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First, are you using POP or IMAP?
- Pull down the Tools menu and select E-mail Accounts.
- Click on "View or change existing e-mail accounts", and click "Next" button
- If it says "POP3/SMTP", you are using POP.
Turning off POP3 mail
- Click on "Send/Receive" button one last time.
- If you haven't yet, be sure to archive your mail (File->Archive).
- Pull down the Tools menu and select E-mail Accounts.
- Click on "View or change existing e-mail accounts", and click "Next" button.
- Highlight "helix.nih.gov" that is of type POP3/SMTP.
- Click "Remove" button (and then agree by clicking "Yes").
Adding IMAP mailbox
- Pull down the Tools menu and select E-mail Accounts
- Click on "Add a new e-mail account", and click "Next" button
- Choose "IMAP" and click "Next" button
- Enter your name in "Your Name:" box (for labeling)
- Enter your helix email address (e.g. user@helix.nih.gov) in "E-mail Address:" box
- Enter helix.nih.gov in "Incoming mail server (IMAP):" box
- Enter mailfwd.nih.gov in "Outgoing mail server (SMTP):" box
- Enter your helix username in "User Name:" box
- Enter your helix password in "Password:" box
- Make sure to click "Remember password" checkbox so that mail can be automatically retrieved!
- Click "More Settings ..." button
- Open the "Advanced" tab and choose an encrypted connection, then click "OK"
- Click "Next" button
- Click "Finish" button
This will create a new cascade of folder icons in the leftmost sidebar, with the topmost icon labeled 'helix.nih.gov'.
Microsoft Exchange Server
All mail that is held on helix (in the file /var/mail/user) will be displayed in the subfolder 'Inbox'. Any subfolders created below 'helix.nih.gov' will by default be files in /home/user. Ending the name of the subfolder with a '/' creates a directory in /home/user, and only directories can be further partitioned into subfolders. Outlook creates a subfolder (file) labeled 'Junk E-mail' by default.
Most PCs on the NIH campus use a Microsoft Exchange Server (one of the NIHCESMLBX*.nih.gov machines) by default. To change the default mailserver to helix:
- Pull down the Tools menu and select E-mail Accounts
- Choose 'View or change existing e-mail accounts" and click "Next" button
- Highlight 'helix.nih.gov' and click "Move Up" until it is at the top of the list
This will change the 'from' address from user@mail.nih.gov to user@helix.nih.gov.
Adjust frequency of checking mail
- Pull down the Tools menu, select Options, then select Mail Setup
- Click on "Send/Receive"
- Choose "Schedule an automatic send/receive every" = 10 minutes for both online and offline operation
Reading mail
Mail sent to helix.nih.gov is read in the same fashion as always. Mail is directed into the "Inbox" folder by default. Using the "Rules" facility of Outlook, mail can be redirected into other folders for a more organized retrieval.
Archiving mail
There is a quota limit on the amount of mail that can be stored on helix. Because of this, it is a good idea to archive mail on your local computer. This can be done by right clicking on the "Inbox" folder (or any subfolder) in the helix.nih.gov cascade, selecting "Properties", then selecting "AutoArchive". Mail can be copied to the local computer and then purged.
Deleting mail
Mail retrieved through IMAP from helix.nih.gov is not deleted in the same way as normal. Deleting mail (by either clicking on the "X" icon on the toolbar, or right clicking and selecting "Delete") only marks it as deleted (lines will be drawn through the text). The message will remain on the server (helix.nih.gov), and can even be undeleted later on. In order to really, really delete it,
- Highlight or select the message(s) to delete
- Pull down the Edit menu and select Purge Deleted Messages
- Click "Yes" box to delete
