Thursday, 5 April 2012

How to Configure NTFS Quotas

Use disk quotas to manage storage growth in distributed environments. Disk quotas allow you to allocate available disk space to users based on the files and folders that they own. Windows 2003 disk quotas track and control disk space usage on a per-user, per-partition basis.

Characteristics of Windows 2003 Server Disk Quotas

  • Disk usage is based on file and folder ownership. When a user copies or saves a new file to an NTFS partition or takes ownership of a file on an NTFS partition, windows 2003 changes the disk space for the file against the user's quota limit.
  • Disk quotas don't use disk compression. Users are changed for each uncompressed byte, regardless of how much hard disk space is actually needed.
  • Free space for applications is based on the Quota limit. When you enable disk quotas, the free space that windows 2003 reports to applications for the partitions is the amount of space remaining within the users quota limit.
  • Windows 2003 track disk quota independently for each NTFS partition, even if the partitions reside on the same physical hard disk.

Enforcing Disk Quotas for All Users

To enforce quota limits for all users, perform the following:how to configure ntfs quotas How to Configure NTFS Quotas
  • In the limit disk space set warning level to boxes, enter the values for the limit and warning level that you want to set.
  • Select the deny disk space to users exceeding quota limit check box.
Setting Disk Quotas for Individuals:
  • In the properties dialog box for a disk on the quota tab click the Quota Entries button.
  • In the Quota Entries for dialog box create an entry by clicking New quota entry on the quota menu and then selecting a user.
  • Configure the Disk space limit and the warning level for the individual user.

NTFS Permissions after Copying or Moving Files

When copying or moving a file or folder, the permissions may change depending on where you move the file or folder.

Copying Files and Folders

When copying folder or files from one folder to another folder or from one partition to another partition, permissions for this files or folders may change.
  1. When copying a folder or file within same NTFS partition, the copy of the folder or file inherits the destination folder permissions.
  2. When copying a folder or file between different NTFS partitions, the copy of the folder or file inherits the destination folder permissions.
  3. When copying folders or files to non NTFS partitions such as File Allocation Table (FAT), the files or folders will lose their all NTFS permissions.
Note: To copy folders and files within same NTFS partition or between NTFS partitions, you must have read permissions for the originating folders and for the destination folder you should have write permission.

Moving Files and Folders

When moving a file or a folder, permissions may get changed depending on the destination folder permissions.
  1. When moving a file to a folder within the same NTFS partition, the folder or file will retains its original permissions.
  2. When moving a folder or file between different NTFS partitions, the file or folder will inherit the destination folder permissions.
  3. When moving files to folders on NTFS partitions to non NTFS partitions the folders and files will lose their all NTFS permissions, as NTFS permissions are not supported by non NTFS partitions.ntfs permissions after copying or moving files NTFS Permissions after Copying or Moving Files
Note: To move folders and files within an NTFS partitions you must have both permissions, for the destination folder you should have write permission and modify permissions for source file or folder to configure the options. You need to have modified permission for folder or file to move as Windows 2000 will remove the file or folder from the main folder after copying it to the folder destination.

NTFS File Compression

One feature available when you format a volume with the NTFS file system is file compression. NTFS compression can only be applied to a partition or volume that is formatted with the NTFS file system. Through NTFS, you can create additional storage space for files by compressing either single files, or all files in a NTFS folder. Files in a compressed folder are compressed when folder compression is enabled. Any subfolders included in the compressed folder can also be compressed. You can also compress all files on NTFS volumes. A compressed file is automatically uncompressed when it is accessed. The section of the file being read is the section of the file that is uncompressed. The remainder of the data of the file remains uncompressed in memory. When the file is saved to memory or written to disk, NTFS compresses any new data in the file.
With Windows Server 2003, you can compress files that have any length. The only requirement being that the $Data attribute is non-resident. NTFS file compression is available only when your cluster size is 4KB or less on a NTFS volume. The NTFS file compression feature cannot be utilized on files that are encrypted. NTFS File Compression
The NTFS compression algorithm used in NTFS 1.2, NTFS 3.0 and NTFS 3.1 are the same. You can therefore access compressed files from Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003.
While DoubleSpace, DriveSpace and DriveSpace 3 compression compresses the entire volume, NTFS compression can be restricted to compressing only files, or folders. You do not need to compress the entire volume. NTFS is also faster than the other just mentioned compression techniques. Because Windows Server 2003 is unable to read DriveSpace volumes, you have to decompress these volumes before attempting to upgrade a Windows 9x or Windows Me desktop.
You should generally refrain from compressing database files, and from enabling compression on a server. The reason is that compressed files tend to be excessively fragmented, and the defragmenter cannot optimally defragmenter volumes that are compressed.
You can use Windows Explorer or My Computer to enable compression or change the compression state of an NTFS volume, or the compression state of individual files or folders on NTFS volumes. You can also use the COMPACT command line tool to compress or decompress files.

How moving or copying a file or folder affects a file’s compression state

When you move or copy files and folders between NTFS volumes or to or from File Allocation Table (FAT) partitions, the file’s compression state can change.
  • When you move an uncompressed file or folder on a NTFS volume or partition to a different location on the same NTFS volume, the files or folder stays uncompressed.
  • When you move or copy a compressed file or folder from a NTFS partition to a non-NTFS partition such as a FAT partition, the file or folder is decompressed on the non-NTFS partition.
  • When you copy a compressed file or folder from a NTFS volume or partition to a different location on the same NTFS partition, the file or folder inherits the compression state of the new folder location.
  • When you copy a compressed file or folder from a NTFS volume or partition to a location on a different NTFS partition, the file or folder inherits the compression state of the new folder location.
  • When you move a compressed file or folder on a NTFS volume or partition to a location on the same NTFS partition, the file or folder keeps its previous compression state.
  • When you move a compressed file or folder on a NTFS volume or partition to a location on a different NTFS volume, the file or folder inherits the compression state of the new folder location.

How to enable compression or change the compression state of an NTFS volume

  1. Open Windows Explorer
  2. Right-click the volume which you want to compress or uncompress, and then select Properties from the shortcut menu.
  3. When the Properties dialog box of the volume is displayed, you use the General tab to change the compression state of the NTFS volume.
  4. You can either select the Compress drive to save disk space checkbox to enable compression, or clear the Compress drive to save disk space checkbox to disable compression.
  5. Click OK
  6. When the Confirm Attribute Changes dialog box appears, choose to either apply compression to the NTFS volume or to apply compression to the root folder.

