Am normally an Outlook Express user but have just been allocated a new lap-top and am forced to adopt Outlook for the first time

One question I can't seem to get an answer for is how to set Outlook so that when it accesses the Server (either by wired Ethernet or Wireless when I'm out), it automatically downloads the complete e-mail.

Currently it just seems to download the header but not the complete e-mail plus attachments. So when I come to go through my e-mail off-line I get a message saying something like "this e-mail has not been fully downloaded" and I can't read the damn thing until I reconnect to the Server

Outlook Express seemed to download fully by default - any ideas how do I force Outlook to do the same?

In the bottom right corner of the Outlook window, there is a little tab that should say CONNECTED (that is, if you are connected to your server ). Click it; there should be options for DOWNLOAD FULL ITEMS; DOWNLOAD HEADERS THEN FULL ITEMS; and DOWNLOAD HEADERS.

If this doesn't work, I can try to suggest some other things....good luck!

Thanks for your comment - I can't seem to find this little tab though. Is there a menu this is in somewhere too - have had a look but can't find anything

OK, try this:

Go to the TOOLS -> SEND/RECEIVE -> SEND/RECEIVE SETTINGS -> DEFINE SEND/RECEIVE GROUPS menu -- the shortcut for this is CTL-ALT-S. You should have at least one send/receive group called ALL ACCOUNTS. Select this entry, and click EDIT. Now, for each account you have set up in Outlook, you'll have a selection on the left side. Select your account, and under the FOLDER OPTIONS area of the edit menu, there should be a radio-button setting for either DOWNLOAD HEADERS ONLY or DOWNLOAD COMPLETE ITEM INCLUDING ATTACHMENTS. See if this is set for HEADERS ONLY - if it is, changing to COMPLETE ITEMS will most likely solve your problem.

Again, good luck!