Outlook Express 6.0 automatically opens email

I'm not sure if this is a problem, or maybe I'm completely off track. When receiving new mail, and I single click on a message, the message body is opened and is displayed. I can't highlight a message to delete it without it being opened. I keep hearing about viruses coming in like this, just wondering if this may be a problem. Also, I have received some spam in the form of ****, and I can't even delete it without it first being opened. Have I got my system set up wrong, or is this the way OE is supposed to work?

Thanks

 

Go into Tools\Options, select Read tab, uncheck Automatically download message when viewing in the Preview Pane. This might help.

 

Turn off the preview pane if you have it opened. Reduces the risk of virus infection.

 

Mark

Thanks for the reply, but that box is not checked. Am I wrong to think that I should be able to look in my infolder and delete items just by looking at sender and subject, without the message being opened?

 

OK,

I went to view, then layout, there is option to use preview pane.
I disabled that option and that seems to do what I wanted, but I'm still not sure if the message has been opened or not.

Thanks

 

No, you are not wrong to think that. If you do not see anything appear before you, it is not opened. You could set your OE security setting so it runs in the Restricted Sites Zone. In OE, go to Tools\Options, then Security tab. You should see two options there, select the Restricted.
Then go into the Internet Options, click on Security tab, then click on Restricted icon, then click on Custom Level. Go down the line and disable or set to high everything (disable Java), password to prompt.
Your html email will work, the links on them will work, any scripting will not.

 

Just a shot in the dark here: Do you have any desktop settings set to "View as a Web Page" or any "single click" settings. I don't have OE6 or IE6 but in Win 98SE these setting are found under Settings/Active Desktop and/or Folder Options on the Start menu. I am not sure if the would affect OE6.

 

Thanks to all who have responded. I think maybe I have gotten all settings to my liking. It's doing what I wanted.

Thanks again