How to enable compression or change the compression state of a folder on a NTFS volume

  1. Open Windows Explorer
  2. Locate and right-click the folder that you want to enable compression for, and the choose Properties from the shortcut menu.
  3. When the Properties dialog box of the folder opens, click the Advanced button.
  4. Select the Compress drive to save disk space checkbox to enable compression for the folder. You can alternatively clear the Compress drive to save disk space checkbox to disable compression for the folder.
  5. Click OK
  6. When the Confirm Attribute Changes dialog box is displayed, select one of the following option:
    • Apply changes to this folder only
    • Apply changes to this folder, subfolders, and files
  7. Click OK

How to enable compression or change the compression state of a file on a NTFS volume

  1. Open Windows Explorer
  2. Locate and right-click the file that you want to enable compression for, and the choose Properties from the shortcut menu.
  3. When the Properties dialog box of the file opens, click the Advanced button.
  4. Select the Compress drive to save disk space checkbox to enable compression for the file. If you want to disable compression for the particular file, clear the Compress drive to save disk space checkbox.
  5. Click OK

How to change the display colors of compressed files and folders

  1. Using Windows Explorer, or My Computer, click the Tools menu, and select Folder Options.
  2. When the Folder Options dialog box opens, click the View tab.
  3. Select the Show encrypted or compressed NTFS files in color option.
  4. Click OK
  5. Windows will now display the names of all compressed files and folders in blue.

How to Create Outlook Express Stationary

Outlook Express is one of the best email clients available from Microsoft and it is installed by default on operating systems such as Windows 2000 and Windows XP. You can create all your email accounts in outlook Express and start checking all your emails from one location. The email client is a great tool to compose all your messages offline and then send them in one go when you are connected to the internet. Today we learn more about Outlook Express stationary.

What is Outlook Express Stationary?

Outlook Express stationary refers to adding a colored background with animation or graphics to make the email more professional or more social. Outlook Express has a lot of stationary templates loaded that can be used for birthday invitations, business meeting mails, etc.

Creating Outlook Express Stationary

Even though you can simply access a already designed stationary by clicking on new message and then choosing a stationary design for your message, I am sure you would want to personalize your stationary designs to make your message more "you". Creating your own stationary is very easy. Don't believe me? Read on.Outlook Express Stationary How to Create Outlook Express Stationary
You can create your own stationary using three (3) methods:

Method 1: Create the stationary using Outlook Express stationary wizard

  1. Open Outlook Express and create a new message by clicking "Message" on the menu bar. In the drop down menu select "New Message Using" then click "Select Stationary" from the menu.
  2. From the "Select Stationary" folder, click the create new button to start the wizard.
Using the stationary wizard is pretty straightforward, as it all about your preferences, from which color you want your background to be, to the font style you want to use.
NOTE: To use Outlook Stationery you must set your email messages to be sent in HTML format. Hence, when you create your stationary, it must be saved in HTML format.

Method 2: Create the stationary using Outlook Express

  1. Open Outlook Express and create a new message by "New Mail" button.
  2. Select the "Format" then "background", here you will have 3 options; color, sound and picture. You can use one or a combination to personalize your message.
Now all you have to do is hit the browse button and go to the location where you saved that piece of music, your favorite background color or picture and use them as your own stationary

Method 3: Saving Someone Else's Stationary

In case you like stationary that someone else uses you can simply open the message and click on save as stationary in the file menu and then rename the stationary. In order for other email programs to view stationary there should be a feature to accept the messages that are formatted in HTML. Try to use minimum images in your stationary as more images will make your file bigger

Volume Shadow Copies Overview

Volume shadow copies, a new Windows Server 2003 feature, are used to create copies of files at a specific point in time, or set time interval. Shadow copies can only be created on NTFS volumes to create automatic backups of files or data per volume. When enabled, the Shadow copies feature protects you from accidentally losing important files in a network share. Remember that when users delete files from over the network, those files are permanently deleted. Because shadow copies enable users to view previous versions of files, the feature allows them to restore a backup of deleted files.
A few advantages of enabling volume shadow copies on shared folders are:
  • If volume shadow copies are enabled for shared folders, you can restore or recover files which have been accidentally deleted or which have become corrupt. The prior versions of files can be copied to the same location, or to another location.
  • Through volume shadow copies, you can recover files which have been overwritten when you need to use a previous version of the file.
  • Volume shadow copies also enable you to compare changes between a current version of the file and a previous version of the file.understanding volume shadow copies Understanding Volume Shadow Copies
  • The integrity of the previous file versions are maintained because they are read-only copies, thereby preventing any user from changing a file which was shadow copied. If users need to change a previous version of a file, they have to copy the version to a different location, and then perform the necessary changes.
As mentioned previously, you can only configure volume shadow copies on NTFS volumes. The shadow copies feature is in fact a new NTFS feature introduced with Windows Server 2003. Shadow copies are used to create shadowed copies of files, at a specified point in time and on a per volume basis, which means that you basically configure shadow copies at the volume level. You cannot therefore specify only certain files and folders for volume shadow copies.
The main requirements for enabling the shadow copies feature are:
  • Shadow copies must be configured on NTFS volumes, and on a per volume basis.
  • The NTFS volume that you want to configure for volume shadow copies must have 100MB of free volume space (minimum requirement). The maximum is 10% of the volume's free disk space, by default.
A few important points to consider when working with shadow copies are:
  • Each volume enabled for shadow copies can only store 64 shadow copies. When this limit is reached on a volume, the oldest shadow copy is permanently deleted, and cannot be restored. You can therefore only view a maximum of 64 previous versions of files.
  • Shadow copies should not be utilized to replace performing regular backups, but should be used to enhance the backup strategy of your organization.

Configuring Shadow Copies

To enable shadow copies on a volume,
  • You must be a member of the Administrators group on the local machine.
  • Shadow copies must be enabled on the server.
  • For clients to access shadow copies, they need to have the Previous Versions Client software installed. The software can be found in the %windir%system32clientstwclient folder.
  • The software can be distributed or deployed via Group Policy, Systems Management Server (SMS), or you can create a share so that clients can download the necessary software.
You can enable shadow copies through the Computer Management console which can be accessed through the Administrative Tools folder. Shadow copies are enabled from the Shared Folders folder in the left pane of the Computer Management console. To navigate to the Shared Folders folder, expand System Tools. To open the Shadow Copies dialog box, right-click Shared Folders, select All Tasks, and then click the Configure Shadow Copies option on the shortcut menu. This is the location where you manage and configure the volume shadow copies feature.
Te Shadow Copies dialog box is made up of the following panes:
  • The uppermost pane of the Shadow Copies dialog box is where you enable shadow copies for the particular volume.
    • To enable shadow copies, click the Enable button.
    • If you do not want a volume to use shadow copies, click the Disable button.
    • To change the configuration settings of existing enabled shadow copies, click the Settings button to open the Settings dialog box. The Settings dialog box is divided into the following two sections:
      • Storage Area: This is where you change the storage location of shadow copies, and the amount of space used to store shadow copies.
      • Schedule: This where you configure how often, or when shadow copies are to be created.
      The settings which you can configure for enabled shadow copies on the Settings dialog box are:
      • Location on this volume drop-down list box: This drop-down list box is used to specify the volume on the server on which the shadow copies are to be stored. In cases where only one volume exists, then this is the volume which is automatically selected, and you are unable to select other volumes.
      • Details button: Click this button to view information on the disk space available, and the total disk space.
      • Maximum Size – No limit option: To specify that unlimited disk space can be used to store shadow copies, click the No limit option under the Maximum Size option.
      • Maximum Size – Use Limit option: To specify the disk space which can be used to store shadow copies, click the Use Limit option under the Maximum Size option, and then set how much disk space, in megabytes (MB) can be used to store shadow copies.
      • Schedule button: To specify the interval when shadow copies are created, click the Schedule button. The intervals which can be set for when shadow copies are created are
        • Daily
        • Weekly
        • Monthly
        • Once
        • At System Startup
        • At Logon
        • When idle
    • The bottom pane of the Shadow Copies dialog box displays a list of all the existing shadow copies which have been created.

