Resources

Restore an Outlook Express Connection

Troubleshoot your Internet Connection

Hmm, it’s interesting that you aren’t getting any kind of error message… perhaps the right place to start is by checking your Internet connection. Rather than trying to access your email and the Internet through Outlook Express, you should try to open a web browser, such as Internet Explorer, and see if you can get online that way. If you are able to get online, then the problem is in your Outlook Express configuration.

Circulate your Power Supply

Sometimes circulating the power through your modem and computer are enough to restart your connection. If you aren’t able to get online through Internet Explorer either, then you should try shutting the computer down normally then unplugging the power from the modem and the computer and router, if you use one. Wait for about 30 seconds then reconnect the power sources and turn your computer back on.

If this doesn’t solve your Internet connection problems, you might want to contact your Internet Service Provider and check if there is a service disruption in your area.

Retrieve Account Information from your ISP

When you are speaking to your Internet Service Provider you should also retrieve your account settings so that you can verify your account information for any possible errors that might be responsible for your problem. You should record and save this information to troubleshoot your account problems in the future. You will need:

• Your display name that appears as the sender name on your outgoing emails
• Your email address, user name and password
• The email server names, both incoming and outgoing: usually POP3, IMAP or other

Verify your Outlook Express Account Settings

To verify your account settings:

• Click Start, then All Programs, then Outlook Express
• Select Tools, then Accounts
• Choose Mail, then click on your email account, and then choose Properties
• Choose Servers and then you will see a screen displaying your account information
• Compare these settings against the information that you got from your ISP and make any necessary changes so that the settings are the same as those offered by your ISP
• Click OK, then Close, then retry your email account

About Temporary Internet Files

You might also have a problem with a saved file in your temporary Internet files that is interfering with your Web pages loading. When you browse online your computer saves data so that it can reload revisited pages more quickly. If there is a power or connection interruption while a page is being saved, the saved page might be flawed or corrupted and result in errors when loading. Deleting these files will also remove any saved users names and passwords that you have asked Internet Explorer to remember so you should be prepared to re-enter your personal information.

Delete Temporary Internet Files

To delete your temporary Internet file and Cookies in Internet Explorer

• Select the Tools tab
• Select Internet Options then Temporary Internet Files
• Select Delete Cookies, then Delete Files

As you have probably already discovered, Incredimail does not offer a utility that makes it easy to transfer messages located within their application to another email client. Perhaps sometime in the future, they will offer such a utility. In the meantime, there are a few other ways to do so. Check out the two methods that I have explained below and choose the one that meets your needs at the current time.

How to Export IncrediMail emails: IncrediConvert

IncrediConvert is a free application that will convert your Incredimail messages into EML files in order to allow you to transfer them to another email client. This particular application only supports the following operating systems: Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows NT, and Windows XP. Additionally, it only works with earlier versions of Incredimail or those prior to the 5.50 version. You can download this application at the following link: IncrediConvert. However, I cannot vouch for it since I haven’t used it personally. However, this application also provides instructions on how to use it to save your Incredimail emails.

How to Export IncrediMail emails: Incredimail Backup PRO

Incredimail Backup PRO is another type of application that will allow you to save your Incredimail messages for transfer to a new email client. This is an application that charges a fee of at least twenty dollars. It does offer a free trial so that you can see what it can do. You can obtain this application at the following link: Incredimail-Backup-PRO. However, as with the other application, I can’t vouch for it personally since I haven’t used it myself. This application can be used with the following operating systems: Windows 2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows Me, Windows 2003 Server, and Windows XP. This application provides instructions on how to use it to save your Incredimail emails.

Downloading and Installing Incredimail

Once you download Incredimail, it is necessary to set it up to receive and send emails. This does not happen automatically so you have to do it. However, it is an easy process that shouldn’t cause any trouble. There are quite a few steps, so you should read through the directions once and then begin the task of configuring the settings to allow email to be sent and received. Once you do this, you shouldn’t have to bother with it again as the settings will be saved.

Creating an email account in Incredimail with an existing email account

Open your Incredimail application. In the main window of the application, navigate to the option for “Tools” and click on “Accounts.” Once the dialog box opens, select “Add.” Next, click on the “email account” that you want to use to receive emails.

Another dialog box will open now through which you will configure the email account settings. Select the option to have these settings configured automatically and select “next.” The Incredimail application can locate any other email clients that you might have installed on your computer. It will automatically import the settings directly into your Incredimail application.

Simply click on the “email account” that you want to import and click on “Finish.” Next, click on “ok” and you should be able to use your account to receive and send emails.

Creating an email account in Incredimail without an existing email account

If you don’t already have an email account configured on your computer, you will need to configure a new account manually using the following instructions. Open the “Account Wizard” in your Incredimail application. In the dialog box for “name and email address” type in the name that you would like to appear to anyone who receives an email from you. Complete the email address field as well and click on “Next.”

As long as you are connected to the Internet, the Incredimail application will try to fill in the email account server settings. If possible, you should try this when you are connected or you will have to do it manually with a bit more work. To complete this step manually, you’ll need to select the server type for incoming mail (POP3 or IMAP) and type both the name for the incoming mail server as well as the outgoing mail server. Once you have that information filled in, you can click on “Next.”

Finally, you need to provide an email account username and password, which you can get from your ISP or Internet Service Provider. Now, you need to click on “Finish.” Once this step is complete, click on “ok” and you should be able to use your Incredimail application to send and receive emails.

