Johnny Cash

Hi Guys,
A friend has a slight email problem. He's a retired fellow and quite computer illiterate. Last weekend he asked me to do some work on some Johnny Cash photos for him and to email him the photos when I was done. He's on XP SP2 with Norton Internet Security. He uses OE for his emails.
Now I sent the pics and he got the message "receiving 5 of 5" but after it had finished DL'ing, there were NO emails there?? Strange. I resent the 5 (but with CC's to his daughter's hotmail) and the same thing happened (although his daughter received them).
I've had him check that the "do not allow attachments" setting is not checked. I've also had him check that he did not accidentally add me to "blocked senders". It's like the emails download, but then are simply not there after they download??
Has anyone got any ideas as to what I should get him to check? I'm a bit stumped!
Thanks,
Brad.

 

Hi Brad,

There is a setting in NIS ... to only allow emails from 'Listed' friends ... which is part and parcel of Nortons Spam Filter.

1.Open the main GUI of NIS -> select options (on the tool bar of the GUI) -> select NIS - then the Email tab -. and uncheck the "block emails from anyone not in the Allowed list" in the Spam Filter section

-or-

2.Highlight the The Norton Anti-Spam on the main GUI, select configure in the right pane -> select the allow tab and have him add your email andy.

HTH,

Steve

NIS = Norton Internet Security
GUI = General Users Interface

 

Ps. My preference would be No. 1 ... Norton's Spam Filter is pretty good, and no. 2 is really too restrictive, unless of course there's a serious issue with spam.

BTW - Did he check the Norton Anti-spam Folder in Outlook/OE for your emails?

Steve

 

Thanks Steve, I'll get him to have a look at those....or I'll have to drive out there myself and do it! I'm pretty sure he won't have mucked with NIS on his own (Unless he did it accidentally?) ....as I said he's not too good with comps. Checks email and checks weather and that's about it. I was really thinking it must be an OE setting?
Thanks,
Brad.

 

Just saw this! I'll get him to check. Thanks.

 

I'm not sure Brad ... but I believe that's one of the options presented to you, when you install NIS.

Has he had this issue, before? How long has he had NIS?

I can't see any reason for it to be a Outlook/OE issue because he isn't getting the email at all. There is an option for not allowing attachments but that would only make the attachment un-accessible ... but it wouldn't explain the disappearance of the email itself.

What form are you send the attachment as? - Zip?

 

Thanks Steve,
1. He's completely helpless/hopeless on a comp.
2. He rings me and I usually walk him through stuff because I'm on XP too (although I dont have NIS....just Nav)
3. It's a newish Dell box he bought last year....came with NIS. I think I installed/configured it.
4. I've sent him lots of attachments before....no probs.
5. We only noticed the prob last weekend, although he doesn't get a lot of email anyway.
6. They're not zipped, just attached Jpegs.
7. He won't have touched NIS on his own (without ringing me )
8. But.....he has had his daughters staying recently! They'd have been using the computer!!
9. The interesting bit is it goes through the motion of DL'ing the emails. I sent him 3 today. He rang me and said it was "downloading 3 of 3, 2 of 3, etc". Then it finished and there was NO email there. He looked in the other folders also. Nothing?
10. I can't remember if he's even got the Norton anti-spam turned on? Does it create a folder in OE? If it's like the 'junk mail' folder in outlook, then he should still see it highlighted if mail goes in there?

 

Hi Bucko,

Hmmm ... well that makes it all the more strange.

Yes, NIS creates a folder called Norton Anti-Spam. Yes it would as any other folder would also be highlighted blue ... indicating unread mail, with a number indicating the amount of unread mail.

Just curious did he check the "Deleted Items" folder? As if he or they accidently added you the block senders list in "Outlook/OE" they would show up there. But the same as the above would apply.

1. Can you try sending the email from a different account?

The emails have to be somewhere if OE indicated they were DL'd - This is odd, I'll have to think about it some more.

2. Could you try sending the attachments as a zip?

Steve

Ps. Sorry my thoughts are a little disjointed ... I just woke up and I'm still pretty bagged ... managed a whole 3 1/2 hours sleep

 

Morning Steve, Thanks for all your help......again!
I hadn't thought to try from a different account....I do that. I could try a zip, but he wouldn't be able to open it !
Cheers.
I'll get back to you,
Brad.

 

Hey Steve,
You had it right from the start. Went out to my mates place to help him cut some trees, so had a look at his box before we started the chainsaw (boys toys! ). Here was this bolded Norton Antispam Folder full of messages (mainly from me) some dating back to July '04. There were no 'rules', no 'blocked senders' and no 'allowed'. Spam filter was set to 'medium' in protection. He was pleased because there were a couple of 'secret squirrel' messages from his lodge in there too! Anyway, I put his address book in the 'allow list' (all 14 of them!) and he now knows to check in that folder occaionally (especially if it's bolded!)
Still can't figure out why NIS was doing it. There was some mail from me that went through during the week, but some stuff before and after was recognised as spam?? Maybe it was because I was sending 3,4 or 5 emails at a time all loaded up with attachments??
Anyway, it was a 5 minute fix, and I didn't change any configuration except adding all to the 'allow list'.
Cheers mate and thanks again,
Brad.

 

That's Good BB I'm glad it's sorted

When you're over there again I would disable the only allow emails from 'Listed' friends ... it's really too restrictive ... and just kinda works like a catchall. It isn't necessary as Norton will still apply the spam and filter emails accordingly, operating as it should without flagging emails that aren't spam but are flagged only because they aren't on the allowed list.

Steve

 

Do you think I've created a rule just by adding everyone to the allow list Steve?

 

Hi BB,

Yes, I would ... even though he's now aware of the Norton Spam folder ... their isn't much of a need to funnel all inbound mail that isn't listed on the senders allow list there. There isn't a point really ... because Norton in this mode isn't filtering spam, it's simply filtering upon the list, and to me this would be hassle to search for legit emails that end up being filtered/lumped in with actual spam.

If 'spam' does get thru, he can simply right-click the offending email in the inbox ... and select "Norton AntiSpam" - "This is Spam" and the filter will learn new rules so to speak.

I've requested that Norton removes this function, or at least make it so that the user has to be cognisant of enabling it, and aware of the results of doing so. ~But who knows ... they haven't ever implemented anything I've suggested before~

Steve

 

Thanks. I'll have to send him a couple from my gmail (not on is list) and see what happens....