      How to enable shadow copies

    • Click Start, Programs, Administrative Tools, and then click Computer Management.
    • Expand the System Tools node in the left pane of the console to navigate to the Shared Folders folder.
    • Right-click Shared Folders, select All Tasks, and then select Configure Shadow Copies from the shortcut menu.
    • The Shadow Copies dialog box opens next.
    • Choose the specific volume for which you want to enable shadow copies, and then click the Enable button.
    • The Enable Shadow Copies message box displays, prompting you to verify that shadow copies should be enabled for the particular volume. The message also informs you that the default settings will be utilized for the particular shadow volume. Click Yes to continue with enabling shadow copies.
    • After you have enabled shadow copies, click the Settings button on the Shadow Copies tab to configure settings for the shadow copies.
    • Select either the Maximum Size option's No Limit option, or the Use Limit option to configure the disk space which can be used to store shadow copies.
    • Click the Schedule button to create a schedule which defines when shadow copies are created.
    • Click New in the dialog box that opens to define a new schedule for the shadow copies.
    • From the Schedule Task drop-down list box, choose one of the following intervals:
      • Daily
      • Weekly
      • Monthly
      • Once
      • At System Startup
      • At Logon
      • When idle
    • The default schedule used to create the shadow copies specifies that they are created Monday – Friday, two times a day (7:00 A.M. and 12:00 P.M)
    • After you have configured the schedule for the shadow copies, click OK.
    • To close the Shadow Copies dialog box, click OK.

      How to manually create the first shadow copy

    • Click Start, Programs, Administrative Tools, and then click Computer Management.
    • To connect to the computer which you want to work with, right-click Computer Management in the left pane, and select Connect To Another Computer on the shortcut menu.
    • When the Select Computer dialog box opens, select the computer.
    • In the left pane, expand the Storage Node, and select Disk Management.
    • All the volumes on the computer are listed in the details pane.
    • Right-click the appropriate volume, and click Properties on the shortcut menu.
    • On the Shadow Copies tab, using the Select A Volume listing choose the volume, and then click the Settings button.
    • Configure all necessary configuration settings for the shadow copies on the Settings dialog box, and click OK.
    • On the Shadow Copies tab, click the Create Now button to force the creation of the first shadow copy.
    • Click OK.

      How to install the client software for shadow copies

    For clients to access shadow copies, they need to have the Previous Versions Client software installed. The software can be found in the %windir%system32clientstwclient folder. You can use one of the methods listed below to install the Previous Versions Client software through a Windows Installer Package on client computers:
    • Double-clicking the Windows Installer Package launches a wizard which allows the user to install the Previous Versions Client software.
    • You can use the software deployment feature of Group Policy to install the software for client computers.
    • You can create a share, copy the Windows Installer Package to the shared folder, and inform clients to download the necessary software.
    • You can use Systems Management Server (SMS).

      How to access previous versions of a file

    To access previous versions of a file, access the Properties of the particular folder or file through a shared folder, and then select the Previous Versions tab. The Previous Versions tab lists the previous versions of the file. This Previous Versions tab is only displayed if you have enabled the shadow copies feature on the particular server, and if you access the Properties of the particular folder or file through a shared folder. You cannot view the Previous Versions tab if the file is located on the local hard drive.
    The tasks which can be performed from the Previous Versions tab are:
    • To view a read-only previous version of a specific file, click the View button on the Previous Versions tab.
    • To copy a previous version of a particular file to a different location, click the Copy button on the Previous Versions tab. When the Copy Items dialog box opens, specify the location to which you want to copy the previous version of the file.
    • To replace the current version of a particular file with a previous version of the file, click the Restore button on the Previous Versions tab. Click Yes, to the message which appears, warning you that current version the file will be replaced with this particular previous version of the file.
    To access shadow copies from a client that has the Previous Versions Client software installed,
    • Open Windows Explorer.
    • Right-click the particular network share, and then click Properties from the shortcut menu.
    • Click the Previous Versions tab.
    • Click the previous version which you want to work with, and then select one of the following buttons:
      • Click View to view a previous file version.
      • Click Copy to copy the shadow copy to a different location.
      • Click Restore to replace the existing version with a previous version.

        How to install the Previous Versions Client software and view files from shadow copies

    • Open Windows Explorer.
    • Navigate to the system32clientstwclient folder on the server to access the Windows Installer package.
      Double-click the Windows Installer package.
    • The Previous Versions Client Wizard launches next.
    • On the initial page of the Wizard, click Next to install the Previous Versions Client software.
    • Once the Previous Versions Client software is installed, access the Properties of the particular folder or file through a shared folder.
    • Click the Previous Versions tab.
    • Choose the previous version of the file that you want to work with, and click the View button.

      How to delete a shadow copy

    • Click Start, Programs, Administrative Tools, and then click Computer Management.
    • To connect to the computer which you want to work with, right-click Computer Management in the left pane, and select Connect To Another Computer on the shortcut menu.
    • When the Select Computer dialog box opens, select the computer.
    • In the left pane, expand the Storage Node, and select Disk Management.
    • All the volumes on the computer are listed in the details pane.
    • Right-click the appropriate volume, and click Properties on the shortcut menu.
    • On the Shadow Copies tab, using the Select A Volume listing choose the volume.
    • The Shadow Copies Of Selected Volume area displays all the shadow copies of the volume which you have selected.
    • Select the shadow copy that must be deleted, and click the Delete Now button.

      How to disable shadow copies

    • Click Start, Programs, Administrative Tools, and then click Computer Management.
    • To connect to the computer which you want to work with, right-click Computer Management in the left pane, and select Connect To Another Computer on the shortcut menu.
    • When the Select Computer dialog box opens, select the computer.
    • In the left pane, expand the Storage Node, and select Disk Management.
    • Right-click the appropriate volume, and click Properties on the shortcut menu.
    • On the Shadow Copies tab, using the Select A Volume listing select the volume, and then click the Disable button.
    • Click Yes to verify that you want to disable shadow copies.

      How to manage shadow copies from the command-line

    Shadow copies can also be managed from the command-line. The Vssadmin command which is used and its associated parameters are:
    vssadmin [Add ShadowStorage] [Create Shadow] [Delete Shadow] [Delete Shadow Storage] [List Providers] [List Shadows] [List ShadowStorage] [List Volumes ] [List Writers] [Resize ShadowStorage]
    • Add ShadowStorage; sets the location where the shadow copies should be stored for a particular volume.
    • Create Shadow; to force the creation of a shadow copy.
    • Delete Shadow; to delete a particular shadow copy.
    • Delete Shadow Storage; to delete the link between a volume and the location that stores the shadow copies.
    • List Providers; to list the shadow copy providers.
    • List Shadows; to list all shadow copies.
    • List ShadowStorage; to list the volume locations that store shadow copies.
    • List Volumes; to list the volumes that have the shadow copies feature enabled.
    • List Writers; to list all applications using shadow copies.
    • Resize ShadowStorage; to change the space available for storing shadow copies.

