database location Outlook
When a data partition is used to separate the personal files from the system
files (to create an image of the
Windows partition), move the Outlook database as well (by
default these files are hidden). For more information visit the page about
moving the personal files (including the
contacts) to a data partition.
Outlook stores the complete archive (OUTLOOK.PST
file (ARCHIVE.PST for the older e-mail)) in the following folder:
XP: C:\Documents and Settings\login name\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
or
Vista: C:\Users\login name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\
NOTE: Normally these files are hidden in the
Windows Explorer! To unhide: Tools,
Folder Options, tab View, enable Display the content of system
folders, enable Show hidden files and folders, disable Hide
extensions for known file types and disable Hide protected operating
system files. If you are not able to find the files, you can always use the
Windows search function to find these files (Start, Search, "OUTLOOK.PST").
By a simple cut and paste action from the OUTLOOK.PST file to a new
location (example: D:\DATA\MAIL (use the Windows Explorer to create this
folder)), you are able to change the current archive location! (By replacing the
OUTLOOK.PST you are able to switch between archives!) After the start of
Outlook, you receive a database error because the missing OUTLOOK.PST
file. Navigate to the new location and restart Outlook again, and the new
location has been set.
TIP: Learn more about
recovering deleted
e-mail in Outlook using the free tool SCANPST.
Deleting double items
Sometimes, a synchronisation with a PDA or MDA can go wrong, resulting in
double items (e-mail, appointments, contacts, tasks and notes). Those double
items in the Outlook archive can be found and removed easily with free tools
like Outlook Duplicate Items
Remover (download:
www.vaita.com/odir.asp) and Outlook Duplicates Remover
(download:
www.slipstick.com/addins/mail_duplicates.asp, at the bottom of the list).
Before using tools like these, it's wise to copy the file OUTLOOK.PST to
create a back-up, before making irreversible changes!
Outlook Duplicate Items Remover
ODIR is available by the Outlook menu bar. Each folder has to be searched
separately, which is time consuming in case of the existence of many sub
folders. If ODIR finds duplicate items located on different locations, one of
them is moved to the folder ODIR_duplicate
items (the items stored in this folder have to be deleted manually). If
there are a lot of e-mail, searching for duplicate items can be time consuming!
Outlook Duplicates Remover
After the installation of
ODR, it is available by the Start Menu, All
programs, Holy Spirit, Southsea (it is 'prayerware'...) Before starting the
scanning for duplicate items, it wise to change the selection criteria. Be aware
that ODR doesn't back-up the deleted double items!
SOLVING ADDRESS BOOK PROBLEM
Probably you will have a problem with the Outlook Address Book,
especially if you overwrite the OUTLOOK.PST file with the archive from
you previous Windows XP installation (Tools, Address
Book). To solve this problem, right click the Contact icon the
folder view on the left pane (if the different archive folders are not visible,
enable this by View, Folder List) and select Properties, tab Outlook Address Book
and enable the option Show this folder as an e-mail Address Book
(if you feel the need to you can change the address book name). The next step in
Outlook is Tools, Address Book, and
in the new appearing window Tools, Options, and change the two combo
boxes and in the lower pain remove the upper address book referrer.
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DISABLE OUTLOOK ARCHIVING
I advise to disable the auto archiving option. This option is enabled by
default, which will move old e-mail to the ARCHIVE.PST file. This way,
they are no longer visible, and very difficult to find. Disable this option by
Tools, Options, tab Other, button
AutoArchive. (changing the default location to a safe location (example
D:\DATA\MAIL) is also possible here). If you already have an ARCHIVE.PST
file with old e-mail and would like to import them to your current
OUTLOOK.PST file, you can import those by File, Import and Export, Import
from another program of file, Personal Folder File (.pst) and Browse
to the PST-file.
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SENDING AN ENCRYPTED ATTACHMENT
If you would like to send sensitive files as an attachment in your email, you
probably would like to encrypt it first to make sure the information is secured.
This can be done with the free tool AxCrypt (download:
www.axantum.com/AxCrypt). In
a few clicks you can create an encrypted file which can be send safely as an
attachment by email. The recipient only requires the key to decode the send
file. Of course, this tool is also very useful to send big sensitive files with
a site like
http://free.mailbigfile.com.
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Removing duplicate items
After changes in the system or synchronization problems, it is not rare that
duplicate Outlook-items occur (like e-mail messages, contacts, appointments, task
and notes).
Those duplicate items in the Outlook archive can be found and removed easily
with the free tools
Outlook Duplicate Items Remover (download:
www.vaita.com/odir.asp)
and Outlook Duplicates Remover (download:
www.slipstick.com/addins/mail_duplicates.asp, at the bottom). Before using
one of those tools, it is wise to backup the OUTLOOK.PST file: you never
know!
