Expert: Lorry - 9/26/2004

Question
I've written to you before about my email. I have added WIndows Xp service pack 2 to my computer as of yesterday(Sun). I cannot send email  nnow. I have turned off my firewall and that has allowed me to at least get my addresses, but I cannot send, forward or reply. Anything else to check. I'm sure it si just a security problem, but I really need to email. Anything I can do? Thanks again

Answer
Hi Cheryl,

This might help or not, thought you would find it interesting though:

Service Pack 2 "Broke" Outlook Express

QUESTION: After downloading SP2, My e-mail using Outlook Express will not display pictures and graphics! It's strictly text and red X's where the pictures should be. It's was displaying properly before and I haven't been able to find what it is that's changed. - Steve

ANSWER: One of the security enhancements in SP2 prevents Outlook Express from automatically downloading HTML content as it did in the past. This means that any image files stored on external servers that are referenced in an HTML-formatted message will not appear in the message. The reason for this change is that external images (called Web beacons) are sometimes used by spammers to confirm that your e-mail address is active. When you click on the HTML message and the e-mail program automatically downloads the image from the spammer's server, they know that you opened the message and they can mark your address as a "good" one and inundate you with spam.

This means you'll see red Xs instead of external pictures. However, at the top of the message, there should be a "message bar" that says "Some pictures have been blocked to prevent the sender from identifying your computer. Click here to download pictures." A simple click should restore your pictures.

If you want to turn off blocking of external images completely, you can do so (although you are exposing yourself to the Web beacon threat). Here's how:

Click Tools | Options.
Click the Security tab.
Under "Download Images," uncheck the box that says "Block images and other external content in HTML e-mail."
Click Apply and then click OK.

From: WinXPNews Newsletter 9-27-04

Later,
Lorry


Hi Cheryl,

Are you getting any error messages? If yes, what exactly? Check out the following from Microsoft:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=813444

Later,
Lorry