      Shadow Copies Best Practices

    The factors to remember when working with shadow copies, and a few shadow copies best practices are summarized below:
    • Shadow copies should not be utilized as a replacement for regular backups. You should therefore continue to perform regular backups of the system.
    • Shadow copies should not be utilized on dual boot computers because a previous version could become corrupted if the computer is booted to an operating system OS which is not Windows Server 2003. Enable shadow copies on computers running only Windows Server 2003.
    • Be careful when determining the amount of hard disk space needed for shadow copies. If you configure the limit too small, you could have an insufficient quantity of shadow copies created.
    • When shadow copies are enabled, remember that mounted drives are excluded when shadow copies are created.
    • When you define the schedule for shadow copies, base it on when users make changes to files. For instance, it would be unnecessary to schedule shadow copies to be created over the weekend if files are not modified during this time frame.
    • It is recommended to not schedule shadow copies to take place at an interval greater than once per hour. The interval or frequency for which you configure shadow copies to be created affects how space is utilized.
    • You have to restore a shadow copy to change the contents of a shadow copy.
    • A file that is restored keeps its file permissions.
    • If you recover a deleted file, the file's permissions are the default permissions of the directory.
    • Before you disable shadow copies on a volume, delete the shadow copies schedule.

Features in Outlook Web Access (OWA) 2003

Outlook Web Access (OWA) is used to send and receive e-mail through the Web. Outlook Web Access 2003 includes different levels of feature availability or user modes. Some OWA 2003 features are only available in premium mode.
The different OWA 2003 user modes are:
  • Premium mode – Premium Client Version: All OWA 2003 features and enhancements are accessible when using premium mode. The downside to using premium mode is that it uses more bandwidth resources than basic mode.
  • Basic mode – Basic Client Version: Not all OWA features and enhancements are available in basic mode. The mode does though enable a user to access OWA through a internet application.
The following OWA features are available in premium mode:
  • User interface specific features include:
    • A new user interface
    • Deferred View Update
    • Last window size retained
    • Logoff on toolbarunderstanding outlook web access client Understanding Outlook Web Access Client
    • Public folders open in its own window
    • Resize panes
    • Split screen view
  • Mail specific features include:
    • Auto signature
    • Font in Email Editor can be customized
    • Find names from messages
    • Mail icons
    • Mark message read or unread
    • Message sensitivity in Infobar
    • Reply/forward in Infobar
    • New message notification
    • Preview pane
    • Quick flags
    • Send and receive email
    • Two-line view
  • Calendar specific features include:
    • Reply to and forward meeting requests
    • Preferred reminder time modifications
    • Open an invitation in its own window
  • Receive Reminder features include:
    • Define a default reminder time
    • View calendar from meeting request
  • Contact specific features include:
    • Create contacts
    • Add recipients to contacts
    • Send mail from find names
  • Task specific features include:
    • Create tasks
    • Define default reminder time
  • Security specific features include:
    • S/MIME support
    • Attachment blocking
    • Block external content -spam beacon blocking
    • Timed logoff
    • Clearing credentials at logoff
    • Cookie authentication time-out
  • General functionality and enhancements include:
    • Context menus
    • Items per page
    • GAL property sheets
    • Keyboard shortcuts
    • Notifications of new email
    • Reminder in Navigation pane
    • Saved searches
    • Search folders displayed in the folder tree
    • Server-end rules
    • Spell Checker
The following OWA features are available in basic mode:
  • A new user interface (User interface specific feature)
  • Send and receive email (Mail specific feature)
  • Auto signature (Mail specific feature)
  • Message sensitivity Infobar (Mail specific feature)
  • Mail icons (Mail specific feature)
  • Reply/forward in Infobar (Mail specific feature)
  • Reply to and forward meeting requests (Calendar specific feature)
  • Receive Reminder features include:
    • Define a default reminder time
    • View calendar from meeting request
  • Create contacts (Contact specific feature)
  • Create tasks (Task specific feature)
  • Security specific features include:
    • Attachment blocking
    • Block external content -spam beacon blocking
    • Timed logoff
  • Items per page (General functionality feature)
    • GAL property sheets (General functionality feature)

Using the New User Interface of OWA client

The Outlook 2003 client and the user interface of the latest OWA client are very similar. A few similarities include:
  • Basic pane structure
  • Full folder tree
  • Blue color scheme
  • Change the column widths
After opening OWA, the following basic panes are displayed:
  • The upper left pane contains the folder list. The folder list contains all folders accessible to the user mailbox. This includes the following folders:
    • Calendar
    • Contacts
    • Deleted Items
    • Drafts
    • Inbox
    • Journal
    • Junk Email
    • Notes
    • Outbox
    • Sent Items
    • Sync Issues
    • Folders
  • The shortcut bar beneath the folder list lists shortcuts to the following:
    • Calendar
    • Contacts
    • Inbox
    • Tasks
    • Public Folders
    • Rules
    • Options
    When a new message is received a new vertical button is displayed, indicating that new mail has arrived. And
  • When an item is selected in the folder list or the shortcut bar, its contents are listed in the middle pane.
  • The toolbar located on the top is the Infobar. The Infobar lists the options that become available when the information in the middle pane is viewed. The options displayed are determined by which items are being viewed.
  • The far-right pane is the reading pane, and is activated by default. The reading pane displays the content of the email message selected in the middle pane.
The reading pane of the OWA user interface is the far-right pane. While the reading pane is activated by default, you can disable the feature. The reading pane displays the content of email message selected in the middle pane of the OWA user interface.
You can customize the reading pane as follows:
  • Remove the reading pane completely.
  • Place the reading pane on the right vertical pane.
  • Place the reading pane as a horizontal pane at the bottom of the user interface
With OWA, you can also create a number of different folders. These folders are then displayed in the folders view.
You can navigate through the various features of OWA by simply clicking the button associated with the different OWA features. When you click the button of an OWA feature, the specific feature is opened in the center pane.
You can also change the default viewing order of email messages in the email folders. The default viewing order displays all recent messages at the top.
The Two-Line View feature of OWA displays the title of the email and the first line of a message to the user. This feature is enabled by default. You can change the two-line view to a different view.

How to change the size of the OWA user interface panes

  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. Place the mouse between the panes that you want to change the size of.
  3. Wait until the double arrow is displayed.
  4. While still holding the mouse down, move the pane border to the appropriate size and then let go of the mouse.

