13 Tips to Speed Up Microsoft Outlook 2007

While Outlook 2007 offers many new features that do indeed offer real benefits it can come at a price - performance.

On my Core 2 Duo with 2GB of RAM Outlook 2007 originally took a good 20 seconds to fire up from a fully booted PC and appeared to be constantly sluggish. So what can be done about it?

Tip 1: Delete attachments

A little-known feature in Outlook is the ability to keep an email but delete one or several attachment. Firstly, sort your inbox by file size (descending) and open a message (by double clicking so it opens in a new window) where you no longer wish to keep the attachment. Right click over the attachment and select Remove. Now save the email, repeat with all relevant emails in this mailbox and then repeat in any other mailboxes (including your sent items).

Tip 2: Split emails into Archives

Maybe you disabled the auto archive facility when you first saw it because you didn't understand it? Archiving old emails into a separate file still allows you to access less frequently used material when required but keeps your system running faster as it does not have to trawl through all of this rendundant content regularly. Click File | New | Outlook Data File. Enter a name for the file - a new folder will now appear in the folder list on the left. You can add sub-folders to this by right clicking, which is useful if you want to create a similar hierarchy to your current inbox. Once done simply select multiple files in your main inbox and drag/drop them to the same inbox in your new archive folder. Repeat for all other folders (e.g. Sent Items and any others that you may have created). Close the new data file by right clicking over the title and selecting Close [Folder Name]. Now when Outlook loads it only loads you nice lightweight folder! Outlook 2007 is known to be far less tolerant of large PST data files than Outlook 2003. Aim to keep your main PST file under 500MB - the smaller the better.

Tip 3: Disable unessential Add-ins in Outlook 2007

Click on Tools, Trust Center and Add-Ins. Now select one of the various options from the dropdown menu at the bottom and uncheck any add-ins that you don't use (which for me was an Adobe Acrobat one and Gotomeeting.com). Restart Outlook and see if this makes a difference.

Tip 4: No need for fax? Ditch it!

If you do not send or receive faxes on your PC then uninstall the facility as this has been known to cause issues with Outlook 2007.From Control Panel select Add/Remove Programs, select Add/remove windows components and uncheck Fax Service.

Tip 5: Enable Outlook 2007 logging to see if anything is going wrong

Outlook has an error logging capability, which could be useful if something is going wrong. Click Tools, Options, Other, Advanced Options and then tick Enable Logging. Logs will be stored in C:\Documents and Settings\[Username]\Local Settings\Temp\Outlook Logging\. Look for any errors, especially in OPMLog.log - perhaps relating to the checking of email on one or more of your POP3 accounts.

Tip 6: Compact your PST data files often

Use Outlook's compact facility to compress your folders, especially your main PST file. Click on top folder name (e.g. Personal Folders), right-click and select Properties. Now select Advanced and then click on Compact Now.

Tip 7: Optimise your Exchange settings

If you are connecting to an Exchange server then the synchronisation (cacheing) process will add a further overhead to your system. You can switch off cacheing so that your PC always looks to the server for its mail, however be warned - this can cause a number of issues, such as massively increased network traffic, problems with junk mail filtering and the inability to read mail when you are not connected to the server. Check the Microsoft knowledge base for Exchange optimisation techniques here, as this is a constantly evolving issue and there may be more solutions by the time you read this.

Tip 8: Stop Outlook 2007 storing RSS information from IE7

If you are using IE7 and RSS feeds Outlook will also store all feed threads by default. Click Tools, Options, other, Advanced Options and then uncheck Sync RSS feeds to common feed list, followed by Any RSS feed that is updated appears as a new item. Close these screens and then click Tools, Accounts, RSS Feeds and delete the feeds. Now you have to delete the RSS threads from the RSS threads folder in your mail folders.

Tip 9: Run the Outlook 2007 Diagnostics check

Outlook has its own self-repair mechanism. Click on Help and Office Diagnostics, and then let Outlook run its diagnostic tests, which can take 15 minutes or so.

Tip 10: Update your Rules and Alerts

Under Tools, Rules & Alerts, Options select Upgrade Rules (only if you don't use these PST files with an older version of Outlook). This updates the rules to Outlook 2007.

Tip 11: Scan and repair your PST file

Outlook ships with a scanning utility called SCANPST.EXE, located in drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE12. Run this, locate your PST file and let it scan and repair any errors for you. Full details can be found here: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/HA100758311033.aspx?pid=CH100788841033

Tip 12: Run Outlook 2007 in safe mode

You can start Outlook in safe mode, which stops Add-ins and certain other files from loading. This often loads Outlook with a startling speed boost! If you experience a big difference then try the following:

Quit out of Outlook 2007 and locate each of these files in turn and rename as indicated.