Outlook Duplicate Items Remover
After installation of
ODIR, the tool is available by the Outlook menu bar. Every folder has to
searched separately, which makes it hard to verify multiple folders. When ODIR
finds an item on different locations, one of them is moved to the folder ODIR_duplicate items.
The items stored in this folder have to be deleted manually. When a lot of
e-mail is stored in the Outlook archive, searching for duplicate items can take
some time...
Outlook Duplicates Remover
After installation of
ODR, the tool is available by the start menu, All programs, Holy Spirit, Southsea
(it is 'prayer ware'...). Refine the selection criteria before scanning for
duplicate items. Be aware that ODR does not backup the deleted duplicates! By
the way, the development of Outlook Duplicates Remover has been stopped.
Addons for Outlook
Xobni helps organizing a flooded inbox
If the messages in the Inbox and Send items are not archived
properly, then in time it will become hard to trace earlier send and received
e-mail. Do you recognize this problem, try the free plugin Xobni (download:
www.xobni.com, suitable for Outlook 2003
and higher). After the installation of this plugin, all send and received e-mail
(at first only the past 6 months) are indexed. During the indexation, Xobni will
connect all send and received e-mail to the specific contact. Besides this
indexation, the other contacts in the TO and CC field are indexed as well to
show their contacts if needed. Based on the indexed e-mal, extensive statistics
can be shown about the e-mail behavior of the contacts. For example, this
information shows the specific time a contact is processing his/here e-mail. If
possible, Xobni also displays the found telephone numbers of the contacts.
Because this information is derived from the received e-mail, this information
is not always correct. (fortunately, the source is shown as well with a mouse
over).
Within Windows XP, the Xobni archive is stored in the folder C:\Documents and Settings\login name\Local Settings\Application
Data\Xobni\Outlook\ while Windows Vista uses the folder C:\Users\login name\AppData\Local\Xobni\Outlook\.
RSS in Outook
Although RSS is only supported since Outlook 2007 versions, with the plug-in
NewsGator Inbox (download:
www.newsgator.com/Individuals/NewsGatorInbox) it is also possible to read
RSS feeds within the older versions of Outlook. This free plug-in creates an
additional PST archive file to store the RSS feeds. The first time Outlook opens
after the installation of the plug-in, it asks for a login, which is not
necessary for using NewsGator Inbox. Be aware that using the plug-in will
result in a slow down the starting and closing of Outlook.
Synchronizing the Outlook calendar
Would it be useful to view your Outlook appointments online using any computer!
This can be done with the synchronization tool
Google
Calendar Sync (download:
www.google.com/support/calendar/bin/answer.py?answer=89955). Because the
Outlook appointments are synchronized with the Google Calendar, changes
to the online calendar will be added to the Outlook archive as well (in case of
2-way synchronization).
Not able to save the password
In some cases Outlook doesn't save your password, even if you enable
the option to save the password. This error is caused by a malfunctioning of the
Protected Storage Space from Windows. To solve this problem, run the
registry editor and navigate to
the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Protected Storage System
Provider. You will find a key with a long name starting with
S-1-5-21 which you have to delete (probably it's safe to create a back-up
of this key by File, Export). In most cases the problem is solved and next time
the passwords will be saved.
Be careful: by doing this you will lose all
stored passwords. Read the back-up
page how to recover these passwords.
If this doesn't solve the password issue (or if it's not possible to delete
the key), there is probably a problem with the permissions of your user account.
Select the key Protected Storage System Provider, right click on it and
select Permissions, button Advanced. Make sure that your
user account has Full Control for this key and sub keys. Activate
the option Reset permissions on all child objects and enable propagation of
inheritable permissions, click OK and repeat the earlier mentioned
procedure. If needed, check the Microsoft KB files (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290684).
Here you will find more information how to reset the protected storage system
provider.
Opening hyperlinks doesn't work and other problems
Frequently people ask me how to fix the issue with hyperlinks in an e-mail
message which won't open anymore (and other strange problems). Most of the time
this is caused by the registry of the DLL files. You can fix this by using
the following commands in
Start, Run:
regsvr32 urlmon.dll
regsvr32 shdocvw.dll
regsvr32 actxprxy.dll
regsvr32 oleaut32.dll
regsvr32 mshtml.dll
regsvr32 browseui.dll
regsvr32 shell32.dll
This can be done easely by selecting them one by one, copy (CTRL-C) and paste
(CTRL-V) in the Run box. The next thing is to start the Internet Explorer and
select Tools, Internet Options, tab Programs, button Reset Web
Settings. Most of the time the troubles are solved.
TIP: It can be irritating that clicking
on a hyperlink in an e-mail will overwrite the current Internet Explorer
webpage. You can solve this issue by disabling the option Reuse windows for
launching shortcuts. You can find this option in the Internet Explorer,
Tools, Internet options, tab Advanced, Browsing area.
Visit the page about
useful tips
for sending e-mail for more information.
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