Outlook security features

Posted by Jonh Wednesday, April 30, 2008 0 comments

Outlook is designed to help protect your computer from viruses and junk e-mail messages. The following information focuses on the virus protection features in Microsoft Outlook.

Macro security

Outlook itself cannot detect whether a virus is present. Macro viruses are spread through attachments, not the e-mail message itself. Microsoft Office achieves macro virus protection by using the High macro security setting as the default. With the High setting, you can run only digitally signed macros from trusted sources or macros that you created yourself, as long as the installed add-ins and templates are trusted. Unsigned macros are automatically disabled.

Note Signing a macro is similar to getting a legal document notarized by a legal authority or getting your passport stamped by a government official. Electronic certificates are used to sign the macro code. Certificates are issued by a certificate authority, such as a bank, government, or software company, which should be trusted sources. For example, all macros that are pre-installed with Office are signed by the developers who created them using certificates issued by Microsoft that vouch for their authenticity.

If you change the macro security level to the less secure Medium setting, you automatically receive a warning each time you open a document that contains a macro. You can select an option in the Security Warning dialog box about whether to run the macro. Disable Macros is the default button.

Note If the security setting is set to Low, Outlook will not warn you before running a macro. Therefore, all macros are run automatically without your intervention. Because of the potential security risk, Microsoft does not recommend that you use the Low setting.

I have to sketch out the details once again before this Monday for a official presentation. But then what i want to share here with you is my experience of sharing the Microsoft Outlook and providing a computer support assistance.

What is Macro viruses

Posted by Jonh Sunday, April 27, 2008 0 comments

A macro is a series of commands and instructions that are grouped together as a single command to accomplish a task automatically. If you perform a task repeatedly in an application, you can automate the task by using a macro. You can store macros in documents, worksheets, or templates, which makes them available whenever a new file based on that template is created. For example, Microsoft Word stores user-recorded macros in the Normal template (Normal.dot) by default, so that they are available for use with every Word document. When you open the Word document, the macro runs. A macro virus is a virus program written in Microsoft Visual Basic® for Applications, the same macro language used in legitimate macros. A macro virus can also run automatically when you open a document unless there are safeguards in place. Most Microsoft Office programs display a confirmation dialog box when you choose to open a document that contains macros

How do viruses spread?

The Melissa virus in March 1999 spread in the form of an e-mail message with an attached Word document that contained a macro virus. Anyone who opened the attachment triggered the virus. The virus would then send the document (and therefore itself) in an e-mail message to the first 50 people in the person's address book. The e-mail message contained a friendly note that included the person's name, so the recipient would open the document, thinking it was harmless. The virus would then create 50 new messages from the recipient's address book. As a result, the Melissa virus was the fastest-spreading virus ever seen and forced a number of large companies to shut down their e-mail systems.

The important thing to remember is that just because an e-mail message appears to come from someone you trust, this does not mean the file is safe or that the sender had anything to do with it. Also, keep in mind that when you share files with another user, the attached macro or script is included with the file. Therefore, be careful when you share files, and scan the files with an antivirus program before you open them. You can choose from many antivirus application vendors.

Important Before you scan Outlook e-mail messages, check with the antivirus program vendor to make sure it is compatible with Outlook. Some antivirus programs can cause problems with Outlook. If want to protect your pc to unwanted programs (Virus). So I want to share my Experience to protection to virus and Computer support assistance.

How to Create additional calendars

Posted by Jonh Tuesday, April 22, 2008 1 comments

In addition to the default Microsoft Office Outlook Calendar, you can create other Outlook calendars. For example, you can create a calendar for your personal appointments.

  1. In Calendar, on the File menu, point to New, and then click Calendar.

Note If you are in Mail, Contacts, Tasks, Journal, or Notes, on the File menu, point to New, and then click Folder. In the Folder contains list, click Calendar Items.

Type the calendar name as you want it to appear in the Navigation Pane.

Make sure Calendar Items is selected under Folder contains.