1. extend.dat - you will find this file in the location :\Documents and Settings\user-directory\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\extend.dat

//change it to extend.old

2. views.dat - may not find it most of the time

3. frmcache.dat - :\Documents and Settings\user-directory\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\FORMS\FRMCACHE.DAT

//change it to FRMCACHE.old

4. outcmd.dat - :\Documents and Settings\user-directory\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\outcmd.dat

//change it to OUTCMD.old

Tip 13: Download the latest patches from Microsoft

At the time of writing there is one major patch which suggests that it will resolve performance issues. You can download it here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932086

Note that there are known issues with Outlook taking a long time when checking POP3 accounts. According to several blogs it relates to the AUTH command and only affects certain mailservers. It is wise to check that your settings are correct - options such as setting authentication as on may not actually be necessary and could be the cause of many of your problems, so check your ISP's website for EXACT settings.

After performing the above my Outlook now fires up in around 10-15 seconds from a fully-booted PC and appears much more responsive during operation. Hopefully by now your system will too

Speed Up Your PC And Boost Performance By Cleaning It

Ever notice your computer fan seems to run constantly? Maybe you also notice your laptop or desktop feels warmer than normal. And you probably also noticed that your PC performance has been running a lot slower lately trying to execute even the simplest tasks.

That's what I noticed about my laptop, which is only sixteen months old. It just was not running as snappy as it did a few months ago. So I did all the usual clean up tips that you can find anywhere on the Internet in hopes of speeding up my Windows PC.

Ran CCLeaner, removed unused programs, defrag the hard drive, cleaned up my user profiles and desktop, and so on.

Only to have the same problem. A slow computer.

I was about ready to give up by formatting the hard drive and reinstall Windows, when I decided that maybe I should look inside and check things out before I got started with the reinstall.

Well much to my surprise, I found the cause of the performance problem….a dirty computer.

I couldn't believe how much dust had accumulated over time. Now it made sense as to what was causing the poor performance problems.

Over time, your fans will pick up dust which naturally collects on the components inside your computer. Eventually this will cause cooling problems and make your computer run hot, while reducing efficiency. With the fan running constantly and unable to cool, more heat is being produced which requires more power to run your computer, thus reducing overall performance.

Worse, it can cause components to overheat which will shutdown your computer or cause some components to fail, leaving you with a big repair bill.

So it was time to give the inside a good cleaning. And after I was finished, my laptop was back to it's speedy self again. Without reinstalling Windows, or spending any money.

Now, before you go ahead and attempt tp clean your computer, here are some tips I came across on how to clean a computer without causing any damage to the components inside:

First the precautions…

- Shut Down Your Computer And Unplug It - failure to do so could cause harm to your computer and your self. Be safe by eliminating any electrical shock that can occur if the computer is still plugged in.

- Go Outside - once you get started with cleaning (keep reading for details), you will be surprised by how much of a dust mess is created. If you cannot go outside, try to find another area that you don't mind getting dusty.

- Put Away The Vacuum Cleaner - using a vacuum cleaner can cause static electricity and damage your mother board. Additional damage to fans can occur if you allow the suction of the vacuum to excessively spin the fan blades.

- Do Not Use Liquids - avoid getting any component inside the computer or any other circuit board damp or wet.

..and now it's time to get cleaning.

- Use A Can Of Compressed Air - this is the proper way to clean your computer. A can of compressed air can be found in any electronic or computer store.

- Make Sure You Are Grounded - static electricity is like kryptonite to electronic components. Do everything you can to prevent static electricity from occurring

NOTE: make sure you hold the fan blades to prevent them from spinning.

Start by removing the case lid. Hold your can of compressed air upright and start on the upper region of the computer, then work your way down. In this manner you can sweep out all the dust that settles on lower components at one time. Again try to not cause the fan blades (CPU fan, power supply fan, etc) to spin excessively.

Be through, but do not press on cords or components. Also keep your air source a moderate distance from the components you're working on.

To remove the gunk on the fan blades (that the compressed air cannot clean), use a dry Q-Tip and work each blade as best as you can.

Make sure you clean the power supply, and blow through the internal slits from inside the chassis, aiming so dust will exit the back.

Next, blow into the intake fan (if there is one) to push the dust out the back.

When finished, put the panel back on your computer and reconnect your mouse, keyboard, monitor, etc. Llug the power cord back into your computer and boot it up.

By following these simple guide lines and using common sense, you can significantly increase performance of your computer….with out spending a fortune.

Running Scandisk

As you save, erase, and move files sometimes things do not go just right. This is not caused by anything you are doing wrong. A PC is a very complex, fast machine and despite the best efforts of all the designers, engineers and programmers who've toiled to make it flawless, sometimes programs collide and mess up each others files.

This unwanted interaction can result in invalid files, files with lost file fragments, and cross linked files. You don't always know right away when this happens. This is why you should run the Scandisk utility from time to time.

For Windows 9x and ME

1) Click the Start button.

2) Select Programs, Accessories, then System Tools. Click Scandisk.

3) Select and click the drive you want to scan, and then choose either the Standard or the Thorough test.

4) Click Start.

Scandisk runs in two modes

1. The Standard test checks the files and folders on the selected drive for errors.
   
   
2. The Thorough test performs the Standard test and then checks the entire surface of your hard drive for physical damage. You can even specify to scan areas of your disk containing only data files, or just the areas with system files, or both. This process takes a long time. Unless the Standard test fails you shouldn't need to run this test.

