Problem with Outlook Express 6.0

Recently I did something dumb - I installed OE6 even though my OE5.5 was working fine. Previously I had IE6.0 running but had kept OE5.5 when I installed IE6. Recently I had a problem with IE6 (probably deleted a file I shouldn't have) and had to re-install IE6. However instead of doing a custom install, I did a "typical" install which gave me OE6.0. I realized I had a problem when I got an email with photos attached. Previously, IE5.5 had displayed the photos in the bottom window with "Picture Slide-Show" which is a neat feature for most attachments. However, after installing OE6.0, I got a message saying I had to change the security settings for script to use Slide-Show.

"The Outlook Expressâ„¢ Slide-Show cannot be displayed unless scripting is enabled. You need to turn on scripting in the security settings for the Zone you read mail in. Look under Tools|Options|Security to set security settings for a particular Zone. "

I changed the security setting in Outlook Express to use the Internet Zone rather than the Restricted Zone as they recommended. I also went into Internet Explorer and made some minor changes to the security settings, although everything appeared to be set correctly to allow scripting. After restarting everything, I try to open an email with photo attachments again. This time, not only is the message still there, but now I get two scripting error boxes - one for syntax error and one for "object expected ".

So apparently, I'm losing ground on the problem. Any suggestions ??

mel slane

 

Hi Melvin Slane
I'm a little lost. Are you speaking of the preview pane...when you say

?

Daizy

 

Yes, I guess that's called the preview pane. If you highlight an email message, that's where the message is displayed.


mel slane

 

I took a chance and did a "rollback" on my IE6 and OE6 installation, and lucked out. Since I had installed IE6 twice and OE6 once, when I did the rollback I ended up with IE6 and OE5.5. So, my viewing problem in Outlook Express is fixed, and I still have IE6. I actually like it because of the privacy feature, which lets me accept & reject cookies without having to have a separate cookie program.

thanks

mel slane

 

I don't suppose now would be a good time to say that most users turn off the preview pane as it's been determined as a security risk?

Congratulations on getting your problem resolved. Thanks so much for taking the time to post back and let us know.

Daizy

 

Problem with Outlook Express

Daizy

You bring up a good point about the preview pane being a security risk. I have Norton Antivirus and supposedly it works "seamlessly "with Outlook Express to check incoming messages for viruses. I wonder if anyone out there has had a situation where a virus did some damage because of the preview feature before NAV could do it's thing and stop the process ?

mel slane

 

Hiya Melvin
I wish I had a definitive answer for you. Alas, alack, and all that...I don't. The advice to disable the preview pane was not given for those not running an antivirus, but for all users in general. Engaging the preview pane, essentially opens the email.

Daizy

 

Using the Preview Pane is quite safe if OE has been patched, put in the Restricted Sites Zone and a regularly updated AV is running. Some form of script protection is a good idea too.

 

Re: Preview Pane in OE with NAV

Daizy and Brett

You might both be interested in what happened tonight as I was checking for new mail. [First, I have OE5.5 with NAV2001 and the preview pane is active.] I apparently was about to receive an email with a virus in an attachment. Before the message was actually received and displayed within OE, the antivirus program activated, told me there was a virus in the incoming email and asked me what I wanted to do with it (repair, quarantine or delete - actually it tried to repair it automatically, said that had failed and wondered if I wanted to quarantine or delete). So, really the main thing you need to protect yourself is a good antivirus program with up-to-date virus definitions. Knowing that it works as advertised, I'll continue to use the preview pane because it's a good feature.

mel slane

 

Hi Melvin Slane
Thanks for taking the time to post your findings. Happy to hear you've found something you are comfortable with. Being armed with knowledge, is half the battle.

Daizy