Recently
my Norton Anti-Virus (NAV) detected a virus coming
through email. This happened as my preview pane was open
in the Inbox and it opened the virus email automatically
as soon as it was downloaded. The NAV could not repair
the file so I had to delete the infected file. I found
to my utter horror that deleting the file disabled my
browser. It also disabled my CD writer. I had to save my
data using Iomega 250MB zip drive which fortunately
worked but only in the slow SAFE mode of Windows!
Ultimately I had to Quick Restore my Compaq computer. It
took me 2 days to reload various programs and data! This
could have been avoided if I had taken a few simple
precautions. I have written out these precautions as
tips on how to configure the email program so that you
can prevent a disaster like mine.
Tips for configuring both Outlook Express (OE) and
Microsoft Outlook (MSO) particularly to block viruses
hitting your computer automatically. These precautions
will save you a lot of trouble.
1. Switch off the preview panel in the INBOX. This
prevents any virus getting into your system by automatic
opening in the preview pane. 2. Switch off the
“include this account when receiving mail or
synchronizing” for every account you have. You can do
this by disabling (no tick mark) on this feature, which
you will find by menu chain: Tools, Accounts,
account-name, properties, General. This will ensure that
the mail is not flowing-in automatically. 3. Before
downloading mail, access the mail on the net. Most of
these webmail sites show the size of the files, which
unfortunately is not a feature with either OE or MSO.
Any mail over 100KB is suspect should be deleted. Also
delete any junk mail. Only download and receive mail
that you want to save on your computer. 4. To download
and receive mail, don’t click on Send/Receive on the
mail Tool Bar, but go into Tools, and move the curser on
“Send/Receive” and move right to get a sub-menu
where you select the precise account, with which you
want to send or receive. 5. Send by clicking on the
small arrow next to “Send”, and selecting the
precise account by which to send. The mail will wait in
the Outbox till you send through the Tools, Send/Receive
menu as given in 3 above.
I hope these tips will help you to avert a disaster
and no virus hits you like it did to me.
Keywords: virus email configure