For Windows XP and 2000

In XP and 2000, the utility is called 'Error Checking' and doesn't offer the full physical surface check.

1) From 'Start' double click 'My Computer'.

2) Right-click the drive you want.

3) Click on 'Properties', then 'Tools'.

4) Under 'Error Checking' click 'Check Now' and then Start.

5) A small scandisk window appears and the process begins.

Emptying your Recycle Bin

Everytime you delete a file on a PC running a Windows Operating system it isn't really deleted. It is instead stored in a temporary holding area called the Recycle Bin. It stays there until you restore it or permanently delete it.

From time to time it is a good idea to go and delete the files you have no intention of restoring.

To delete all the files in the Recycle Bin do the following:

1) Locate the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop and double-click it.

2) When the Recycle Bin opens, click 'File' on the menu bar and a list of options appears.

3) Select 'Empty Recycle Bin' from this list and every item in the Recycle Bin is deleted.

Deleting Temporary Files

Every time you access web sites on the Internet, temporary files are copied to your PC. These files contain information intended to make these web sites open faster on your next visit. They may also contain preferences you've entered on the site while visiting it.

All well and good so far. Over time, however, you can build up thousands of these files. Many of them may not be doing you much good, especially if they are from sites you've visited once never intending to go back.

Every once in a while, you should go in and clean these files out.

Here's how you do it:

1) In Internet Explorer click Tools, then click 'Internet Options'.

2) Select the 'General' tab and find the 'Temporary Files' section half way down the page.

3) Click the 'Delete Files' button and in the window that opens, check the box for 'Delete all offline content'.

4) Click OK and all the files are erased.

Change Icon spacing on your Desktop

You can move icons on the desktop closer together or farther apart.

1) Right-click anywhere on the desktop. Select Properties and the display properties box opens.

2) Click the Appearance tab:

· For Windows 98 - Select 'Icon Spacing (Horizontal)' or ‘Icon Spacing (Vertical)’ in the Item box

· For Windows XP - Click the Advanced button, then select 'Icon Spacing (Horizontal)' or ‘Icon Spacing (Vertical)’ in the Item box

3) Adjust the number in the Size box and you’ll see the effect of changes, as you make them, in the small display near the top of the window.

4) When you have the spacing you want, Click OK to save the setting.

Shortcuts on your Desktop

A shortcut is path to a program and is represented by an icon on the desktop that you can click to access the program. This saves you from having to navigate the path to the actual location of the program. It's easy to add a shortcut:

1) Right-click anywhere on the desktop. A pop-up menu appears.

2) Select New, then Shortcut and the ‘create shortcut’ window opens.

3) Use the Browse button to find the path to the application or program.

4) Select the program you want and the path to it appears in the 'location of item' box.

5) Click Next and the ‘select a title box’ appears where you are asked to enter a name for the shortcut.

6) Enter a name and then click Finish. The new shortcut appears on the desktop. Just drag it to where on the desktop you want it.

Change your Desktop Background

1) Right-click anywhere on your open desktop and select Properties from the drop-down list that appears.

· 2a) For Windows 98 - Select the Background tab in the window that appears and find the section labeled Wallpaper that contains a list of files you can choose to use as Wallpaper.

· 2b) For Windows XP - Select the Desktop tab in the window that appears, and find the section labeled Background which contains a list of files you can choose to use as your Desktop background.

3) Click on one and it is shown in the small display in the window.

4) When you find one you like, click OK to keep as your desktop wallpaper!

Note: If the image does not cover your entire display and you want it to, go to the Display box and select the Stretch option.

Find Files in Windows 98

A program called Find can help you locate Files and Folders on your PC.

1) Click Start, Find and then ‘Files or Folders’ and the ‘Find All Files’ window opens.

2) In the window that opens there are three boxes to fill in:

a) In the box labeled Named, type in the full or partial file name you want to locate.

b) You can optionally search for text within each file by entering the text you want to search for in the box labeled ‘Containing Text’.

Note: If you look for files by file name and text within the file, then only files matching both conditions will be found.

c) Click the arrow at the right side of the box labeled “Look In’ and in the drop-down list that opens, select the drive(s) you want to search in. If you want to search all folders in the drive you select, check the ‘Include subfolders’ check box.

3) Click the 'Find Now' button and all files and folders matching your search conditions appear in a list. The path of each folder and file is also displayed.

Search for Files in Windows XP

A program called Search can help you locate Files and Folders on your PC.

1) Click Start, Search and the ‘Search Results’ window opens.

2) On the left side of the window, click the ‘All Files and Folders’ link and three fill-in boxes are displayed in the window:

a) In the box labeled ‘All or part of the file name’ type in the full or partial file name you want to locate.

b) You can optionally search for text within each file by entering the text you want to search for in the box labeled ‘A word or phrase in the file’.