Deleting “Stuck” E-mail Messages

Every so often, software programs, including e-mail clients, refuse to cooperate. When trying to delete e-mail messages and nothing happens, it’s time to do a little maintenance. First, most e-mail programs such as Outlook Express or Windows Live Mail have some sort of “compact and repair” or “compact index” function. When the e-mail client’s index becomes too large, unexpected results are common including: inability to send and receive new mail, sluggish performance, and problems deleting messages.

Compacting the E-mail Database

These maintenance tools are usually found in the Tools > Options menu. For example, in Windows Live Mail, you would go to Tools > Options > Advanced > Maintenance and Troubleshooting section. In this case, you’d look for the line that says, “Compact Database on every [blank] runs.” Make sure to enable this and then set it to “1″ from the drop down list for now. Close Windows Live Mail and it will automatically compact the database. Reopen the program and change this setting to “5″ which will run this routine every fifth time you close it.   

Other Steps

Compacting the database may or may not help with your deleting e-mail messages problem, but it should make the program run smoother in general. If you can’t delete the messages after doing so, try highlighting the message and then using the key combination of Shift + Delete. This deletion technique usually bypasses the Deleted Items folder, so be aware of that before attempting the deletion.

Another trick that could help is to NOT show the Preview Pane (or Reading Pane as it’s known in Windows Live Mail). Go to View > Layout and then remove the checkmark by “Show Preview (Reading) Pane.” Now, right-click the message and choose Delete.

Make sure that all of your security programs are up-to-date and then update Windows as well as your e-mail client. This will ensure that you have the latest protection and any new features released. For example, here’s an update from Microsoft that resolves issues when e-mail messages are stuck in the Windows Mail Outbox and can’t be deleted: KB941090. Here’s the same update, only for 64-bit versions of Vista: KB941090 64-Bit

Screen Settings

Now, let’s tackle your screen settings. Sometimes, certain applications change your screen’s resolution and then forget to set it back to your preferred size. This may be what happened to you. Is everything larger, or just the icons? Try right-clicking a blank area of your desktop and pick Desktop Properties or Personalize (depending on your operating system). Look for Display Settings and click it. See the slider bar under Resolution? Slide that back and forth until the desired size is achieved. While in the Desktop Properties or Personalization section, you can also adjust the font size to the default scale which is 96 DPI or to a larger scale of 120 DPI.

Troubleshooting an Email Connectivity Error in Outlook

About Connectivity Errors

An error message like this one means that Outlook is not able to connect with your email server for one of a variety of possible reasons. If you are not properly connected to the Internet or if there is a problem with your Outlook account or profile, the connection might be refused. Or, if there is a configuration problem between your computer settings and the email client, they might not be able to connect.

Check your Internet Connection

There are a few things to try to resolve this error, beginning with checking your Internet connection. Open an Internet browser, like Internet Explorer and then try to open another website such as http://www.msn.com/. If you are unable to open other Internet pages, then it is possible that the problem is your Internet connection, not your email. If you are unable to connect to the Internet, then you should try unplugging your computer and modem, wait for thirty seconds and then reconnect. If you are still unable to connect, then you should contact your service provider for more assistance. If you connected to the Internet, retry sending an email to yourself in case the connection was only temporarily interrupted.

Check your Account Settings

If this doesn’t work, you can check your Outlook account and server settings to make sure that things are configured correctly. Before you can check your settings, you will need to get some information from your Internet Service Provider. You will need to know:

• Your email address, for example somebody@somewhere.com
• Whether your email account is POP3, IMAP, or http
• Your email account user name
• Your email account password
• The incoming or POP3 server name and address
• The outgoing or SMTP server name and address
• Both incoming and outgoing port numbers
• Whether or not the email server requires authentication

Seek Remote Technical Assistance

Once you have this information, you can open Outlook and troubleshoot your settings against this information to make sure that everything is as it should be. If configuring your email account and server settings doesn’t solve your error, you will have to take more advanced troubleshooting steps for which you might want to consult a remote technical assistant for more personalized help.

Email Photos to a Cell Phone

About Cell Phone Multimedia Messaging

Well, this will depend on what kind of cell phone you have, which company you use for your cell phone service and which services and subscriptions are offered. Some cell phone service providers offer multimedia messaging services that allow users to have an email address for their cell phones. If your service provider offers this service and if you subscribe to it, you can email your photos from your regular email address to your cell phone address. Cell phone multimedia messaging email addresses are usually something like: yourcellphonenumber@yourserviceprovider.com.

If you don’t already have this service set up on your cell phone, you can check with your cell phone service provider and see if it is available. You will have to pay to send images and the charges may or may not be bundled in your cell phone plan.

Using Multimedia Messaging

If you have a cell phone email address, you can quite easily send photos from your computer, just as you would send them to any other email address, but you should be sure to modify the size so that they can be opened and viewed on the much smaller phone screen.

About Bluetooth Technology

Another option is Bluetooth, which your phone may or may not be equipped for. Bluetooth technology creates short distance wireless networks that are used to send information between electronic devices. If your phone is Bluetooth enabled, you can configure your PC or laptop to connect to it.

Bluetooth on a Laptop

Many laptops have an icon on the screen shaped like a strange, stylized B that is the Bluetooth symbol. Clicking this link will allow you to enable Bluetooth on your laptop. Once it is enabled, your computer will be visible to other enabled devices and will be able to detect other enabled devices in its vicinity.

Bluetooth on a PC

If you use a PC, you will likely need to get a Bluetooth adapter that plugs into your tower. It’ll come with an installation CD that loads its software and a guides your through the enabling process. The exact processes will vary but, once you phone and computer are both enabled, you can follow the directions according to the make and model of both that will be available in the user manuals or via the manufacturer’s website to pair up your devices.