9 ways to help protect your computer from viruses


By taking the following precautions, you can help reduce the risk of your computer being infected by a virus:

  1. Use the default security settings in Microsoft Office Microsoft Office has safeguards in place to help protect your programs and data from viruses. We recommend that you do not change the Microsoft Office default settings to less secure security settings.
  2. Turn on the security features in the Microsoft Windows Security Center, and keep your computer updated The easiest way to do this is to visit the Protect Your PC site, which guides you on how to use the Windows Security Center to enable the following:
    • Internet firewall
    • Antispyware software
    • Antivirus software

For more information about antivirus software vendors that you can sign up with, see the Microsoft Antivirus Partners site.

    • Automatic updates from Microsoft Update

Tip To locate the Windows Security Center in Microsoft Windows, do the following:

    • In Microsoft Windows Vista, click the Start button type security center in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
    • In Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Security Center.
  1. Try a subscription to Windows Live OneCare Windows Live OneCare is a round-the-clock protection and maintenance service that you can subscribe to. Windows Live OneCare helps protect and maintain your computer by providing all-in-one functionality including virus scanning, firewall, antispyware, PC performance tuneups, and file backup and restore capability. Visit the Windows Live OneCare site for more information and to sign up for a free 90-day trial.
  2. Find out whether you really have a virus Viruses often run without your knowledge. However, if your computer is acting strangely or if one of your programs is not working correctly, this does not necessarily mean that your computer has a virus. It is important to be aware of the specific symptoms that a particular virus causes. On the Microsoft Security Antivirus Information site, you can find information and alerts about the latest viruses, their severity, and the symptoms they cause.
  3. Check the Microsoft Security Bulletins regularly An up-to-date list of security issues that affect Microsoft products is available on the Microsoft Security Updates site. This site provides technical information about security issues that affect specific products. If you don't want to remember to check the site regularly, you can subscribe to get security bulletin e-mail notifications for free that let you know about important security updates from Microsoft. In the past, hackers have attempted to mimic these notifications to send bogus information. However, it is not difficult to determine whether a Microsoft security-related message is genuine, because authentic Microsoft security bulletin notifications are always digitally signed and never include software updates as attachments. Instead, the notifications always link to the update on the Microsoft.com Web site.
  4. Download files only from trusted sites When you download a file from a Web site, be sure you know the source! You should download only files that are from known, well-established companies. When in doubt, don't download the file. As an extra precaution, you can download files onto a disk separate from your hard disk, such as a floppy disk or a zip disk, and then scan the files with your virus scanner.
  5. Install only from authentic CDs In general, installing software from authentic, commercially distributed CDs is the safest method. For example, all Microsoft CDs have holograms to prove their authenticity.
  6. Back up your data regularly If a virus erases or corrupts files on your hard disk, a recent backup may be the only way to recover your data. Back up your entire system regularly. At the minimum, back up files that you can't afford to lose, such as documents, pictures, favorite links, address books, and important e-mail messages. For details about how to back up your specific program's data, search the Microsoft Office Online Web site. You can also use the System Tools in Microsoft Windows to back up your data, as follows:
    • In Microsoft Windows Vista, click the Start button click All Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools, and then click Backup status and configuration. Follow the instructions provided.
    • In Microsoft Windows XP, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup. Follow the instructions provided.
  7. Don't open suspicious e-mail messages or files Even though the Junk E-mail Filter in Microsoft Office Outlook helps to protect your Inbox from spam and phishing messages, it is a good idea to avoid opening any attachment in a message that you did not expect to receive, especially if the message is from a source that is unknown to you.

Make a backup copy of a digital ID


You can create a backup file of your digital ID in Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 and secure the file with a password. Backup files for Microsoft Exchange digital IDs have an .epf (.epf file: A file type that Outlook uses to import or export a digital ID (certificate and private keys) obtained from the Microsoft Exchange Key Management Server.) extension, while backup files for Internet e-mail digital IDs have a .pfx (.pfx file: A Personal Exchange File type that Outlook uses to import or export a digital ID (certificate and private keys) used in S\MIME security.) extension.