  1. In the Create New Folder dialog box, in the Name text box, type a name for the folder.
  2. In the Select where to place the folder list, click Calendar, and then click OK.

The new calendar appears in the Calendar Navigation Pane (Navigation Pane: The column on the left side of the Outlook window that includes panes such as Shortcuts or Mail and the shortcuts or folders within each pane. Click a folder to show the items in the folder.).

To view a calendar, select the check box for the calendar name. When multiple check boxes are selected, the calendars appear in side-by-side view.

Tip To delete a calendar, right-click the calendar name in the Navigation Pane, and then click Delete calendar name.

And some how i have to sketch out the details once again before this Monday for a official presentation. But then what i want to share here with you is my experience of sharing the Microsoft Outlook and providing a computer support assistance.

Advantages of Outlook Mobile Service

Posted by Jonh Friday, April 18, 2008 0 comments

Two ways to communicate with your colleagues, business partners, and family are e-mail messages and your mobile phone. Both have their advantages, but managing your contacts, correspondence, and appointments by using two different media can be cumbersome.

Outlook Mobile Service makes it easier to use both these media and is fully integrated with Outlook. With Outlook Mobile Service, composing and sending a text or multimedia message is now as quick and easy as creating and sending an e-mail message. After the message is sent, you can see it in the Sent Items folder in your Inbox.

Note Multimedia message functionality is not available to wireless service subscribers in the United States. The Outlook Mobile Service is restricted to text messages only in the United States.

By using Outlook Mobile Service, you can send a message both as an e-mail message and as a mobile message to multiple contacts at the same time. You can stay informed when you are away from the office because Outlook Mobile Service can forward the e-mail messages and calendar appointments that you choose directly to your mobile phone.

In addition, you can receive messages from a mobile phone directly in your Outlook Inbox, use a mobile address book that has information about all your mobile contacts, and redirect summaries of your Outlook Calendar to your mobile phone.

Repairing a Personal Folders file (.pst)

Posted by Jonh Monday, April 14, 2008 1 comments

You may need to use the Inbox Repair Tool if you open your Microsoft Outlook .pst file and receive this message:

Unable to expand the folder. The set of folders could not be opened. Errors could have been detected in the file drive:\Documents and Settings\user\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.pst. Quit all mail-enabled applications, and then use the Inbox Repair Tool.

Note The path to the file specified in the message may vary depending upon the operating system you are using on your computer.

To repair the .pst file

  1. On the Start menu, click Run.
  2. In the Open box, type

drive:\Program Files\Common Files\System\Mapi\LocaleID\scanpst.exe

where LocaleID is the locale identifier (LCID) for your installation of Microsoft Office. For example, the LCID for English (United States) is 1033. For a list of LCIDs, see Microsoft Office Help.

  1. Click OK.
  2. In the Enter the name of the file you want to scan box, type the path and file name given in the error message above.

Note You may not be able to use the Browse button to locate this file because it is located in a hidden folder.

  1. To change the options for logging errors during the scan, click Options. If you choose Replace log or Append to log, the log file is saved to the same directory as the .pst file.
  2. Click Start.
  3. When the file scan is completed, select the Make a backup of scanned file before repairing check box.
  4. Click Repair.

If the file is successfully repaired, you will see a Repair complete message. If the Inbox Repair Tool was unable to repair the file, you will need to use a backup of your file.

To begin using your backup file as your new primary file

  1. Start Outlook.
  2. On the File menu, click Data File Management.

Repairing an Offline Folder file (.ost)