Note: If you look for files by file name and text within the file, then only files matching both conditions will be found.

c) Click the arrow at the right side of the box labeled “Look In’ and in the drop-down list that opens, select the drive(s) you want to search in. If you want to search all folders in the drive you select, check the ‘Include subfolders’ check box.

3) Click the 'Search' button and all files and folders matching your search conditions appear in a list. The path of each folder and file is also displayed

Set Power Management on your PC

When you leave your PC running but are not using it, you can set the length of time your hard drive(s) and monitor run before they go to an 'idle' state.

Slowing down the spin rate of a hard drive from a high to a low speed, reduces the wear on it bearings.

Turning off the monitor when not in use saves a significant amount of power. It is by far consumes more power than any other component in your PC.

To set these options, follow the instructions below:

1. On your PC click 'Start', then 'Settings' and then 'Control Panel',
   
   
2. Double click the Power Options icon in the control panel and a window appears with a number of tabs across the top labeled: Power Schemes, Alarms, Power Meter, Advanced and Hibernate. There may be variances in these options depending on which Windows operating system you have.
   
   
3. Double-click the 'Power Schemes' tab.
   
   
4. At the top of the window that opens you can select different modes to which you assign hard drive and monitor activity. There are usually three there with preassigned names: 'Desktop/Home', 'Laptop' and 'Always on'. Select Desktop/Home and let's set it up.
   
   
5. At the bottom of the window you can set the time to run before turning off your monitor and your hard drive(s). This time is measured from the last keystroke or mouse movement you make.
   
   
6. To set your hard drive running time, select the time you want from the drop down menu next to 'Turn off hard disks'. Select a time that you think you will not exceed in your typical routine.
   I set mine at 45 minutes, which means the drive will slow down 45 minutes after tha last time it was accessed.
   The hard drive(s) wake up when you access a file or when some other activity occurs that requires access to it.
   
   
7. The monitor running time is set similarly with the 'Turn off Monitor' drop down box. I set this at 20 minutes.
   So if you don't press a key or move your mouse, the screen goes dark in 20 minutes.
   It wakes up again when you move your mouse or press any key on your keyboard.
   
   
8. Click 'OK' or 'Apply' to save the settings.
   
   
9. To setup another mode, go back to step 4, select it and repeat steps 5-7.
   
   
10. To use another mode, select it in step 4 click 'OK' and your PC will run with it, until you change it.

Printing Selected Text

Have you ever wanted to print just a tiny section of a large file? Sometimes I need to print just a few cells from an Excel spreadsheet. Using this tip I don't end up using a whole tree to print lots of pages I don't need.

Here is how you do it:

1) Select the text you want to print.

2) On the 'File' menu select 'Print'.

3) In the dialog box that opens look in the 'Print Range' section and check the 'Selection' option.

4. Click Print and the selected text is printed.

Adjusting your PC's Sound

Sometimes the volume adjustment of a sound source on your PC gets out of whack for any number of reasons. If you are hearing very low sound or none at all first check:

1. Is your PC speaker cable properly plugged into the Speaker port on your PC sound card?
   
   
2. If the speakers are the powered type make sure they are ON and that the volume control is up.
   
   

If these checks are OK then proceed to check the Volume Control that is found in Programs.

1. Click Start, Programs, Accessories and then Entertainment.
   
   
2. When the Entertainment list opens you should see a Volume Control icon. Click it to open the control.
   
   
3. You will see a vertical slide control for each sound source on your PC and one for the main volume called Play Control.
   
   
4. Make sure each slide control is pushed up and that none of the controls have the Mute box checked. Then try to use your sound device again.

Start your PC in Safe Mode

When there is problem starting your PC, sometimes Windows automatically enters ‘safe mode’. This causes Windows to use default settings: VGA monitor, no network, Microsoft mouse driver, and the minimum number device drivers required to start Windows.

Why would you want to start your PC in safe mode?

If you've ever tried to defragment your hard disk and it can’t complete, it is probably because another program keeps accessing the disk. When this happens, an error message is displayed that says 'Some other program has interrupted the defragment process and defragment is restarting'. This process continues in an endless loop and the defragment process never completes.

Using safe mode usually allows Defrag to complete.

1) Shut down your PC

2) Restart your PC and hold down the F5 key. Don’t release it until you get to the screen in step three.

3) Your display will show a screen where you have a number of choices. Choose safe mode, which should be selection #3.

4) Your PC will start and your desktop will appear very different. This is normal for safe mode.

5) Run defragment as you normally would. If you need details on defragmenting your drive go to http://www.computerhelpatoz.com/tips-defragment.html

6) When defragment has finished, restart your PC normally.

Setting your PC Clock

The clock must be displayed on the taskbar to use this tip. If the clock is not visible, right-click anywhere on the taskbar and select Properties from the list that appears. Check the ‘Show Clock’ box in the window that appears and click OK.

1) Double click the clock that is displayed at the right hand end of the taskbar.

2) The Date/Time properties window opens. Select the ‘Date & Time’ tab.

3) Underneath the clock that is displayed you will see the time shown as digits.

4) Double click the hour and use the arrows provided to move it up or down until the hour is correct.

