WinXP - eMail Clients & Microsoft Exchange Servers

This post is about eMail Clients Pegasus and Thunderbird when using a Microsoft Exchange Server.

The company I work for recently changed from a local (non-SSL) eMail Server to a Microsoft Cloud Exchange Server (microsoftonline.com), using SSL security. This presented some setup problems with Pegasus and Thunderbird that some users prefer.

Below are the screenshots (click on image for full view) of the settings that worked.

• PEGASUS:














• THUNDERBIRD:

The Port Numbers used are standard for SSL.


WARNING: Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 users

• You should already have Windows Search 4.o installed, but....


• ...IF you do not, it is critical that you install Windows Search 4.o BEFORE opening Outlook 2007.

IN ADDITION: If you are updating your eMail Account to a Microsoft Exchange Server, you should edit your eMail Account via Control Panel, eMail icon, NOT by opening Outlook.

OT - Microsoft Outlook

Due to a recent experience with Microsoft Outlook I've decided to post on this.

Win7 does NOT include Outlook Express, so the Win7 Easy Transfer tool cannot import Express emails. It DOES import Office Outlook emails. (Win7 Easy Transfer works VERY well by the way)

Be aware that the format of Outlook mailbox files (filename.pst) changed after Outlook 2000. Outlook 2003 thru 2007 use MIME. To use Outlook 2000 mailbox files you must import them to newer versions of Outlook mailbox files.

1. First without opening Outlook, rename your transferred 2000 mailbox files, examples:


• Outlook.pst -> Outlook2000.pst


• Archive.pst -> Archive2000.pst



2. If you use a Transfer Tool (like Win7 Easy Transfer) AND you have not used Outlook yet, you should be offered the option to import mailbox files when you first start Outlook. Simply import the 2 renamed files above (they should be shown as being old format).



3. Otherwise you can manually import via File menu, Data File Management.


Use Outlook's Help: Search "Convert a non-Unicode data file" and you should see the link at the top of the listing.

Just follow the step-by-step instructions to import:


• Outlook2000.pst -> Outlook.pst


• Archive2000.pst -> Archive.pst

WINXP - Microsoft Office Outlook

As I've said before, I do not normally deal with non-utility applications in this Blog, but here's another exception.

Users of Microsoft Office Outlook, especially for business, have a concern in keeping emails when they are addressing official business. Even home users may have an interest in keeping emails from family, banks, doctors, etc.

The first step is consideration of using a good sub-folder system.



(click image for larger view)

The above example shows several added features as well as the defaults used when creating a new email account.

• Under Personal Folders (Outlook.pst file) the folder FEDEX was added


• A Rule was created to check all incoming email, if it is From fedex.com, route to FEDEX folder

The Archive folder (Archive.pst file) is normally created by default, note the qualifier "normally."

You do have a Default Archive Settings under Tools menu, Options, Other tab, [AutoArchive] where you set the generic (aka default) rule.

The Default Archive Settings can be changed/overridden by right-clicking a folder, selecting Properties, AutoArchive tab (example; set Inbox to Do not archive items in this folder).

You should use Custom Archive Settings for most folders, and have the emails archived/moved to a matching folder inside the Archive folder. Or to permanently delete contents after n-days (example; delete contents of the Sent Items folder every 10days).

Remember to ensure that ALL folders under the Archive folder are never archived.

Note the special archive folder Proj (Proj.pst file), this was created to save emails that apply to a project I work on. These emails are official business documents and must be kept for tracking purposes. I manually move project emails after reading them (using "Move to folder" icon on Outlook Toolbar).

If you are running a business, a suggestion (using Property Management as an example):
Property Management deals with Clients (their property) and likely Vendors (landscapers, painters, repair, etc.) .

In this case, consider having sub-folders under Inbox

• Clients


• And sub-folder (Inbox\Clients\client-name) for each client by name and/or property


• Vendors


• And sub-folder (Inbox\Vendors\vendor-name) for each vendor

Then create Rules to, check all incoming email, if it is From client or vendor email-address, route to the applicable Inbox sub-folder.

This way you can easily see which client or vendor you receive email from. In the above example, FEDEX is a vendor.


OUTLOOK MAILBOX BACKUP

If your email is important, you should be backing-up your mailboxes, which are .pst files. Fortunately Microsoft has provided a (PSTBackup) add-in you can download and install, see the download-link in Using the Microsoft Outlook Personal Folders Backup tool.

CAUTION: You need to setup EACH .pst file you have via Backup [Options], see Using-article.

AFTER installing the Outlook PST Backup Tool (add-in) sometimes disappears from the File menu (listed as Backup).

Here's what to do:

1. Open Add/Remove Programs and ensure that Microsoft Outlook Personal Folders Backup is listed


2. IF NOT listed, close Outlook and download & install


3. Open Outlook, select Tools menu, Options


4. Other tab, [Advanced Options], [COM Add-Ins] to open dialog


5. [Add], [Browse] to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\ADDINS, select outbak.dll


6. [OK] out of all dialogs, close Outlook & reopen


7. In File menu, Backup should be listed