Inbox

By DON McALLISTER

Welcome to InBox, where we attempt to answer your internet questions.

Angela's internet provider, Slingshot, refuses to dish out her email. She suspects it is because of a large incoming mail attachment.

Yes, Angela, it's likely that a large damaged file is the cause. All you need to do is use the Slingshot webmail gateway. Its server-based software will show you all the headers, allowing you to find the offending email and delete it from the list of waiting mail. Once the damaged mail has gone, your original program will work again.

Sheila wants to stop Address Book being the default contacts list. She has Office installed and wants her Office contacts list to be the default.

Outlook Express and Outlook are two different programs, so you need to make Outlook the default contact list, Sheila. Go to Internet Explorer/Tools/Internet Options/Programs/Contact List and select Microsoft Outlook from the drop-down menu.

Margaret asks if you can program Outlook Express to collect Hotmail?

You need Outlook Express 5 or later, Margaret. Go to Outlook Express/Tools/Accounts/Add/Mail. Enter your name and click Next. Enter the email address of your Hotmail account - e.g. name@hotmail.com - and click Next. In "my incoming mail server is", choose HTTP. If Hotmail is available from the "my HTTP mail service provider is" menu, choose it. Otherwise, choose "other". Type services.msn.com/svcs/hotmail/httpmail.asp in the "incoming mail server". Click Next. Type your Hotmail account name and password and click Next. Click Finish. You will see the newly created account in the folder list.

Ken can't figure out why his internet passwords refuse to save, requiring him to enter all his passwords as he needs them.

Pressing Cancel when you enter Windows kicks in Windows built-in security features, Ken. Many people think that by pressing Cancel you can enter Windows easily, but the login prompt is a security measure to stop unauthorised access to password-protected features such as internet dial-up and email. Yes, it's easy to enter Windows without the login password, but although you can change files and run programs, all personal passwords will be unavailable.

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