How to customize the reading pane of the OWA user interface

  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. Click the reading pane icon to display its associated drop-down menu.
  3. If you want to place the reading pane on the right vertical pane, select the Right option.
  4. If you want to place the reading pane as a horizontal pane at the bottom of the user interface, select the Bottom option.
  5. If you want to remove the reading pane completely, select the Off option.

How to create new folders

  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. Click in the folders view in the left pane of the OWA user interface.
  3. Right-click on a folder in the folders pane and then select New Folder from the shortcut menu.
  4. Provide a name for the new folder.
  5. Specify the location for the new folder. To do this, simply click the folder that should contain the new folder.
  6. Select the type of folder that should be created. The options are:
    • To create a calendar folder, choose the Appointment Items folder type.
    • To create a new contact folder, select the Contact Items option.
    • o create a journal folder, choose the Journal Items folder type.
    • To create a folder to contain email messages, select the Mail Items folder type.
    • To create a note folder, select the Note Items option.
    • To create a task folder, select the Task Items option.
  7. Click OK to create the new folder.

How to change the two-line view

  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. Click on the drop-down menu for Inbox, above Infobar.
  3. The options that you can choose between are:
    • Messages; selecting this option removes the two-line view and displays the subject bars of the messages according to date received and time received.
    • Unread Messages; selecting the Unread Messages option displays only those messages which are unread.
    • By Sender; the option sorts messages based on the name of the sender. Each identified sender has a header with an associated plus sign. You can view messages of a specific sender by clicking the associated plus sign of the sender, or by simply double-clicking the name of the sender.
    • By Subject; the messages are displayed and sorted by subject line of the message. Each message that has a common heading is then grouped and shown in a hierarchy beneath the subject heading.
    • By Conversation Topic; similar to the By subject option. The main difference being that messages are grouped based on emails which have been replied, and as a conversation.
    • Unread By Conversation Topic; selecting the Unread By Conversation Topic option displays only those messages which are unread and also sorts the messages based on topic.
    • Sent To; messages are grouped according to recipient.

Using the Mail Features of OWA

A number of new mail features and enhancements are included in OWA 2003. This section of the Article explores these features.
You can use any of the methods listed below to create an email:
  • Click the drop-down arrow alongside New and then select the Message option. The New Message will be displayed.
  • In any mail folder in the folder list, click the envelope alongside New. The New Message will be displayed.
You can use any of the methods listed below to address an email message. When creating a new message, the following boxes are displayed:
  • To: The names of the main message recipients should be inserted in the To box.
  • CC: The names of those recipients that the message is not primarily intended for should be placed in the CC (carbon copy) box.
  • BCC: Enter the names of recipients that should receive this message, but who should not be displayed to the other recipients in the BCC (blind carbon copy) box. Recipients entered in the BCC box do not receive Reply to all messages.
An email is addressed by specifying either of the following information in one of the above mentioned boxes:
  • Name of the recipient.
  • Email address of the recipient.
If you enter the name of the recipient, and not the email address, the name that you enter has to be verified by Exchange to the Global Address List (GAL) or a contact list. Names that have not been verified by Exchange appear as a single line of text – not underlined. Once a name has been checked and verified by Exchange, it is underlined. The box that contains the name changes, to a double-lined box. As new names are added, the names that are not checked are placed in the bottom of the box. Once a name is verified, it is placed in the upper box.
You can send the email by simply clicking the Send button. OWA at this stage informs you of any problems with regard to the names that you have specified in the To, CC, or BCC boxes.
You can sort out these issues by selecting between the following options:
  • Use the Change to option to specify another user.
  • Delete the problematic recipient using the Delete option.
  • Manually remove the user by selecting the Cancel option.
You can read a message by simply double-clicking the message. The message then opens in its own message window.
After opening message, the following options become available on the message toolbar:
  • Reply to sender; use this option to reply to the sender of the message.
  • Reply to all; use this option to reply to each recipient in the address list. Recipients in the BBC box will not receive the reply.
  • Forward; use this option to send the message to a recipient that is not specified in the To box.
You can also access these options by simply right-clicking a specific message in the message list and then selecting the appropriate option.
When sending messages through OWA, you can add an attachment to the email and send it.
When an attachment is received in a message, you can use either of these processes to read the included attachment:
Double-click the attachment to open it.
  • Right-click the attachment and then select Open from the shortcut menu.
  • Right-click the attachment, select Save target as, and then specify the location that the file must be saved to. You can then open the file from that location.
You can assign message options to an email message that you are creating. The message options are categorised as follows:
  • Importance: You can choose between the following options to indicate the importance of a message item:
    • Low
    • Medium
    • High
    The default setting for messages is the Medium option.
  • Sensitivity: You can choose between the following options to indicate how sensitive the content of the email is.
    • Normal; no message is displayed
    • Personal; a message reading Please treat this as Personal, is displayed
    • Private; a message reading Please treat this as Private, is displayed
    • Confidential; a message reading Please treat this as Confidential, is displayed
    The default setting for messages is the Normal option.
  • Tracking Options: The different Tracking options that you can select are listed here:
    • Request a delivery receipt for this message.
    • Request a read receipt for this message.
    The various receipts are returned when the message is received at the recipient and when the recipient has read the message.

How to use the Find Names feature

  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. Create a new message.
  3. Click the To button located at the left end of the box area.
  4. The Find Names dialog box opens.
  5. Type the name of the recipient. You can also enter a partial name.
  6. Specify where the search should be performed:
    • Global Address List (GAL)
    • Contacts List
    Click OK.
  7. All names that match the search criteria are listed.
  8. Select the name of the recipient.
  9. Next, click either To, CC, or BCC.
  10. Click OK.
  11. Click Close.

How to remove a recipient from the To, CC, or BCC boxes of a message

  1. In the message, right-click the name or email address of the recipient that you want to remove, and click Remove from the shortcut menu.
  2. The recipient is immediately removed from the box.

How to add an attachment to an email

  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. Create the email that you want to send.
  3. Click the Attachments button. The button is located beneath the Subject line.
  4. The Attachment dialog box opens.
  5. Browse to the file which you want to attach to the email.
  6. Click the file.
  7. Click Attach to attach the file.
  8. If you want to add additional attachments, simply click the Attachments button and repeat the process.

How to assign message options to an email message

  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. Create the new message.
  3. Click the Options button n the message toolbar.
  4. The Options dialog box opens.
  5. Select the appropriate Importance, Sensitivity, and Tracking Options.
  6. Click Close.

How to delete a message

To delete a single message (closed):

  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. Click the item that you want to delete.
  3. Press the Delete key or click the X button in the toolbar.

To delete an open message:

  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. Press the Delete key or click the X button.

To delete multiple messages:

  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. Press the Ctrl key down.
  3. Use the mouse to select each message that you want to delete.
  4. Once all messages have been selected, proceed to press the Delete key or click the X button in the toolbar

To delete multiple messages (in a row):

  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. Press the Shift key down.
  3. Click the message at the top of the row.
  4. Click the message at the bottom of the row.
  5. Press the Delete key or click the X button in the toolbar.

