Mail safe
I have been receiving emails that I suspect may contain a virus. What is the best way of deleting them in the Outlook Express in-box, while making sure they don't open?
KML
Jack Schofield replies: Security depends on taking a number of steps. First, make sure you are up to date with Microsoft's critical security patches (search Google for Q321232). Many common viruses exploit holes that were blocked months or years ago. Second, increase your security level. Run Outlook Express, select Tools | Options and click the Security tab. Click the radio button marked: Restricted sites zone (More secure). You can adjust the settings by clicking on Restricted Sites in Internet Explorer under Tools | Internet Options | Security. Third, turn on the display of file extensions. Go to Windows Explorer, select Tools|Folder Options, and click the View tab. Untick the box that says: Hide file extensions for known file types. Some viruses look like harmless text files (.txt) because the real extension is hidden (.txt.scr for example).
Fourth, turn off Outlook Express's Preview Pane: it is under View | Layout. If you like previews, put an icon on the toolbar so you can add or remove the pane with one click. You can do this under View|Layout by clicking the Customizer Toolbar button. With the Preview Pane off, you can now scroll down your incoming mail and delete unwanted email. If you want to examine a message in more detail first, right-click it, select Properties, click the Details tab and then the Message Source button at the bottom. The raw text of the message will appear in a pop-up box where you can scroll through it without the risk of it doing anything nasty.
You may also want to install a program that checks mail for viruses, and you could consider switching to a more secure email program, such as The Bat! or SecureBat! (www.ritlabs.com/securebat/). But it is a mistake to think you can trust one thing to protect you. A virus checker will not do it, nor will installing security patches or mail software. You must be methodical, observant, suspicious and - when it comes to deleting unsolicited attachments - brutal. I take the view that if I didn't ask for something, I don't need it.
Favicons
My Favorites menu used to feature a customised icon next to each entry - the Y of Yahoo or the GU of Guardian Unlimited. Why have they vanished?
John Lee
JS: The fancy icons are called favicons. They are usually stored in the Temporary Internet Files folder, which means they can be lost when you clear the cache. Also, they all seem to have the same name, which doesn't seem to be a very bright idea. However, if you can find your icon in the cache, you can save it by copying it to another directory: create one called Favicons. Press F2 and change the favicon's name to something sensible, such as Yahoo.ico or whatever. Next, go to C:\Windows\Favorites and find the shortcut file for the website.
Right-click it, select Properties, and click the Change Icon button. Click the Browse button at the bottom, select your renamed icon, and it should stick.
Lava
I have had problems downloading Lavasoft's Ad-aware program, which you recommended.
Ann Gordon
JS: Majorgeeks seems to work best. Go to www.major geeks.com/article.php?sid=506 and click on Planet Arden (bottom right).
Site wanted
I try to connect to http:// FT.com, but I get http://news.ft.com/home/us/. I live in the US, but I want to read the UK version of the Financial Times. I have tried changing the language setting in my browser to en-gb but it makes no difference.
James Cheyne
JS: Big sites now use a variety of ways to place you geographically, including your IP address, language and time settings. However, you should be able to get to sites you want (news.ft.com/home/uk) by arriving via a different IP address: that is, by using a proxy server as an intermediary. You can find lots at www.multiproxy.org. Alternatively, use an anonymous surfing service such as ID Zap (www.idzap.com), which works as an anonymous proxy.
Backchat
· Last week, Tony Hill of The BRIT School asked if there was a "one-way message system" that could send colourful messages to users on the network. Rob Godfrey has developed a system called ViewPost for educational use that could be useful. "The system is currently being used at Leeds Metropolitan University, where I work. More details are available at www.viewpost.co.uk".
· Ed Perry was suffering from eyestrain (June 27), and lots of readers suggested reducing screen contrast. Duncan Loft said he'd switched to his own "rather drab-looking" colour scheme based on Eggplant. You can change Windows' settings by right-clicking on the desktop, selecting Properties, and clicking the Appearance tab. There's a wide range of options under Scheme. Mary Spence said it helped to change the background colour of documents: the setting for that is on the next drop-down list, Item. Moze Jacobs fitted a glare guard over the screen.
· Don Rushforth wanted to print directories from Windows Explorer and I suggested Karen's free printer (www.karenware.com/powertools/ptdirprn.asp). Ed Brown uses another free program, PrintFolder 1.2 (http://no-nonsense-software.com/freeware), which I don't like as much. However, No Nonsense software also offers TexRep 1.1, which will replace text in multiple files in a single operation. Some people will find this very useful and it can be a hard feature to find.
· Michael Miller wanted to sell some old home computers and I suggested eBay. Paul Baines points out that CEX (www.cex.co.uk) - otherwise known for its Computer Exchange shops - buys and sells equipment. Stephen Engelhard adds that you can dispose of old PCs by giving them to Computer-Aid (www.computer-aid.org), which refurbishes them for use in developing countries.