5) Repeat this process for the minutes, seconds and AM/PM selector.

6) Click OK to complete.

Change Display Colors

The number of colors displayed significantly affects the appearance of both both text and pictures. If the color for your display is set too low, you are missing a more realistic look especially in the pictures you view.

1) Right-click anywhere on your open desktop. A pop up menu appears.

2) Select Properties and ‘display properties' window opens.

3) Select the Settings tab and in the 'Colors' (98) or ‘Color Quality’ (XP) section and choose the highest color setting available.

4) Click OK.

Note: You may have to try a different settings to get the one that provides the best viewing for your monitor and video driver.

Using Autofit in Excel

Sometimes the text you enter in a cell is wider than the column width setting and it spills over into the column(s) next to it. Autofit adjusts the column width to match the width of the cell with the longest text.

1) Select the column you want to adjust by placing your cursor over the column heading and clicking your mouse. The entire column is selected.

2) Select Format from the menu bar and a drop-down list appears.

3) Select Column from this list and a menu opens.

4) Select ‘Autofit Selection' and the column width changes to match the width of the cell with the longest string of text.

Using Fill in Excel

The Fill command enables you to copy the same text or formula in as many cells as you want with just a few simple steps.

For example, copy the number 10 in column A of the first 100 rows of a spreadsheet:

1) Begin by entering 10 in the cell at row 1, column A.

2) Put your mouse pointer over the cell, hold down the left mouse button and drag it down the column to row 100. Release the button and all 100 cells in column A are selected.

3) Click Edit on the menu bar and select Fill from the drop-down menu.

4) Select Down from the list that appears and 10 is copied into each selected row of column A.

Note: This works across columns too, except that you would select a row in step 2 and choose the Right instead of Down from the list in step four.

Add Programs to your PC from CD

Installing new programs on your PC adds new functionality to it.

1) Insert the CD or floppy disk for the program you are installing.

2) Click Start, Settings (98 only) then 'Control Panel’.

3) Double click the ‘Add or Remove Programs’ icon and another window opens.

4) Click the ‘Add New Programs’ button on the left side of the window and a button labeled ‘CD or Floppy’ appears.

5) Click the button and the installation program will look for the setup files on the installation disk.

6) Follow the installation instructions. (These instructions can vary from program to program).

Make a numbered list

When using Excel it may be necessary to create a series. A series is different than copying the same cell to many other cells. It is very handy when you want to make a numbered list or a list of dates. To make a numbered list:

1) Open Excel and enter ‘1’ or the starting number for your list in a cell.

2) Beginning with this cell, highlight all the cells that will be in the list.

3) Click Edit on the menu bar, select Fill from the drop-down list and select Series from the menu that appears. A dialog box opens.

4) In the 'Series In' section, select column or row depending on how your selected cells run.

5) In the Type section, choose Linear.

6) In the 'Step value', choose how you want the list to count:

· If you choose a step value of one, each member of the list is incremented by one and the list becomes 1,2,3, etc.

· If you choose two for a step value, the generated list becomes 1,3,5 etc.

7) Click OK to generate your list.

Change Fonts

You can use this tip in any application that supports multiple fonts.

1) Select the text you want to change fonts for.

2) Select Format, then click Font from the menu and a list of font names appear.

3) Select the font you want to use and the font is applied to the selected text.

Add Tools to a Toolbar

Tool icons are available that save and print files, open new documents, format text, etc. There are hundreds of tools and many are pre-assigned to various Toolbars. You can add tool icons to any toolbar you want to.

To find out what tools are available in an application:

1) Right-click on any toolbar.

2) Select Customize from the drop-down menu that appears and the customize window opens.

3) Click the Command tab and all tool Categories are shown. The File, Edit, View, Insert, and Format categories contain the bulk of tool icons that are commonly used.

4) Click one of these categories and all the tool icons for it are displayed under Commands.

5) Drag a tool icon to one of the toolbar you want to add the tool to and release your mouse button. The tool icon is now assigned to that toolbar and will be there .

6) Close the Customize window.

Using the Format Painter

Copy and apply text formatting using the Format Painter in Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Located in the Standard toolbar, the Format Painter tool icon (looks like a paint brush) is used to copy the format of a selected object or text to other objects or text.

In Word, for example, if you have text formatted in 10 pt, Arial, black, you can easily transfer this text formatting to any other text in the document with Format Painter.

1) Select the text that has the formatting that you want to copy and transfer.

2) Click the Format Painter icon. It becomes indented which verifies you've selected it.

3) With your cursor, which now has a paintbrush attached to it, select the target text you want to format.

4) The target text immediately changes to match the format of the original text. As soon as you select the target text, the Format Painter icon becomes inactive.

Note: To make the Format Painter icon remain active so that you can continue formatting text, repeat steps 1 - 3, except this time in step 2, double-click the icon. When you are done formatting you must click the icon again to deactivate it; otherwise you will continue reformatting any text you select.