  1. On the Tools menu, click Trust Center, and then click E-mail Security.
  2. Under Digital IDs (Certificates), click Import/Export.
  3. Click Export your Digital ID to a file.
  4. Click Select, click the digital ID that you want to back up, and then click OK. The certificate appears in the Digital ID box.
  5. In the Filename box, type a name and path for the backup file that you want to create, or click Browse.
  6. In the Password box, create a password for the backup file.
  7. In the Confirm box, type your password again.
  8. Click OK.

I have to sketch out the details once again before this Monday for a official presentation. But then what i want to share here with you is my experience of sharing the Microsoft Outlook and providing computer support assistance.

What is a Microsoft Exchange account?


Some features in Microsoft Outlook require you to use a Microsoft Exchange account. Exchange is an e-mail-based collaborative communications server for businesses. Licenses for Exchange can be purchased from Microsoft and its resellers.

If your organization uses Exchange, but you do not know whether you have an account or how to use it, you must contact your organization's Help desk or network administrator for assistance and Computer Support.

Home users typically do not have an Exchange account; instead they use a POP3 e-mail account with an Internet service provider (ISP) (ISP: A business that provides access to the Internet for such things as electronic mail, chat rooms, or use of the World Wide Web. Some ISPs are multinational, offering access in many locations, while others are limited to a specific region.) Or use a Web-based e-mail service, such as Windows Live Mail. If you use a POP3 (POP3: A common protocol that is used to retrieve e-mail messages from an Internet e-mail server.) e-mail account, your ISP can provide you with your specific account information. People without Exchange accounts cannot use the features in Outlook that require Exchange.

The Help for features that require an Exchange account includes one of the following notations:

  • This feature requires you to use a Microsoft Exchange account. Most home and personal accounts do not use Exchange.
  • This feature requires you to use a Microsoft Exchange account in Cached Exchange Mode. Most home and personal accounts do not use Exchange.
  • This feature requires you to use a Microsoft Exchange Server 2000, Exchange Server 2003, or Exchange Server 2007 account. Most home and personal accounts do not use Microsoft Exchange.
  • This feature requires you to use a Microsoft Exchange Server 2000, Exchange Server 2003, or Exchange Server 2007 account in Cached Exchange Mode. Most home and personal accounts do not use Microsoft Exchange.
  • This feature requires you to use a Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 or Exchange Server 2007 account. Most home and personal accounts do not use Microsoft Exchange.
  • This feature requires you to use a Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 or Exchange Server 2007 account in Cached Exchange Mode. Most home and personal accounts do not use Microsoft Exchange.
  • This feature requires you to use a Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 account. Most home and personal accounts do not use Microsoft Exchange.
  • This feature requires you to use a Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 account in Cached Exchange Mode. Most home and personal accounts do not use Microsoft Exchange.

To determine which version of Exchange your account connects to, see Determine the version of Microsoft Exchange my account connects to.

If you are not using an Exchange account, you may not see the menus, commands, or options mentioned in the Help for the features.

How to Get a digital ID

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A digital ID enables you to send cryptographic e-mail messages for more secure communication using Microsoft Office Outlook 2007. You can send digitally signed messages to prove your identity and prevent message tampering. You can also encrypt messages to keep your messages private. But first, you must obtain a digital ID from a reliable source.

Get a digital ID for sending messages over the Internet

Get a digital ID from a certifying authority

  1. On the Tools menu, click Trust Center, and then click E-mail Security.
  2. Under Digital IDs (Certificates), click Get a Digital ID.
  3. Click Get an S/MIME certificate from an external Certification Authority, and then click OK.

