USEFUL OUTLOOK TIP..

Now here's a strange thing. And a problem. And a solution to the problem.

All in one blog post.

Can't be bad?

I use Outlook to collect my work emails like a lot of people. Today I created a message and saved it to the draft folder as I wasn't sure I wanted to send it (it was a rant!).

Then I carried on working. Something went wrong and I had to restart my PC.

When I loaded up Outlook all was ok and I was happily receiving and sending out mail. However, when I clicked on the 'Drafts' folder where the saved message was it froze Outlook.

The only way out was to hit Ctrl+Alt+Del and force the Outlook process to end. It did the next time. And the next time.

Stuck in a loop (even after another reboot) I didn't want to not have access to the drafts folder. I often save messages down to calm off and then decide whether to send them or not!

A solution was found. If you are ever in the same pickle you need to know it (if not stop reading now obviously, but remember where you saw this issue last!).

The solution is to start Outlook in safe mode. By that I mean
go to the start menu (bottom left)
select Run...
type "outlook.exe /safe" (without the quote marks!)

Then you should be able to navigate to the offending folder and delete the offending message. Don't forget to then go to the 'Deleted Items' folder and delete it a second time - if you don't it is likely that next time you go to the deleted items folder to clean out your system Outlook will crash once again.

Solution disseminated. Good deed done for the day. I'm off to the pub.
 

YEAH RIGHT!

  

Another in my long line of junk mail today...

Dear HSBC Customer,

We are currently updating our online banking services,
and due to this upgrade we sincerely call your attention
to follow below link and reconfirm your online account
details.

Click Here To Upgrade Your Account

Best Regards,
HSBC Bank plc
Head of Customer Communications.

Either the Global Head of HSBC plc has bad grammar or......
   

SPAM SCAMS..

  
I received an odd email in my inbox today.  Someone from the other side of the world was looking out for my interests and protecting my company name from being trademark registered in China!  How cool, a stranger is helping me for free!

As Milton Friedman once said though, there's no such thing as a free lunch..

So, I investigated a little further.

Turns out to be another scam email - effectively drumming up trade for a chinese domain name registration business.  Along the lines of, "hey! someone is trying to register the following domain name endings with your existing domain name..."

.jp

.net

.eu

.cn

.tw

.cc

.biz

You get the idea.

All very alarming.  If only they were using correct English grammar and it didn't simply read like some joke.  I guess someone somewhere falls for this as it's been going round the internet for at least 2 years now - for e.g.

In case it happens to you, look out for an email that goes something like this..

Dear  Principal,                                      

We are an organization specified at dealing with domain name dispute and
registration in Asia. We have something important on intellectual
property right need to confirm with your company.

Today we received a formal application from a company called Emarketplace
International, who applied to register "[insert your domain here - Polko]"
as their domain name in some countries and internet keyword.
During our preliminary investigation, we found that these domain names'
keyword is identical with your trademark. I wonder whether you consigned
Emarketplace International to register these domain names with us? Or is
Emarketplace International your business partner or distributor in Asia?

Currently, we have already postponed this application of this company
temporarily. Therefore please let the relevant person make a confirmation
with me by telephone or email ASAP.

Best Regards
Henry Luo
Auditing Department(HK Office)