Enable Pictures in Emails

In order for a picture that’s been inserted into a message to be sent by Outlook Express, it must be set up to do it. With Outlook Express open:

1) Click the Tools on the menu bar, and then click Options.

2) Select the Send tab and in the properties window that opens, locate the ‘Mail Sending Format’ sections.

3) Select the HTML option, and then click the HTML Settings button and the window shown below opens.

4) Check the ‘Send Pictures with Messages’ checkbox and click OK to save the setting.

Note: In order to view pictures inserted into a message, the person receiving the message must have their Outlook Express set up to read messages in 'HTML'.

Do not append > character on reply/forward

Every time a message is forwarded or replied to, the > character gets added to the head of each line by default. Some messages have 2, 3 or more of these characters in front of each line. To turn these off, open the Outlook Express main screen:

1) Click on Tools, then Options. This opens the options window.

2) Click on the Send tab, and go to the 'Mail Sending Format' section.

· If you have HTML selected as your Mail Sending Format, click on the HTML button. Uncheck the 'Indent message on reply' checkbox.

· If you have 'Plain Text' selected as your Mail Sending Format, click on the ‘Plain Text’ button. Uncheck the 'Indent the original text with' checkbox

Sort your Inbox by date

With your Outlook Express inbox open:

1) Look on the right side of the screen where all the messages are listed.

2) There are heading names listed above the messages like: From, To, Subject etc.

3) Locate the column heading called 'Received' and click it.

4) This will sort your messages by date received.

5) If the oldest message is listed first, click Received again and the newest will be listed first.

Sign your Emails

With Outlook open:

1) Click Tools, then Options and then select the 'Mail Format' tab in the options window that opens.

2) Click 'Signature Picker' and select New in the ‘signature picker’ window that appears.

3) The 'create new signature' window opens. Enter a name for the new signature you are creating.

4) Select the 'Start with blank Signature' button and click Next.

5) In the ‘edit signature’ window that opens, enter the text for your signature, as you want it to appear.

6) Click Finish to close this window, then click OK to close the ‘signature picker’ window.

7) You are now back at the options window. Click on the 'use this signature by default' drop-down box and select the name of the signature you just created in step three.

8) Click OK.

Every new e-mail message you write will have the signature text in it when you first open it.

Forwarding Emails

1) Open Outlook Express, click Tools and select 'Message Rules' from the drop down menu.

2) Select Mail from the list that opens and the ‘message rules’ box opens.

3) Select the 'Mail Rules' tab and click New, which opens the ‘new mail rule’ box.

a) In the 'Select the Condition for your rule' section, select the 'For all messages' box.

b) In the 'Select the Actions for your rule' area select the 'Forward to people' box.

c) In the 'Rule Description' section, click 'people' and a box opens.

d) Enter the e-mail address where you want your e-mail forwarded, or click the Address book button and select an e-mail address from there.

e) In the last section of the ‘new mail rule’ box you can select a name for the rule, like 'Forward messages when away'.

4) Click OK and you're done.

Don’t forget to turn this rule off when you return. To turn off message forwarding:

1) Open Outlook Express, click Tools, and select 'Message Rules' from the list.

2) Select Mail from the list that appears and the ‘message rules’ box opens.

3) Locate and uncheck the ‘Forward messages when away’ checkbox.

4) Click OK to save your changes.

Delete Messages by Subject

In Outlook Express you can delete, or save to a folder, all the messages that contain specific text in the Subject line. Let's assume these are emails you don't want and we’ll delete them.

1) Open Outlook Express and click Tools.

2) Select 'Message Rules' from the drop down menu.

3) Then click Mail and the 'Message Rules' Box opens.

4) Select the 'Mail Rules' tab and click New, which opens the ‘new mail rule’ box.

a) In the 'Select the Condition for your rule' section, select the 'Where Subject line contains specific words' box.

b) Go to 'Rule description' section and enter the word or phrase to look for in the subject line.

c) In the 'Select the Actions for your rule' area, select ‘Delete it’.

d) In the last section of the ‘new mail rule’ box you can select a name for the rule, like 'Delete emails about Jane Doe'.

5) Click OK and you're done.

Don't forget to turn this rule off when you no longer need it by repeating the first three steps. When the message rules box appears uncheck the rule 'Delete emails about Jane Doe'.

Auto Delete Messages

In the Outlook Express main screen:

1) Click Tools, Options and then select the Maintenance tab.

2) In the 'Cleaning up Message' area, check the box next to 'Empty messages from the Deleted Items folder on exit', click OK and you're done.

3) The next time you close Outlook Express the Deleted Folder will be emptied.

Changing Your E-mail Text Format

If you're e-mails are plain looking it could be that your e-mail text format is set to plain text. The text font, size, color etc. of plain text is - plain!

HTML or Rich Text (depending on the version of e-mail you are using) will allow you to greatly vary the appearance of your e-mail text. It will really spruce up the appearance of your e-mails.

Here's how you do it.

Go to your Outlook Express main screen:

1) Click on Tools, then Options. Select the 'Send' tab.

2) Scroll down to the 'Mail Sending Format' area.

