Virgin Webmail/Mailwasher Help?

redmandarin

Hi Guys, following on from my recent query and taking johnmc and Mercenary's advice, I'm trying to install Mailwasher for use with Virgin Webmail.

Unfortunately, I've hit a snag on step 1 of the Mailwasher set up wizard.

Can anyone please tell me what I should do next to be able to continue?

Thanks in advance.

redmandarin

Bump... Can anyone help, please?

espresso

:doh:

Click OK

:rolleyes:

superscaper

espresso wrote: »

:doh:

Click OK

:rolleyes:

I couldn't understand what the problem was either.

Mercenary

Presumably you were able to fill in all the required details (after clicking ok ) i.e. your account name, pop3.blueyonder/ntlworld.co.uk...or whatever you have as email, then your username (often a mix of numbers and letters) given to you by your ISP originally?

BTW sorry, I forgot to mention that the more recent free version that I directed you to will only check 1 mail account per PC, so if you must check more than that from 1 PC then you will need either of the older versions... v1.33 or v2b28 (beta) that have slightly different operating options. I used to use the v1.33, not tried the beta.

GoofyGAT gave a link for the older version downloads in another thread: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/2005/PL2005INTERNET.php#EmailChecker

One last thing, don't bother using the bounce option as it just means that there is more spam cluttering up the internet cos most spammers use zombie machines anyway. Just set it to delete.

This site is very useful to learn and to tweak: http://www.mailwasher.net/faq

redmandarin

Thanks for your replies. Sorry for puzzling you, espresso and superscraper!

Well spotted, Mercenary - you realised that when I asked "what text should I enter to be able to continue" I meant that I didn't know what text to enter! I think that one of the problems with questions raised by techie newbies is that it's not always easy for them to convey a problem in writing and very experienced techies know so much about computers that they may sometimes assume that basic questions have obvious answers - but they're not obvious to those who don't know the answers!

I'm not sure what text to enter because my partner is the account holder (and neither of us have ever had to answer questions like this before). He set up the account 3 years ago and can't remember the required answers! He's promised to try to locate them later!

Thanks for your help Mercenary, I've just uninstalled the new version of Mailwasher and installed the old one. I think it might be better for me to change the default e-mail from Outlook to Virgin, and then I can just import the info into Mailwasher. However, I don't know how to do this and when I consult http://www.mailwasher.net/faq it says: "To change default e-mail client, right click on the Internet Explorer short-cut on your desktop >> go to Properties >> click Programs at the top >> and select your default e-mail program from here". But, when I do this it only offers the options of Outlook, Outlook Express and Windows Live Mail. Please can you tell me how to change from Outlook to Virgin? Thanks.

superscaper

No worries I think it was just the screenshot was a bit of a red herring as it would have been the step after that presumably. You just needed to know the personal info to enter. I think espresso and I were a bit too literal in interpreting your post. Lucky that Mercenary was able to give you the required answer.

johnmc

But, when I do this it only offers the options of Outlook, Outlook Express and Windows Live Mail. Please can you tell me how to change from Outlook to Virgin?

You need both Mailwasher and Outlook/Express, redmandarin.

What MW does is to read basic information whilst it is still on the Virgin server (hence why it needs your account name and password). It then offers you a list of these which you can scan very quickly, select the ones you don't want and delete them from the server.

It then throws up your email handler (Outlook, OE etc) and you download the sanitised version, reducing SPAM and the risk of virus'. It is not, of course, a replacement for a good antivirus.

After a few days use you will set up all your known Friends (right click on a listed email and accept the option) or, if I remember correctly, you can import your address book.

If you get loads of SPAM then right click at the TOP of the Delete column and mark all for deletion then un-check the ones from friends. Click the button at the top and then download to your PC.

Hope that makes sense. It will do when you've been using it for a week ;-)

Mercenary

OK in case you're still struggling, here goes from the top. Bear in mind I'm using the later free version so something may be slightly different....but only slightly. Pen and paper ready?

Open the main Mailwasher window, look at the top bar and click TOOLS, then select ACCOUNTS and a popup window appears.
Click ADD. In the next window ("Account details for a POP3 Account") you fill in
Mail Account tab:
type a name: redmandarin (whatever name you want to use).

Incoming Mail tab:
Pop3 Server Address: pop3.blueyonder.co.uk or pop3.ntlworld.com (?).

User Name: rm123v4567 (whatever your original ISP assigned to you as your account number). With a second email account user then do the same with: rm123v4567_1 (a third would be rm123v4567_2 ).

Password: This is whatever password you/your partner set up when the account was activated.

Click OK.

Then there should be an option to Check For New Messages to see if it will open your mail account on the server.
It should give you a drop-down option to select whether you check a specific account or all, depending on how many you have set up.

You can choose which columns you want showing (to a certain extent as free versions are limited in their actions) e.g.
Attachment/Subject/From/To/Friend/Delete

This way you can see if it has a possibly dodgy attachment, what the subject line is (whether it's selling you viagra or bogus bank requests), if it's from someone you actually know, If it IS actually to you, then there are tick boxes for Friend or Delete.
You can read the message first if you're not sure if it's spam. (I have to right-click but you may have the Preview pane on your version).
If I recall, the older versions also make you have the Bounce column, but you can move that to either end to ignore it.

Then you click Process Mail and it will get rid of the deleted items and, after a pause, should open your Outlook/Express/ (whatever you use)and download the emails that you selected as Friend to your PC.

Hope this helps when your partner finds the details you need. Then you can relax, knowing that you can stop downloading possibly dangerous spam into your PC .

You may be able to find your account details on your Outlook/Express window Tools (?) as it would have had to have been set up originally with them? Hope so

redmandarin

Thanks guys for your patient, generous and thorough advice, as ever!

I'll follow your detailed instructions (and I'll try to not mither you with the details of how I got on)!

Mercenary

Oh go on... you'll have to let us know if you got there in the end