Daddy Bob

DADDY BOB'S COMPUTER Q & A

 

February 11, 2007

Q. I looked in control panel/appearance to change the desktop display. Behold-several photos I'd taken were among the options.  I must have I put them there somehow by accident.  What did I do? How do I delete or add photos to that list of options?  I can't find the folder where they apparently reside.  

A. I assume you are talking about the picture displayed on the desktop, which is called Wallpaper. They normally reside in the C:\Windows\Web\Wallpaper folder. You can add or delete pictures from this folder if you so desire.

When changing the wallpaper, all the pictures listed there are all saved in the wallpaper folder. However, to use a picture not in this list, you can use the browse button to locate one located anywhere on the computer. This picture is not automatically moved to the wallpaper folder.

As to how your personal pictures get in the wallpaper folder, there several possibilities. If you have a picture open in some programs, like Internet Explorer and many photo handling programs, and you choose to save as wallpaper or save as background, the picture may be automatically saved to the Wallpaper folder. This may happen without your knowledge.

Q. Recently, when I tried to send email, I got this error message:

Sending reported error (0X800CCC565): The server responded:  503 valid RCPT command must precede DATA.

What is causing this and how do I fix it?

A. The probable cause is that your SMTP server needs authenticating. So what is this all about? Your email uses two different type servers to send and receive email. To receive it uses one called a POP3 server and for sending email it uses one called SMTP.

POP3 can stand for different things in computers, but in this case, it is for Post Office Protocol, and the current version is 3. Therefore, in most of today's email programs, POP3 is used to receive email over the Internet using the TCP/IP protocol.

SMTP stands for Small Mail Transfer Protocol, and it is the de facto standard used to send email over the Internet using TCP/IP protocol.

In an effort to prevent the sending of spam, authentication of the senders email address is required. Let's say that your ISP (Internet Service Provider) is BellSouth. In order for you to send email through their SMTP server, you must have a valid account with them. This prevents a spammer from using your account name (spoofing) to send spam through any other ISP.

In order for your ISP to be sure that you have an account with them, the email address you are using to send the email must be authenticated. This is also what prevents you from sending email using your BellSouth account when you are away from home, possibly in a hotel, and may be using another ISP like Comcast or EarthLink.

There are two of ways to authenticate your account. One temporary, and the other permanent.

1. Temporary - Pop before you SMTP - Meaning.... check your email for new mail before trying to send email. This will add your IP address to a relay host's file and should allows any email to be sent from that IP address for 30 minutes or so. After 30 minutes you have to authenticate again.

2. Configure your email client to authenticate automatically by checking the "my server requires authentication" box in your email configuration. You will be able to send mail without having to "pop" check your mail box first.

OK, so now how is this done? I'll go through the process using Outlook Express, the most common email program.

Open Outlook Express. Click Tools, then Accounts. Highlight the account you want to authenticate, and click the Properties button, then the Server tab. Near the bottom, check the box in front of "My server requires authentication". Now click the Settings button, and click the dot in front of "Use same settings as my incoming mail server". Click OK, OK, Close. That should do it.

Click HERE to view or download as a Microsoft Word document

Disclaimer:

The materials in this site are provided "as is" and without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. To the fullest extent permissible pursuant to applicable law, I disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. I do not warrant that the functions contained in the materials on this site will be uninterrupted or error-free, that defects will be corrected, or that any site or the servers that make such materials available are free of viruses, spyware, adware, or other harmful components, although all efforts have been made to assure that they are. I do not warrant or make any representations regarding the use or the results of the use of the materials on this site in terms of their correctness, accuracy, reliability, or otherwise. You assume the entire cost of all necessary servicing, repair, or correction. Applicable law may not allow the exclusion of implied warranties, so the above exclusion may not apply to you.