3) There are two options, Plain Text and HTML. Select HTML.

4) Click OK to save the changes.

If you don't like the way it looks just select plain text in step 3.

Outlook and Outlook Express

Outlook Express and Outlook are both email programs that allow you to compose, send and receive e-mails over the Internet.

Outlook Express is part of the Windows Operating System that is installed on your PC. It will handle the email needs of most PC users.

Outlook is a component of the Microsoft Office Suite of programs that includes Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Beside basic email functions Outlook has the following additional functions:

• Calendar - where you can set up reminders that are sent to your inbox at a time and date you specify.
  
  
• Task Manager - let’s you set up a to-do list of tasks.
  
  
• Journal - allows activities to be automatically recorded such as: E-mail messages, Meeting requests, Meeting responses, Task requests and Task responses.

Auto Complete Usernames

If you access sites that require your username and password you can set Internet Explorer to auto fill in the information for you after you've entered the first few characters of each field.

1) In Internet Explorer, click on Tools, then 'Internet Options'.

2) Click the Content tab.

3) In the 'Personal Information' area, click 'Auto complete'.

4) Check the 'User names and passwords on forms' box.

5) Click OK to finish up.

Is a Web Site Secure?

What is the difference between a secure and an unsecure web site?

A secure web site uses encryption and authentication standards to protect the confidentiality of web transactions whereas an unsecured site does not. It does this by encrypting information like credit cards numbers and other private data so that no third party can read the original information.

When accessing a secure site, your browser pops up a message stating that it is entering a secure site. When leaving a secure site it pops up a message telling you that it is leaving a secure site. These messages can also appear within the secure areas of an otherwise unsecured site, where personal information is entered.

A secure web page has two important features that identify it as secure:

1) The web page address in the address bar of the browser will begin ‘https’ rather than 'http'.

2) At the bottom of the web page an icon is displayed that looks like a small pad lock.

Printing Web Pages

Printing web pages can be tricky because often the lines of text are clipped off, leaving you to guess at what was removed.

If this happens, you can fix it by printing them in landscape orientation. This turns a standard 8 ½ x 11 page on its side so that the long side is on the bottom. When you print a web page in this orientation the lines of text usually do not get clipped.

1) Open Internet Explorer, click File on the menu bar and then select 'Page Setup’.

2) In the lower left hand corner of the page that opens you’ll see the Orientation area.

3) Select Landscape, click OK and then print the page as you normally would.

Show pictures in Internet Explorer

Have you ever opened a web page in Internet Explorer only to find red x's in place of the pictures?

This can happen when the settings in your Internet Explorer are changed for whatever reason. The correct settings for showing pictures in Internet Explorer are:

1) Click Tools, 'Internet Options' and then the Advanced tab.

2) Scroll down to the Multimedia section of the list that is displayed and check the box next to 'Show Pictures'.

3) Click OK to complete

Display Browser Favorites

1) To display your Favorites list in the left pane of Internet Explorer, click the Favorites button on the standard toolbar of Internet Explorer.

2) The Favorites list appears in the left pane of your browser and will each time you open Internet Explorer until it is deselected.

3) If the Favorites button is not visible for some reason, the following sequence will display your favorites list:
Click View, ‘Explorer Bar’, and then Favorites.

Changing your Browser's Homepage

1) Open Internet Explorer, and click Tools on the menu bar.

2) Select 'Internet Options' from the menu that appears and the ‘Internet options’ window opens as shown here.

3) There are a number of tabs at the top. Select the General tab, if not already selected.

4) Near the top of the General page, you will see the Homepage area.

5) Click the 'Use Current', button and delete the address that appears in the Address box.

6) Type in or paste in the complete web address (URL) of the page you want as your new home page.

7) Click OK and your done!

What are HTML and HTTP?

What is HTML?

HTML stands for Hyper Text Mark-up Language. It is the programming code that is used to write web pages that are stored on servers. Every web page that you view in a browser is written in HTML or XML (a newer language). Your browser is designed to interpret and display web pages coded in HTML.

What is HTTP?

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is the set of rules for transferring files (text, graphic images, sound, video, and other multimedia files) on the World Wide Web. As soon as a web user opens a web browser, they are making use of HTTP. The beginning of almost every web page address begins with HTTP, which indicates that that the session being requested will use the HTTP protocol.

HTTP concepts include the idea that files can contain references to other files (hyperlinks) whose selection will cause additional transfer requests.

Every web server contains an HTTP program that waits for and handles HTTP requests (from browsers) when they arrive. When a request come in, the web server sends back the requested file or files associated with the request. (Most web pages consist of more than one file.)

Every web browser is an HTTP client that sends requests to web servers. When a browser user enters a request by entering a web address (URL) in the browser address bar or by clicking on a hyperlink, the browser builds an HTTP request and sends it to the server at the Internet Protocol address (IP address) indicated by the URL.

What is Bluetooth?

That's what your dentures get after eating blueberry pie, but you may hear about mobile phones and other devices having "Bluetooth Technology". Basically, it's a short-range wireless technology that simplifies communication between internet devices like mobile phones, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) and computers. Bluetooth's has a range of about 30 feet and allows you to do away with messy cables.