Outlook starts your Web browser and opens a Web page on the Microsoft Office Online Web site that lists several certification authorities. Click the one that you want to use and follow the instructions on the Web page to register for a digital ID. The certification authority will then send you a digital ID and instructions via e-mail.

source office.microsoft.com

Convert your Personal Outlook Address Book to a Outlook Contacts folder

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In Microsoft Office Outlook 2007, you can no longer create new Personal Address Books (Personal Address Book: A customizable address book used to store personal e-mail addresses you use frequently. However, Contacts offers more advanced features for this function. Personal Address Book files have a .pab extension and can be copied to disk.). However, you can import old Personal Address Books and convert them to Outlook Contacts, which can be displayed in the Outlook Address Book (Address Book: The collection of address books that you can use to store names, e-mail addresses, fax numbers, and distribution lists. The Address Book may contain a Global Address List, an Outlook Address Book, and a Personal Address Book.).
Outlook Contacts provide flexibility and customization that are not available in the Personal Address Book. For example, you can associate birthdays, several types of phone numbers, anniversaries, Web site addresses, and other custom information with your contacts.
Step to Convert a Personal Address Book into a Contacts folder
1. On the File menu, click Import and Export.
2. Under choose an action to perform, click Import from another program or file, and then click Next.
3. Under Select file type to import from, click Personal Address Book, and then click Next.
4. Under File to import, browse to the folder where the .pab is located, click it, and then click OK.
5. Under Options, choose how you want to handle duplicate contacts.
For more information about resolving duplicate contacts, see Resolve or delete duplicate contacts.
6. Click Next.
7. Under Select destination folder, click Contacts or a subfolder under Contacts.
8. Click Finish.

Contact does not appear in address book

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When you use your address book to select recipients for an e-mail message or a fax message in Microsoft Outlook, information from your Contacts folder does not appear in the list.

CAUSE: This behavior occurs because Outlook requires that you complete the following steps before your contact information is available for you to address messages by using your address book:

Install the Outlook Address Book service.

Mark your contact folder for use with your address book.

Specify either an e-mail address or a fax number for each item that you want to appear when you address messages.

RESOLUTION:

Step 1: Install the Outlook Address Book service

To do this, follow these steps, as appropriate for the version of Outlook that you are running.

Microsoft Office Outlook 2007

1.

On the Tools menu, click Accout Settings .

2.

Click the Adress Books tab.

3.

If your Outlook Address Book is listed, click Close, and then go to "Step 2: Mark your contact folder for use with your address book."

If your Outlook Address Book is not listed, click New.

4.

Select Additional Address Books, and then click Next.

5.

Select Outlook Address Book, and then click Next.

6.

You receive a message that states that the address book that you added will not start until you click Exit on the File menu. Click OK.

7.

Click Finish.

8.

Click Close, and then restart Outlook.

Microsoft Outlook 2007 Data Files

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When you use Microsoft Office Outlook, you need a place to keep your e-mail messages, calendar, tasks, and other items. This storage place, known as a data file, allows you to keep your data on your computer.

Outlook data files

When Outlook saves items to your computer, it uses a type of data file called an Outlook Personal Folders file (.pst) (Personal Folders file (.pst): Data file that stores your messages and other items on your computer. You can assign a .pst file to be the default delivery location for e-mail messages. You can use a .pst to organize and back up items for safekeeping.). If you are using a Microsoft Exchange Server account, your items are usually delivered to and saved on the mail server. To allow you to work with your messages even when you cannot connect to the mail server, Outlook offers Offline Folders, which are saved in another type of data file called an on your computer.

The primary distinctions between the two types of Outlook data files are:

  • The Outlook .ost files are used only when you have an Exchange Server account and choose to work offline or use Cached Exchange Mode.
  • The Outlook .pst files are used for POP3 and HTTP accounts. When you want to create archives or back up your Outlook folders and items on your computer, including Exchange Server accounts, you must create and use additional .pst files.