Using the Calendar Feature of OWA

The calendar feature of Outlook Web Access 2003 provides the same functionality as that provided in Outlook client:
  • Appointment views
  • Creation of appointments
  • Changing appointments
With OWA 2003, a calendar object is referred to as an Appointment.
You can choose between different views to view the calendar:
  • Today View: The current date is displayed using a single day view.
  • Day View: Each day is displayed, one by one. To select a specific day, click the day in the right pane.
  • Week View: Each week is displayed, one by one, in seven split panes in the center pane. Each day's appointments are displayed in the panes.
  • Month View: A calendar month is displayed. Summary titles are included for the events in the calendar.

How to create a new appointment

  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. In the toolbar, click New and then click Appointment.
  3. The Appointments dialog box is displayed
  4. If you want to use this appointment as an appointment and not as a new meeting request, then you have to use the default Appointments dialog box.
  5. In the Subject box, enter the subject.
  6. In the Location box, provide the location.
  7. Use either of these methods to set the start time:
    • Enter the start time in the Start Time box, and enter the end time in the End Time box.
    • Click the drop-down menu boxes alongside the Start Time box and End Time box, and then use the OWA calendar to set the appropriate time.
  8. If you want to flag the appointment as being important, click the ! icon within the toolbar
  9. Click Save.
  10. Click Close.

How to create a new meeting request

  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. In the toolbar, click New and then click Appointment.
  3. The Appointments dialog box is displayed
  4. In the Subject box, enter the subject.
  5. In the Location box, provide the location.
  6. Click the Invite Attendees button.
  7. The Appointments dialog box changes to include the following additional boxes and buttons:
    • Required
    • Optional
    • Resources
  8. In the Required and Optional boxes, enter the usernames of the attendees for the new meeting request.
  9. If you want to find the attendees, click the Required button or the Optional button. When the Find Names dialog box, locate the attendees that you want to invite.
  10. To check the availability of your attendees, click the Availability tab.
  11. Click the drop-down menu boxes alongside the Start Time box and End Time box and set the appropriate time.
  12. Click the Appointment tab.
  13. Click Save.
  14. Click Close.

How to define recurring appointments/meetings

  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. In the toolbar, click New and then click Appointment.
  3. The Appointments dialog box is displayed
  4. In the Subject box, enter the subject.
  5. In the Location box, provide the location.
  6. Click the Invite Attendees button and invite the desired attendees.
  7. Click the Recurrence button.
  8. The Recurrence Pattern dialog box opens.
  9. Choose between the following options:
    • Daily
    • Weekly
    • Monthly
    • Yearly
  10. The options displayed to the right are determined by which of the above options you have selected. Select the appropriate options.
  11. In the Range of recurrence area, specify whether the recurrence continues or set when the recurrence ends.
  12. Click OK.
  13. Click Save in the Appointments dialog box.
  14. Click Close.

Using the Advanced Features of OWA

The search Address Book feature is an OWA 2003 feature. To access the Address Book, click the open book icon on the Infobar. The Find Names dialog box opens.
You can search the Address Book, using any of the criteria listed below:
  • Display Name
  • Last Name
  • First name
  • Title
  • Alias
  • Company
  • Department
  • Office
  • City
To start a search, click the Find button.
If you want to move an email message from one folder to a different folder;
  • Click the message.
  • Drag the message to the other folder.
If you want to mark messages as read or unread;
  1. Select the message.
  2. Right-click the message and select either of these options:
    • Mark as Read
    • Mark as Unread
If you want to view information on the user entries in the Global Address List (GAL), you can use the user property sheets.
  1. Locate the user in the Address Book.
  2. Select the name of the user and then select Properties. For users in email messages simply double-click the username.
  3. The Properties page of the user opens, displaying information on the user:
    • First name
    • Last name
    • Initials
    • Alias
    • Display name
    • Address
    • Title
    • Company
    • Phone numbers
    • Office
Another new feature in OWA 2003 is the Spell Check feature. To use the Spell Check feature, follow the steps below:
  1. In the message that you are creating, click the Spell Check icon in the toolbar.
  2. If this is the first time that the Spell Check feature is initiated, specify the language that should be used.
  3. Click Check Document for Spell Check to check the message.
  4. When Spell Check finds errors, the errors are highlighted in the main box.
  5. Any suggestions are listed in the Suggestions box. If you want to choose a word here, click the word and then click Change.
  6. If you want to manually change a highlighted word, enter the new word in the Change To box and then click Change.
  7. If you want to ignore the reported word, click the Ignore button.
  8. The Spelling dialog box is no longer displayed when the entire message has been checked.
In OWA 2003, another new feature is message context menus. The message context menus become available when you right-click a message in the message list. The options that become available are listed here:
  • Open
  • Reply
  • Reply to All
  • Forward
  • Follow Up
  • Flag Complete
  • Clear Flag
  • Mark as Unread
  • Create Rule
  • Delete
  • Move/Copy to folder
In OWA 2003, folder context menus are also included. The folder context menus become available when you right-click a folder in the folder list. The options that become available are listed here:
  • Update Folder
  • Open
  • Open in New
  • Move/Copy
  • Delete
  • Rename
  • New Folder
With OWA 2003, you can configure server-based rules. This basically means that any rules created in Outlook 2003 are automatically displayed in OWA 2003. Rules created in Outlook 2003 are also displayed in OWA 2003.
To create a rule using the Rules Editor:
  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. On the shortcut bar, click the Rules button.
  3. The Rules Pane is displayed in the right pane. All currently configured rules are listed here, and the order in which the rules are listed indicates the order in which the rules are applied.
  4. If you want to change the order of rules listed in the Rules pane, use the Move Up button and the Move Down button.
  5. If you want to create a new rule, click the New button.
  6. In the Rule Name box, enter a name for the new rule.
  7. In the When a message arrives area of the Edit Rule dialog box, use the available options to define the criteria which will determine when the rule is implemented.
  8. Use the options in under Where The, to define a specific sender of the email message. When an email message arrives from the specified sender, the rule is implemented.
  9. Use the options in under Subject Contains, to define a text that should be matched. The rule is then implemented when an exact match occurs.
  10. Use the options in under Sent To if you want the rule to match according to names or lists in the recipients list.
  11. In the Then area of the Edit Rule dialog box, use the available options to define what action should occur when a match is found.
  12. If you want to move the message to a specific folder, select the Move it to the specified folder option.
  13. If you want to copy the message to a specific folder, then select the Copy it to the specified folder option.
  14. If you want to delete the message, select the Delete it option.
  15. If you want to forward the message to a specific user or to a specific a distribution group, select the Forward it to option.
  16. Specify who should receive the email.
  17. Enable the Keep a copy in my inbox checkbox if you want to keep a copy in the inbox.
  18. Click Save.
  19. Click Close.
With Outlook 2003, you can save regularly used searches in the Search Folder folder list. For searches and search folders created in Outlook 2003, any users of OWA can use these searches.
To use the search feature:
  1. Open Outlook Web Access Client.
  2. Select the folder that you want to search.
  3. Click the Search icon in the Infobar.
  4. The Search dialog box opens.
  5. If you want to search any subfolders of the selected folder, click the checkbox next to Search Subfolders.
  6. In the Look in the Subject for these words box, enter the search criteria for the Subject line.
  7. If you want the search also performed on the message body, select the checkbox next to Also search message body.
  8. If you want the search performed based on the sender of the email, enter the information in the From box.
  9. If you want the search performed based on whom the email was sent to, enter the information in the Sent To box.
  10. Click the Find Now button to start the search.
  11. The search results are displayed in the Search Results box.
  12. To view the results, simply double-click the result.
You can choose between six flag colors of the Quick flags feature to set importance levels for email messages and to set reminders.
To use the Quick flags feature:
  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. The flag icon appears to the right of the message in the middle-pane.
  3. Double-click the flag icon.
  4. To set a flag color, right-click the flag.
  5. Select the flag color by simply clicking it.
There are now a number of keyboard shortcuts available in OWA client:
  • In the Inbox view, you can use the following keyboard shortcuts:
    • Ctrl+N; opens a new message.
    • Ctl+Q; marks a message as read.
    • Ctrl+R; to reply to a message.
    • Ctrl+Shift+R; to reply to each selected message.
    • Ctrl+Shift+F; to forward the selected message.
    • Ctrl+U; marks a message as unread.
  • In the Message view, you can use the following keyboard shortcuts:
    • Ctrl+>; to view the following message in the message list.
    • Ctrl+>; to view the previous message in the message list.
  • In the Contacts view, you can use the Ctrl+Shift+L keyboard shortcut to create a new contact distribution list.
  • In an open message, you can use the following keyboard shortcuts:
    • Ctrl+Enter or Alt+S; to send a message.
    • Ctrl+S; to save the message.
    • Ctrl+K; to check names in the address boxes
    • Alt+T or Alt+C or Alt+B; to find names in the Address Book.
    • [F7]; to start the Spell Checker feature.
  • In the Public Folders view, you can use the following keyboard shortcuts:
    • Ctrl+N; to create a new posting in public folders.
    • Ctrl+R; to reply to a posting.
  • In the Task view, you can use the Ctrl+N keyboard shortcut to create a task.