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group, a cabal of over 3000 manufacturers, oversees the standards and security of the technology. It gets its unusual name in honor of Harald Bluetooth, king of Denmark in the mid-tenth century for no other reason than to recognize the contribution of Baltic countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland) to the communications industry.

If you look around you'll find a ton of devices that use Bluetooth. Everything from wireless printers, wireless keyboards, even home appliances (I still don't know why my computer and washing machine need to communicate).

Bluetooth enabled mobile phones have recently been under attack by hackers who gain access to information being stored on the phone. This is often called bluesnarfing or bluebugging. In order to carry out a bluejacking, the sending and receiving devices must be within 10 meters of one another. If you use enabled devices, the Official Bluetooth website has a page explaining how to protect yourself—it's worth reading...
http://www.bluetooth.com/protect.asp

I hope this demystifies this new technology so when you are out shopping for a mobile phone, PDA, laptop, or other device you'll be aware of what Bluetooth can do.

How to Automate the Disk Cleanup Tool in Windows XP .

Cleanmgr.exe is designed to clear unnecessary files from your computer's hard disk. You can use command-line options to specify that Cleanmgr.exe cleans up certain files. You can then schedule the task to run at a specific time by using the Scheduled Tasks tool.

To start the Disk Cleanup tool, either run the Cleanmgr.exe command, or click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Disk Cleanup.

Disk Cleanup supports the following command-line options:

• /d driveletter: - This option specifies the drive that you want Disk Cleanup to clean.
  
  Note: The /d option is not utilized with /sagerun: n.
• /sageset: n - This option displays the Disk Cleanup Settings dialog box and also creates a registry key to store the settings that you select. The n value, which is stored in the registry, allows you to specify tasks for Disk Cleanup to run. The n value can be any integer value from 0 to 65535. To have all of the options available when you use the /sageset option, you might need to specify the drive where Windows is installed.
• /sagerun: n - This option runs the specified tasks that are assigned to the n value if you use the \sageset option. All drives on the computer are enumerated and the selected profile runs against each drive.
  
  For example, in Scheduled Tasks, you could run the following command after you run the cleanmgr /sageset:11 command:
  cleanmgr /sagerun:11
  This command runs Disk Cleanup and includes the options that you specified with the cleanmgr /sageset:11 command.

The options for the files that you can specify for Disk Cleanup by using /sageset and /sagerun include:

• Temporary Setup Files - These are files that were created by a Setup program that is no longer running.
• Downloaded Program Files - Downloaded program files are ActiveX controls and Java programs that are downloaded automatically from the Internet when you view certain pages. These files are temporarily stored in the Downloaded Program Files folder on the hard disk. This option includes a View Files button so that you can see the files before Disk Cleanup removes them. The button opens the C:\Winnt\Downloaded Program Files folder.
• Temporary Internet Files - The Temporary Internet Files folder contains Web pages that are stored on your hard disk for quick viewing. Disk Cleanup removes these page but leaves your personalized settings for Web pages intact. This option also includes a View Files button, which opens the C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5 folder.
• Old Chkdsk Files - When Chkdsk checks a disk for errors, Chkdsk might save lost file fragments as files in the root folder on the disk. These files are unnecessary.
• Recycle Bin - The Recycle Bin contains files that you have deleted from the computer. These files are not permanently removed until you empty the Recycle Bin. This option includes a View Files button that opens the Recycle Bin.
• Temporary Files - Programs sometimes store temporary information in a Temp folder. Before a program quits, the program usually deletes this information. You can safely delete temporary files that have not been modified within the last week.
• Temporary Offline Files - Temporary offline files are local copies of recently used network files. These files are automatically cached so that you can use them after you disconnect from the network. A View Files button opens the Offline Files folder.
• Offline Files - Offline files are local copies of network files that you specifically want to have available offline so that you can use them after you disconnect from the network. A View Files button opens the Offline Files folder.
• Compress Old Files - Windows can compress files that you have not used recently. Compressing files saves disk space, but you can still use the files. No files are deleted. Because files are compressed at different rates, the displayed amount of disk space that you will gain is approximate. An Options button permits you to specify the number of days to wait before Disk Cleanup compresses an unused file.
• Catalog Files for the Content Indexer - The Indexing service speeds up and improves file searches by maintaining an index of the files that are on the disk. These Catalog files remain from a previous indexing operation and can be deleted safely.

If you specify cleaning up the drive that contains the Windows installation, all of these options are available on the Disk Cleanup tab. If you specify any other drive, only the Recycle Bin and the Catalog files for content index options are available on the Disk Cleanup tab.

The More Options tab contains options for cleaning up Windows components or installed programs.

• The Windows Components option creates free space by removing optional Windows components that you do not use. Clicking Clean Up starts the Windows Components Wizard.
• The Installed Programs option frees more disk space by removing programs that you do not use. Clicking Clean Up starts the Change or Remove Programs option in the Add/Remove Programs tool.