Posted by Jonh Wednesday, April 9, 2008 10 comments

You may want to scan and repair your .ost if you:
• Encounter a large numbers of conflict items.
• Cannot open particular Outlook items when offline.
• Receive unexpected synchronization error messages (as shown in the synchronization log in the Deleted Items folder).
• Receive the message:
Unable to expand the folder. The set of folders could not be opened. Errors could have been detected in the file drive:\Documents and Settings\user\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.ost. Quit all mail-enabled applications, and then use the Inbox Repair Tool.
Note The file path specified in the message may vary depending upon the operating system you are using on your computer.
In addition, you might be able to open folders in the .ost but get synchronization error messages that do not go away. This happens when a single e-mail message is damaged and the synchronization process cannot correct it. You can use the OST Integrity Tool to fix damaged messages or to move them so you can synchronize successfully.
Important: You may need to run scanpst.exe (see the first procedure above) first if the OST Integrity Tool cannot open the .ost file.
To scan and repair the .ost file
1. Close Outlook.
2. On the Start menu, click Run.
3. In the Open box, type
drive:\Program Files\Common Files\System\Mapi\LocaleID\scanost.exe
where LocaleID is the locale identifier (LCID) for your installation of Microsoft Office. For example, the LCID for English (United States) is 1033. For a list of LCIDs, see Microsoft Office Help.
4. Click OK.
5. Click either Scan all folders or Choose folder to scan. If you click Scan all folders, this may take several minutes.
6. Select the Repair errors check box.
7. Click Begin Scan.
Details of actions performed during the scan and repair are saved as a message in your Outlook Deleted Items folder with the subject "OST Integrity Check."
If the Offline Folder file cannot be repaired, you can disable it and create a new one.
To disable the .ost file and create a new one
1. On the Tools menu, click E-mail Accounts, click View or change existing e-mail accounts, and then click Next.
2. In the list, click Microsoft Exchange Server, and then click Change.
3. Click More Settings.
4. Click the Advanced tab, and then click Offline Folder File Settings.
5. Click Disable Offline Use.
6. In the File box, type the path to the file you want to use as the new .ost file. The default file name is outlook.ost. If this file name already exists, you are prompted for a new name.

Change the Outlook screen resolution

Posted by Jonh Sunday, April 6, 2008 0 comments

Change the Outlook screen resolution

Steps Follows in Windows Vista
  1. Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Under Appearance and Personalization, click Adjust screen resolution.
  3. Under Resolution, drag the slider to change the screen resolution.
Steps Follows in Microsoft Windows XP
  1. In Control Panel, click Appearance and Themes, and then click Change the screen resolution.
  2. Under Screen resolution, drag the slider to change the screen resolution.

Note Your monitor and video adapter determine your screen resolution options

Share an Outlook Calendar by using Net Folders

Posted by Jonh Tuesday, April 1, 2008 0 comments

If you want to share information, such as a group events schedule, with people in different organizations, you can use Outlook 2000 Net Folders to share information with anyone who also uses Outlook. First, create a group calendar. Then send everyone you want to be a subscriber (member) a copy of the group calendar Net Folder. Each person in the group can enter events, activities, and other information if you've granted them the appropriate permission level. Each time an appointment or event is added or changed, each member's shared calendar will be updated automatically. To share a calendar, you must place the calendar folder in a personal folders file (.pst) that's stored on your computer. You cannot share folders stored on a Microsoft Exchange server.

First, create the group calendar

  1. On the File menu, point to New, and then click Folder.
  2. In the Name box, enter a name for the folder.
  3. In the Folder contains list, click Appointment items.
  4. In the Select where to place the folder list, click a location for the folder.

Next, publish a Net Folder

  1. In the Folder List, select the group calendar folder that you want to share.
  2. On the File menu, point to Share, and then click This folder.
  3. Click Next.
  4. Click Add.
  5. In the Type name or select from list box, enter the names of the people you want to share the folder.
    After you enter each name, click To. When you finish entering names, click OK.
  6. Click a name in the Member List list, click Permissions, and then assign a level of permission to that person. You can select multiple names to give them all the same level of permission.
  7. Click Next.
  8. If you want, type some text to describe the folder to subscribers, and then click Finish.

An automatic invitation is sent to each of the potential subscribers. They must click the Accept button in the invitation in order to subscribe.

Tip If you want to place an item in a Net Folder that's viewable by you but isn't sent to other subscribers, after creating the item, select the Private check box.


source microsoft.office.com

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