Customizing OWA Features

There are a number of OWA features that can be customized. You can access the features that can be customized by clicking the Options button in the shortcut bar. After changing an option, click the Save button to save the change, and then click Close. After the change is saved, the change is immediately effected.

How to configure the Out of Office Assistant feature

  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. Click I am currently out of the office. The Out of Office assistant feature is enabled.
  3. Specify the text that should be returned to the sender.
  4. If you want to disable the Out of Office assistant feature, click I am currently in the office. Any text previously specified when you enabled the Out of Office assistant feature is maintained until you enter a new text or manually delete it.
  5. Click Save.
  6. Click Close.

How to configure the Automatic Signatures feature

You can configure an Automatic Signature that will be displayed at the bottom of new email messages. An Automatic Signature provides information on the sender of the message.
When configuring an Automatic Signature, you can use either of these methods:
  • Specify that the signature be included for each message that is sent.
  • Include the signature on a per message basis.
To configure the Automatic Signatures feature:
  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. Under Messaging Options, click Edit Signature.
  3. Specify the text that should be added to a message.
    1. Set the following configuration options:
      • Font and font size
      • Color
      • Whether bullets and styles should be used.
    2. Select the Automatically include my signature on outgoing messages checkbox to automatically include the signature in each message.
    3. Click Save.
    4. Click Close.

How to configure Reading Pane options

Reading Pane options pertain to the message list when you have enabled Auto Preview. Through configuration of the Reading Pane options, you can define when a message being previewed can be marked as read.
The different options that you can configure are:
  • Mark item displayed in reading pane as read; once a predefined time has passed, the message being viewed is marked as read.
  • Mark item as read when the selection changes; once a user selects a new message, the message is set as being read.
  • Do not automatically mark items as read; only when a message is physically opened is it marked as being read.

How to recover deleted items

With OWA 2003, you can recover deleted Outlook items that have been removed from the Deleted Items folder. You can only though recover these items if the purge dae configured on the Exchange server has not passed.
To recover deleted items:
  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. Navigate to the Outlook Options area.
  3. Navigate to the Recover Deleted Items area.
  4. Click View Items.
  5. The Recover Deleted Items dialog box opens.
  6. Select each item that you want to recover.
  7. Click the Recover button.
  8. Click Close.
  9. All items specified to be recovered will be displayed in the locations from where they were previously deleted.
  10. If you want to purge items completely, then you have to select the Permanently Delete option. After this option is selected, you will be unable to recover those items in the Recover Deleted Items dialog box.
  11. Click OK.
  12. Click Close.

Using the Contact Features of OWA

Contacts make it possible for you to create your own list of users so that you can send email messages to these users. You can also create distribution lists for users in the Global Address Lists (GAL) and for users in a contact list.
There are a number of different contact views that you can choose between:
  • Address Cards View: This is the default view and displays limited information on each contact.
  • Detailed Address Cards View: The same format utilized in the Address Cards View is used in the Detailed Address Cards view. The difference being that the Detailed Address Cards View displays more information on each contact.
  • Phone List View: This view shows the information on a contact in a single line
  • By Company View: Displays contact information according to company name headings. Each contact that falls within the same company is shown under the same company name heading.
  • By Location View: Displays contact information according to locations or regions.
  • By Follow-up Flag View: Shows contacts that need to be isolated from the other contacts.

How to create a new contact

  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. Click New and then Contact in the Infobar.
  3. The New Contact dialog box opens.
  4. Provide the necessary information for the new contact.
  5. Click Save to save the new contact in the contact list.
  6. Click Close.

How to find names in contacts

  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. Click the Address Book icon.
  3. The Find Names dialog box opens.
  4. In the Look In box, select Contacts.
  5. The search will now be performed in Contacts and not the GAL.

How to create a distribution list

  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. Click New and then Distribution List in the Infobar.
  3. The New Distribution List box opens.
  4. Provide a name for the new distribution list.
  5. Enter the name of each user that you want to add to the new distribution list in Add to Distribution List and click Add. You have to add users one by one.
  6. Click Save
  7. Click Close.

How to modify the information on a contact

  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. Double-click the contact whose information should be modified.
  3. Click Save to save the contact information in the contact list.
  4. Click Close.

How to delete a contact

  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. Select the contact that you want to delete.
  3. Press the Delete key, or click Delete on the Infobar.

Using the Task Features of OWA

Tasks in OWA can be created and viewed. You can define due dates and reminders. The different Task Views that you can choose between are listed here:
  • Simple List view: Displays a single line list sorted by subject and due date. Information on whether the task is completed is provided.
  • Detailed List view: Similar to the above view. The difference being that additional information is provided.
  • Active Tasks view: Similar to the Detailed List view. The difference being that tasks which ar not fully completed are not shown.
  • Next 7 Days view: Tasks that are due within the next seven days are displayed.
  • Overdue Tasks view: Tasks that are overdue are displayed.
  • Taskpad view: Displays the subject and due data for all tasks.
When you receive a task reminder, you can open the task by clicking Open Item. You can then choose between the following options:
  • If you want to dismiss items one by one, select each item and then select Dismiss.
  • If you want to snooze the reminder, specify for how long the reminder should be snoozed and then click Snooze.
  • Click Dismiss All to dismiss all reminders.

How to create a new task

  1. Open Outlook Web Access.
  2. Click New and then Task in the Infobar.
  3. The New Task dialog box opens.
  4. Provide the necessary information for the new task.
  5. Click Save.
  6. Click Close.

Outlook Web Access Best Practices

A few best practices for using Outlook Web Access are listed here:
  • If client bandwidth access is limited, then you should use OWA 2003 Basic mode – Basic Client Version.
  • If you want to use the full feature set and functionality of OWA 2003, you should the Premium mode – Premium Client Version.
  • You should customize the default pane sizes of the new user interface to meet your requirements.
  • You should also customize the task views to meet your requirements.
  • Use the Quick Flags feature to create and set reminders, and to define importance for email messages.
  • When available, use the keyboard shortcuts over using menu button tasks.
  • When you define Contact Distribution lists, include recipients from the GAL and not from the user's contact list.
  • You can speed up the process of deleting emails by using either of these options:
    • Press the Ctrl key down, use the mouse to select each message that you want to delete, and then press the Delete key.
    • Press the Shift key down, click the message at the top of the row and at the bottom of the row and then press the Delete key.
  • For users that access OWA through a slow dial-up connection, consider using the options listed below to enhance user performance:
    • Use Basic mode when logging on to OWA.
    • Disable the Two-line viewing feature.
    • Disable the Reading Pane feature.
    • Configure a lower number of messages to be shown.

Error 1603

When installing software that is packaged with the Windows Installer, users may get an error 1603. The actual error message that displays is “error 1603: A fatal error occurred during installation.” There are a few things that cause this to occur.

Windows Installer and Encrypted Folders

Users cannot install software packaged in the Windows Installer format into an encrypted folder.
  • Install the software into a different folder that does not have encryption turned on.
  • Remove the encryption and install the software again.

Windows Installer and Substituted Drives

Users cannot install software packaged in the Windows Installer format to a drive that is substituted for another drive.
  • Try installing the package into another non-substituted drive.
  • Also, try un-substituting the drive being installed to and try again with the original drive letter. NOTE: This may cause some software to stop working.

error 1603 Error 1603Windows Installer and the SYSTEM Account

The Windows Installer software uses the SYSTEM account for installation purposes. Because of this, it is necessary for the SYSTEM account to have full control of any folder being installed to. Ensure that the SYSTEM account has the appropriate privileges as follows:
  • Double-click “My Computer.”
  • Right click the drive that the software should be installed to and click “Properties.”
  • Select the “Security” tab.
  • For Windows 2000, verify that the “Name” box has the “SYSTEM” user account in it.
  • For Windows XP, verify that the “Group or User Names” box has the “SYSTEM” user account in it.
    If the “SYSTEM” user account does not appear, add it.
  • Click the “Add” button.
  • When the “Select Users or Group” dialog appears, Click “SYSTEM” in the “Name” field.
  • Click “Add.”
  • Click “OK.”
  • In the “Permissions” section, click the “Full Control” checkbox under “Allow” then click “Advanced.” A dialog box will appear.
  • If using Windows XP, select the “Replace permission entries on all child objects with entries shown here that apply to child objects” checkbox next to the “SYSTEM” user account. Click “OK.”
  • For other Windows systems, select the “Reset permissions on all child objects and enable propagation of inheritable permissions” checkbox next to the “SYSTEM” user account. Click “OK.”
  • If a security dialog box pops up, be sure to click the “Yes” button.

Fixing Error 1603 in Windows 7

Users can still encounter error 1603 on Windows 7. Unfortunately, the fixes for the error on previous Windows OS versions will not work.

How to Fix Error 1603 in Windows 7

Step 1 – Log into the computer in administrator mode.
Step 2 – Click the “Start” menu button, enter “services.msc” in the search text field, then press the “Enter” key. Enter the administrator password for the computer if asked then click the “Continue” menu button.
Step 3 – Double-click the “Windows Installer” on the services list and select the “Automatic” option in the Windows Installer properties dialog box.
Step 4 – Select the “Start” button, then “apply” and “Ok” buttons, then restart the software installation.
Step 5 – If the error is not corrected, restart Windows to configure the computer for a “clean” startup or boot without other programs running in the background that could be causing the error to get thrown.
Step 6 – Select the “Start” menu button, enter “System Configuration” in the search text field, then press the “Enter” key.
Step 7 – Choose the “System Configuration” menu option from the programs list and enter the administrator password if the system asks.
Step 8 – Choose the “Selective Startup” menu option then clear the following check boxes: load startup items, load system services, and the use original boot configuration.
Step 9 – Select “Services,” pick the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box, then click the “Disable All” menu option.
Step 10 – Choose the “Ok” menu button then restart the computer. Error 1603 will be cleared.

Error Number: 0x800CCC0E

Error Number: 0x800CCC0E occurs in the Microsoft Windows family of operating systems when there is a problem with Microsoft Outlook Express. A conflict with Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) servers while using one of the Microsoft Outlook Express programs to read or browse through mail traditionally causes the error. The full text associated with the error may be: “The connection to the server has failed. Account: , Server: , Protocol: SMTP, Port: 25, Secure (SSL): No, Socket Error: 10051, Error Number: 0x800CCC0E.”

What Causes this error?

 Error Number: 0x800CCC0EThe Error Number: 0x800CCC0E is triggered because of a built in behavior with Microsoft Outlook Express. While connected to the Internet with the MSN network, Outlook Express will not allow the user to send messages to another Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) server. Error Number: 0x800CCC0E is fairly easy to fix nonetheless.

How to Resolve this Error

In order to resolve this error, the user should set his/her email’s SMTP server to the MSN SMTP server. While it does not require computing skill to accomplish this task, be sure to read all instructions on the screen for the best results. Typing in SMTP servers can be tricky business, so always double check what is typed in, as the Microsoft Outlook Express copy may mistakenly be prevented from accessing the mail.
First, navigate to the Accounts setting under the Tools menu. Click the Mail tab and choose the account to be changed. Press the button labeled Properties.
Press the Server tab and look for the Server Information section. Delete whatever is currently populating the Outgoing Mail (SMTP) text box and type in “smtp.live.com.”
Look for the Outgoing Mail Server section. Select the check box labeled My Server Requires Authentication and press the Settings button. Look for the Login Information section and press the Log On Using button.
Type in an MSN Member ID in the Account Name text box. The MSN Member ID should be the user name before the @ portion of an MSN email address. Type in the MSN Member password in the Password box and click on the check box labeled Log On Using Secure Password Authentication.
Close the Outgoing Mail Server box by pressing the OK button. Close the Mail Account Properties box by pressing the OK button. Press Close to finish setting up the account.
Browser Name:
Browser Version:
Browser Code Name:
User-Agent: