Understanding Domains | Comstat | Ruthin, North Wales

Index of articles

by Steve Galloway | Aug 12, 2026 | Articles and help

Click open the Index headers below to browse FAQ

Our support articles address the most common issues we deal with “in the field” about Windows, Microsoft 365 Business, web server support, and web design. Click open the accordion sections below to look for self-serve help. Often, issues rely on a knowledge of IT concepts and language. Also, Microsoft, cPanel, and other software houses featured in these articles often update practice notes and procedures without notice. We review our pages regulalry, however you are advised to contact us for further help about these articles especially concerning issues around sovereign account identity and Multifactor Authentication (MFA).

Microsoft Windows 11

Microsoft 365 setup, licensing and user management

Microsoft 365, Exchange Online and Outlook

Microsoft 365 configuration and user tips and tricks

The following articles can be found using <Search> or scrolling through our list of articles. Procedures may have changed since and therefore this content is either being eidted or deprecated. So, although we are editing this content, you might still find useful information to help with issues.

– Exchange Online – room and equipment resources
– Reset Office 365 password expiration policy
– Exchange Email – EOP antivirus/spam
– Exchange Online Protection – EOP
– Microsoft 365 Exchange Email – data leakage & loss protection
– Microsoft ActiveSync

cPanel - web server | email |DNS

cPanel - Sitejet web design software

Microsoft OneDrive DLL Error: How to Fix a Corrupted DLL Using a OneDrive Reset

by Steve Galloway | Aug 12, 2026 | Articles and help

Microsoft OneDrive DLL Error: How to Fix a Corrupted DLL Using a OneDrive Reset

A client recently reported a startup error on a Windows 11 laptop. The message referenced a corrupted DLL file within the Microsoft OneDrive installation directory:

C:\Users\*user-name*\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneDrive\Codecs\8.1.2\acutil-60.dll

The error stated that the DLL was either not designed to run on Windows or contained an error. Following additional restart attempts, the client believed Windows itself had become unusable.

Seemingly terminal error messages of this kind are not usually a fatal error message concerning Windows operating system or hardware.

At first glance, this appeared to be a serious operating system failure. However, investigation showed that the issue was most likely a corrupted OneDrive component rather than a broader Windows or hardware problem.

Click open the headers below to learn how to interpret a DLL error message using this case study for repairing a corrupted OneDrive DLL. Support options are available for professional assistance. You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here.

Understanding the OneDrive DLL Error

DLL files, or Dynamic Link Libraries, contain code and resources used by Windows applications. If one of these files becomes corrupted, Windows may generate a Bad Image error during startup or when launching an application.

A corrupted DLL can occur for several reasons:

Interrupted software updates
File system corruption
Unexpected shutdowns
Third-party security software interference
Storage issues affecting application files

Although the error appeared severe, there was no immediate evidence that Windows itself was damaged.

First Rule: Identify the Application

When you receive a DLL error message, put concern to one side and first determine which application owns the file before taking further action.

In this case, the directory structure clearly indicated Microsoft OneDrive:

C:\Users<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneDrive

This meant troubleshooting could focus on OneDrive rather than immediately considering a Windows rebuild or hardware replacement.

As a general rule, DLL files found after:

AppData\Local

usually belong to user-installed applications or application components rather than the operating system itself.

The Fix: Reset OneDrive

Microsoft includes a built-in reset mechanism for the OneDrive client.

Using Command prompt, or even by typing <run> in the Windows Search tool on the Windows task bar, this command, the following command can be performed.

%localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\OneDrive.exe /reset

The easiest way to run this command is:

Press Windows + R
Paste the command
Press Enter

Enter Use Windows search to open the utility, and enter the code.

The command stops the OneDrive client, rebuilds local configuration files, clears cached information and restarts the synchronisation engine. Windows may take a minute to execute the reset stages, so we allowed a short while for the computer to process instructions. Depending on your instance of Windows, this command might need modifying. Contact us for help in this case.

In this case, the result was immediate. The client regained normal access to Windows, and the OneDrive DLL error disappeared. This strongly suggested that the underlying problem was a corrupted OneDrive component rather than a damaged Windows installation.

Additional Checks After Fixing the Error

Even when a DLL reset resolves the issue, it is important to verify that deeper corruption does not exist elsewhere.

Open an elevated Command Prompt (use Run in the first instance) and run:

sfc /scannow

System File Checker scans protected Windows files and replaces incorrect versions with known good copies.

If corruption is reported, run:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

This command repairs the Windows component store used by System File Checker.

Check the Disk for Problems

Whenever a corrupted DLL is discovered, it is worth checking the storage device for underlying faults.

Run:

chkdsk C: /f

If prompted, schedule the scan for the next restart.

For a more comprehensive examination:

chkdsk C: /f /r

This scans for bad sectors and attempts recovery where possible.

Although the OneDrive reset resolved the immediate issue, disk diagnostics remain an important step because file corruption can sometimes be an early sign of storage problems.

Why This Works for Other Microsoft DLL Problems

This case involved OneDrive, but the same troubleshooting principles apply to many Microsoft applications including:

Outlook
Teams
OneNote
Microsoft 365 Apps
Edge
Windows components

When a DLL error references a file within an application’s own folder structure, a repair, reset or reinstall of that application is often more effective than making direct changes to the DLL itself.

Downloading replacement DLL files from third-party websites is strongly discouraged. These files may not match the installed software version and can introduce security risks.

Instead:

Identify the owning application.
Use the application’s repair or reset function.
Run SFC and DISM if required.
Perform a disk health check.
Reinstall the application only if the problem persists.

Summary

This case demonstrates that not every DLL error indicates a failing computer.

A startup error referencing a corrupted OneDrive DLL initially appeared to be a potentially serious Windows failure. In reality, resetting OneDrive reset restored normal operation within minutes.

For IT professionals and home users alike, the key lesson is straightforward: identify the application responsible for the DLL, use the application’s repair tools first, and then verify overall system health with SFC, DISM and CHKDSK.

In many cases, that approach resolves the issue without requiring a Windows reinstall, profile rebuild or hardware replacement.

Key Takeaway

If you encounter a OneDrive DLL Error, start by resetting OneDrive using:

%localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\OneDrive.exe /reset

Then follow up with SFC, DISM and CHKDSK checks to confirm that the corruption was isolated and not part of a larger storage or operating system issue. This simple process can save hours of troubleshooting and quickly return a Windows PC to normal operation.

Comstat provides independent advice on business IT choices that reduce risk, protect continuity, and support long‑term growth. If you need help managhing email, please get in touch, or use our contact page to organize an appointment which suits your timetable. You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here .

Microsoft Entra Passkeys: Why Microsoft Is Retiring SMS Authentication and What You Need to Do

by Steve Galloway | Aug 11, 2026 | Articles and help

Why Microsoft Is Retiring SMS Authentication and What You Need to Do

Microsoft Entra Passkeys are being enforced for business users in ealry 2027. This significantly reinforces account security at a time when phishing attacks and malicious intrusion is mushromming. Microsoft-provided SMS and voice authentication for Microsoft Entra ID will retire on 1 February 2027, with passkeys becoming the preferred authentication method.

If you are a Micrsoft 365 tenancy owner you need to be ready for this change. For instance, business owners may need to help staff update their sign-in routine. Recently, some users who only consider themselves Microsoft account holders have received notifications about this as well. This has led to understandable confusion about who is affected and whether any action is required.

The good news is that the change is straightforward once you understand the difference between a Microsoft account and a Microsoft Entra tenant. Also, this article will help you understand how you can determine if you need to action anything if you do not believe you are affected by this.

Click open the headers below to learn more about how Microsoft Entra Passkeys to prepare for Microsoft’s new credential system. Support options are available for professional assistance. You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here.

What Are Microsoft Entra Passkeys?

A passkey is a modern authentication method designed to replace traditional passwords and SMS verification codes.

Instead of receiving a text message or entering a password, users authenticate using a trusted device such as:

Windows Hello
Face recognition
Fingerprint authentication
A security key
A mobile device linked to the account

Microsoft Entra passkeys are classed as phishing-resistant authentication. This means they are far more difficult for attackers to steal, intercept, or misuse than passwords, voice verification, or SMS codes.

As cybercriminals increasingly rely on phishing campaigns, Microsoft and other major technology companies are moving towards authentication methods that do not depend on passwords or mobile text messages.

Why Is Microsoft Retiring SMS Authentication?

SMS authentication has served organisations well for many years, but it has several weaknesses.

Attackers can:

Trick users into revealing authentication codes
Conduct SIM-swap attacks
Intercept messages in some circumstances
Use social engineering to bypass protections

Passkeys solve many of these problems because authentication occurs directly between the device and Microsoft’s identity platform.

From Microsoft’s point of view, Microsoft Entra passkeys provide a much stronger security baseline for business and organisational accounts. The company is therefore encouraging all affected users to transition before the retirement date.

Who Is Affected?

If you manage a Microsoft 365 Business tenant, Microsoft Entra tenant, Azure subscription, or related cloud services, you should assume that this announcement applies to you.

Even if you already use Microsoft Entra Passkeys using Microsoft Authenticator, you might have some users who still rely on SMS-based multi-factor authentication (MFA). Often, this is because handsets are too old for tools like Microsoft Authenticator to operate on. Those users will need to migrate to a phishing-resistant authentication method before February 2027.

If you only use services such as:

Outlook.com
Hotmail
Xbox
OneDrive Personal
Microsoft 365 Personal
Microsoft 365 Family

you might not be affected.

However, there is an important exception.

Some people created Microsoft cloud services years ago and unknowingly obtained a Microsoft Entra tenant in the background. Microsoft may therefore send administrative notifications to accounts that appear to be ordinary Microsoft accounts.

How to Check If You Have a Microsoft Entra Tenant

If you receive one of these notifications and are unsure whether it applies to you, perform a simple test.

Visit the Microsoft Entra Admin Centre:

Sign in using the email address that received the notification. You will usually experience one of three outcomes:

Option 1: No Access to a Tenant

If Microsoft reports that you do not have access to a tenant or administrative resources, the notification is unlikely to require any action.

In most cases, personal Microsoft account users can safely disregard the message.

Option 2: Access to a Tenant

If the portal opens and displays tenant information, directory details, or administrative options, Microsoft considers you to have responsibility for an Entra environment.

You should review your authentication methods before the retirement deadline.

Option 3: A Forgotten Trial or Subscription

It is surprisingly common to discover an old Azure trial, Microsoft 365 test tenant, or developer environment that was created years ago.

If one exists, determine whether it is still required. If it remains in use, the transition to Microsoft Entra passkeys should be planned.

What Should You Do?

If you own a Microsoft 365 tenancy, or if your email addressis implicated in Microsoft services listed above which list you in Microsoft Entra, you should begin preparations well before 2027. Recommended actions include:

Review authentication methods currently in use.
Identify users relying solely on SMS or voice authentication.
Check that mobile devices are able to install Microsoft Authenticator app
Enable Microsoft Entra passkeys where appropriate.
Encourage Windows Hello or FIDO2 security key adoption.
Communicate upcoming changes to users.
Test authentication workflows before enforcement begins.

Early adoption reduces the risk of support calls and avoids users being surprised by registration prompts later.

Benefits Beyond Compliance

The move to Microsoft Entra passkeys is not simply another administrative requirement. Identity theft is increasing sinificantly and improved security is not just for business users. In fact, if you are a consumer user and you believe your security is satisfactory even with SMS Authentication, you are in a high risk target group.

Imagine waking up one morning to discover that a malicious party has appropriated control of your online retail and banking accounts, and that they are using your identity to buy expensive luxury watches at auction houses for which payment is intended to be drawn against your savings? If this sounds like fiction, think again. This is just one such situation we have dealt with this year, and the trend is escalating.

Microsoft 365 users enjoy Microsoft Entra ID passkeys that offer:

Better protection against phishing attacks
Reduced password-related support requests
Improved user experience
Faster sign-in processes
Stronger regulatory compliance

In practice, passkeys represent one of the most significant improvements to account security since multi-factor authentication became mainstream. Even if you are not a Microsoft 365 user, we suggest you think very carefully about improving secured access to email. Once an identity is stolen. building a new identity means significant costs and trouble.

Summary

Microsoft Entra passkeys are becoming the future of authentication across Microsoft’s cloud services. While many personal Microsoft account users will not need to take action, anyone responsible for a Microsoft 365 or Entra environment should review their authentication strategy now.

If you receive a notification about the retirement of SMS authentication, the first step is simple: sign in to the Microsoft Entra Admin Centre and determine whether you have access to a tenant. Once you know your status, you can take the appropriate action long before Microsoft’s February 2027 deadline.

Comstat provides independent advice on business IT choices that reduce risk, protect continuity, and support long‑term growth. If you need help with improving your ID security, please get in touch, or use our contact page to organize an appointment which suits your timetable. You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here .

cPanel Disaster Recovery Backups: Ownership responsibility

by Steve Galloway | Jun 1, 2026 | Articles and help

cPanel Disaster Recovery Backups: your data is yours to protect

Comstat maintains disaster recovery backups for your web server content and data strictly for our own administrative and disaster recovery purposes. This article sets out our backup policy which, in common with industry convention, relies on the principle that responsibility for data protection rests with the owner of the virtual server or hosting account.

This article explains how our disaster recovery backups are used within our hosting and virtual server environments — and just as importantly, how they are not used.

Click open the headers below to learn more about our policy regarding disaster recovery backups. Support options are available for professional assistance, and at the end of the article you can find links to guidance and help for implementing backups. You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here.

Data is the responsibility of the owner

In all hosting environments managed by Comstat, the responsibility for data protection rests with the owner of the virtual server or hosting account.

That includes, but is not limited to:

Website content and uploads
Databases
Email data
Application‑specific files
Configuration changes made by the account holder

This is in line with Internet Service Provider (ISP) practice. For instance, neither Google nor Outlook.com undertake to back up your email or files. Although Microsoft 365 guarantees service level availability, data remains the responsibility of the owner.

Every website owner should maintain their own backup strategy that aligns with their business, regulatory, and operational needs. This may include one or more of these approaches:

cPanel backup (provided with your server)
Backup utilities like Backuply which you can install using WordPress or cPanel Softaculous library
off‑platform backups
third‑party backup services
or application‑level backup tools

We are glad to help you decide what is the best solution for your needs.

Importantly, although we do keep temporary backups which may be helpful as a last resort, our platform is not positioned as a primary backup service for end users.

Who Is Responsible for Data?

Responsibility for data protection rests with the owner of the virtual server or hosting account. In the case of the services we provide to you, this includes but is not limited to:

Website content and uploads
Databases
Email data
Application‑specific files
Configuration changes made by the account holder

Every website owner should maintain their own backup strategy. This makes sense because your strategy needs to align with your business, regulatory, and operational needs. This might include using:

solutions available to you with your hosting (e.g. Backuply, Softaculous WordPress Manager)
solutions provided to you by agreement with your agents
off‑platform backups
third‑party backup services
application‑level backup tools

Our data recovery backups are designed to cope with force majeure risks that your hardware is exposed to. Therefore, our platform is not positioned as a primary backup service for end users.

Why Comstat Takes Backups at All

Although responsibility for content and data ownership lies with an account holder, Comstat performs disaster recovery backups for clear and limited reasons:

Platform‑level disaster recovery
Server migration
Administrative resilience
Infrastructure failure scenarios
Major security incidents

In this way, our backup regime exists to protect the integrity of the hosting platform as a whole, not to replace user‑managed backup solutions.

Our backup framework is designed to support hardware management and recovery in exceptional circumstances—not routine file restoration or historical data retrieval.

How Our Backup Policy Works

Unfortunately, web site owners do not always deal with backups. In this situation, our operational backups might be able to restore a recent working configuration. However, this might not accomplish a most recent known working configuration. Also, our backup library extends to a 90-day rolling window.

Backup Scope

Full cPanel account backups
Incremental – file changes made since baseline/last increment
No guarantee of granular file‑level recovery
No long‑term archival storage
System files are excluded

Retention Model

Daily backups: retained for 7 days
Weekly backups: retained for 4 weeks
Monthly backups: retained for 3 months

This schedule provides a maximum recovery window of approximately 90 days, which is appropriate for disaster recovery while avoiding unnecessary data retention.

Backup Access

Backups are governed using native WHM and cPanel tools
Restore actions are typically administrator‑controlled
In some cases, backups may be visible to account holders in cPanel
Access is provided only as a last resort, not as a service guarantee

This model ensures that cPanel disaster recovery backups remain predictable, auditable, and aligned with platform boundaries.

Why We Use Native WHM Backups

Firstly, it helps to understand how a web server operates.

WHM – Web Host Manager

Web server (platform) administrators use an operating system called WHM (Web Host Manager) to manage servers. Think of WHM as an equivalent of Microsoft Windows (admin user). Usually, web site owners do not have access to this hierarchy level. This is because WHM requires specialist knowledge

cPanel – where daily work happens

Web site owners typically use cPanel (Windows standard user) to manage their web site, email, etc.cPanel provides a broad toolset to deal with web sites, email, file management, and many other end-user features. Like a Windows (standard) user, cPanel users have daily control of the web server for email, WordPress, and other features. However, some functions are omitted because they are not likely to be needed, and pose elevated security or operational risk.

How our backup policy fits

We operate backups at WHM level. These backups are executed by a WHM admin account which is not available to the web site owner. Using WHM’s built‑in backup utilities offers several advantages, but some limitations, too:

Tight integration with cPanel account structure
Correct handling of permissions and metadata
Well‑tested restore paths during emergencies
Clear separation between platform and user responsibility

Custom or script‑based backup systems can introduce ambiguity, complexity, and increased operational risk. For disaster recovery, reliability and predictability matter more than flexibility. This also means that because our backups are executed at an “admin” level, restoration of data usually requires adjustment to ownership and read/write permissions. This is why owner-operated backups work more efficiently. Also, restoration from our WHM environment entails cost.

What This Means for Website Owners

In practical terms:

You must maintain your own backups
You should not rely on platform backups for routine “restores”
Platform backups may help in exceptional circumstances
No backup availability is guaranteed beyond the defined retention window

This approach keeps expectations clear and ensures that responsibility is properly aligned.

Summary - Next Steps

If you have questions about suitable backup strategies for your workload, we are always happy to discuss best practices. Backup utilities are already available to you at cPanel level, including Backup for cPanel which allows you to download and store your site in a backup file. WordPress can be backed up using plugins like Backuply, and your installation can also be backed up using Softaculous WordPress Manager. This is available on your server too. Lastly, we publish articles about options like:

We continually introduce new content to our support section, so please do check our How To pages periodically.

Bear in mind that different solutions have their own merits. For instance, Softaculous WordPress Manager is great for ease of use. If you want to export your WordPress website to a new server, though, it is not a viable option. For that eventuality the second article in the list above is desirable. Admittedly, this approach is seemingly daunting, and you may need to contact us about this methodology. So, when you plan a backup strategy, you should define what the backups need to accomplish.

Remember, ownership of the data remains exactly where it should be: with you.

If you need help adopting this workflow, or you need disaster recovery planning or assistance, please get in touch, or use our contact page to organize an appointment which suits your timetable. You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here .

Email System Audit and Recovery Review: What It Includes and Why It Matters

by Steve Galloway | May 10, 2026 | Articles and help, Exchange, Microsoft 365, Web Server

What Is an Email System Audit and Recovery Review?

An email system audit and recovery review is a structured assessment of your company’s email environment. It examines how your system is configured, how secure it is, and how well it can recover from failure or attack.

Most modern businesses rely on platforms such as Microsoft 365. These systems are powerful, but they are also complex. Over time, settings drift, risks increase, and gaps appear. An audit brings clarity.

A proper email system audit and recovery review answers three key questions:

Is the system secure?
Is it configured correctly?
Can it recover quickly if something goes wrong?

Click open the headers below to learn more about how a professional email system audit helps meet IT compliance standards. Support options are available for professional assistance. You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here.

What Does an Email System Audit Cover?

An email system audit and recovery review focuses on several core areas. Each one plays a role in protecting your business.

Security and Access

This aspect of an email system audit includes checks on:

Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
Admin permissions and access levels
Legacy protocols such as IMAP or POP
Conditional access policies

The goal is to reduce the risk of account compromise, which is one of the most common entry points for attackers.

Mail Flow and Protection

At this stage of an email system audit we review how email enters and leaves your system:

SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records
Anti-spoofing protection
Anti-phishing and malware filtering
A well-configured system stops threats before they reach users.

Mailbox and Data Configuration

As your email system audit progresses, the focus of this exercise deals with how data is stored and managed:

Mailbox permissions and shared access
Retention policies
Archiving and audit logging

Often, businesses discover that data is either not protected enough, or kept longer than needed.

What Is a Recovery Review?

While the audit looks at your current state, the recovery element looks at your future resilience.

A strong email system audit and recovery review will assess:

Backup and Restore Capability

Microsoft 365 includes retention, but it is not a full backup solution. Other email systems make no provision for retention or broader backups at all. A review checks:

Whether backups exist
How quickly data can be restored
How granular recovery is (single emails vs full mailboxes)

Incident Response Readiness

If an account is compromised, speed matters. The review looks at whether you can:

Revoke sessions quickly
Reset access securely
Remove malicious rules or forwarding

Business Continuity

You should also know what happens if:
DNS settings fail
A widespread outage occurs

Few organisations have a good understanding of these areas.

Why This Matters for Modern Businesses

Email is still the backbone of business communication. It is also a primary attack vector. A thorough email system audit and recovery review helps to:

Reduce the risk of phishing and account takeover
Protect sensitive client data
Protect sensitive client data
Improve compliance and record keeping
Provide confidence for directors and stakeholders

In many cases, it also highlights unused features within your existing licensing—especially in Microsoft 365—that can improve security without increasing cost.

A Practical Approach: Audit in Stages

Many assume an audit must be a large, one-off exercise. In reality, a staged approach is often more effective.
An email system audit and recovery review can be delivered in phases:

Phase 1: Security Baseline

Address critical risks such as MFA, admin access, and mail spoofing.

Phase 2: Configuration and Data

Review policies, permissions, and retention settings.

Phase 3: Recovery and Resilience

Assess backup, monitoring, and incident response processes.

This staged model allows work to be budgeted and managed over time. It also reflects how systems evolve, rather than treating the audit as a fixed snapshot.

A useful comparison is financial accounting. Accounts show a position at a moment in time. By contrast, an email system audit and recovery review can act as an ongoing process, adapting as your business grows and risks change.

What You Should Expect from an Audit

A professional email system audit and recovery review should deliver:

A clear findings report
Risk ratings (critical, high, medium, low)
Plain English explanations
A prioritised action plan

The aim is not just to highlight issues, but to give practical steps that improve your system.

Summary

An email system audit and recovery review is not just a technical exercise. It is a way to protect your operations, your data, and your reputation.

Handled correctly, a dsicipline like this provides both immediate improvements and a long-term roadmap. Whether delivered in one piece or in stages, it helps ensure your email system is secure, resilient, and fit for purpose.

Comstat provides independent advice on business IT choices that reduce risk, protect continuity, and support long‑term growth. If you need help managhing email, please get in touch, or use our contact page to organize an appointment which suits your timetable. You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here .

cPanel WordPress Backup: A Practical Guide for Virtual Host Owners

by Steve Galloway | May 5, 2026 | Articles and help

Introduction

If you manage your own virtual host, you need a cPanel WordPress backup strategy. While you can configure cPanel a few ways to automate backups, the truth is that using cPanel Terminal or SSH is more comprehensive. It also affords maximum flexibility when restoring content.

For instance, Softaculous and other third party backup utilities impose attributes during backup/export that can obstruct access to files during restoration.

Instead, cPanel’s CLI (Command Line Interface) provides means to rename directory/file ownership and avoid WordPress ID codes that can render backups unusable. This guide shows you how to back up and restore your WordPress site, database, and (optionally) email quickly and reliably.

Important: this article gives an overview of a backup procedure assuming conventional configurations. You may need to tailor this workflow according to your virtual host’s LAMP, PHP, WordPress (or nested WordPress), and MySQL versions. If in doubt, you should contact us especially for production web sites for professional help.

Click open the headers below to learn more about using simple command line instructions to secure maximum flexibility for data restoration. Support options are available for professional assistance. You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here.

What You Need Before You Start

To follow this cPanel WordPress backup workflow, you will need:

SSH access to your server
Your cPanel username and password credentials
Basic command-line familiarity
Permission to run backup commands

You may need to contact us for SSH access. SSH is usually restricted for improved security, and we are happy to enable it should you want SSH on an ongoing basis.

Step 1: Back Up WordPress Files

Your WordPress site lives in the public_html directory in your server’s home directory. Use this command to create a compressed archive:

tar -czf /home/username/public_html.tar.gz -C /home/username public_html

This creates a clean file backup that includes:

Themes
Plugins
Media uploads
Configuration files

This is the first part of your cPanel WordPress backup process.

Step 2: Back Up your WordPress Database

WordPress stores your web site’s content in a MySQL database. Credentials for your database are stored “server side” in a WordPress file called wp-config.php. You can open this file with a text editor to make a note of these credentials:

DB name
DB user
DB password

Next, using your SSH command line, run this command:

mysqldump -u dbuser -p dbname > /home/username/database.sql

This database dump contains:

Posts and pages
Users
Site settings

You can alternately export the database using phpMyAdmin. This is another efficient option, and it is secure because the database “dump” is downloaded to your local workstation.

Step 3 (OPTIONAL) Back Up Email

Email is stored separately from your website. Usually, email is handled via Microsoft 365, Gmail, or another email service. If you manage email via your web server, though, you need to back up your email. To capture this content use:

tar -czf /home/username/email.tar.gz -C /home/username mail etc

This captures:

Mailboxes and messages
Email account configuration

You can back up all accounts at once or target individual mailboxes if needed.

Step 4: Store Your Backups Safely

Once created, download your backups or move them to a safe location. For example:

scp username@server:/home/username/*.tar.gz ./

This command copies files from the server to your local machine. You can use cPanel File Explorer to do the same thing. Sometimes, using a mouse is a more familiar way to deal with files. Either way, keeping copies off the server ensures you can recover even if the original host fails.

Restoring your WordPress site

There are a few reasons backups are useful:

you want to restore a last known working condition
you want to migrate your web site to a new web server
you may need to re-house your web site using a different domain name

Using Linux commands using cPanel’s SSH access is the only way to allow these eventualities to happen.

Restore your WordPress site

This cPanel WordPress backup workflow makes recovery simple. If you are restoring files to your existing server, skip to step 2.

Recreate the cPanel Account
1. Set up a new account with the same username if possible.
Restore WordPress Themes/Plugins/Admin files
1. tar -xzf public_html.tar.gz -C /home/username
Restore Database
1. mysql -u dbuser -p dbname < database.sql
Fix Permissions
1. chown -R username:username /home/username/public_html
Check configuration
1. Ensure wp-config.php matches the database details.

Restore email (optional)

If you included email in your cPanel backup WordPress process:

Recreate email accounts in cPanel
Restore files:
1. tar -xzf email.tar.gz -C /home/username
Reset permissions:
1. chown -R username:mail /home/username/mail

Mail clients should then resynchronise automatically.

Why This Method Works Well

There are a few ways to backup a WordPress installation. Most methods become problematic because of limitations that backup utilities offer. Sometimes, this is to suit a limited purpose in the first place. This cPanel WordPress backup approach gives you:

Independence from cPanel restore tools
Fast, lightweight backups
Full control over restoration
- including file naming
- ignoring WordPress ID codes that might prohibit import
- renaming and credentialling WordPress databases
Clean rebuilds without legacy issues

Summary

A manual cPanel WordPress backup workflow using SSH is simple, reliable, and efficient. It suits users who want clarity and control during migrations or recovery.

Used alongside standard cPanel tools, our cPanel WordPress backup workflow gives you both flexibility and peace of mind.

If you need help adopting this workflow, or you need disaster recovery planning or assistance, please get in touch, or use our contact page to organize an appointment which suits your timetable. You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here .

Business PC Recovery Tools Explained: Windows Recovery Drive vs Manufacturer Tools

by Steve Galloway | Apr 12, 2026 | Articles and help

Plan for recovery

Managing your IT at workstation or even network level is about preparing for failure, rather than waiting for a problem. PC recovery tools play an important part in ongoing hardware management.

When business owners and professionals choose a laptop, the conversation usually starts and ends with price. A £250 generic Windows laptop appears to do the same job as an £800 business‑grade device. Both run Windows. Both open email. Both connect to the cloud. However, although the price looks great, the reality does not hit until the computer develops a problem. Suddenly, PC recovery tools that could remedy a problem are note available to cinch an issue.

The difference only becomes Windows or hardware problems happen. In conventional offices, ‘work” computers tend to work with finite core applications only. Home office computers do not enjoy this discipline: a user often uses a computer for recreational and social functions that would not be tolerated in an office network. This makes home office computers more difficult to diagnose and remedy. So, recovery tools SHOULD be a prime consideration when buying a computer for home/small office use.

While Windowes provides recovery tools to look after itself, inexpensive generic computers do not usually provide manufacturer hardware diagnostics and recovery available to business class hardware.

Business PC recovery tools exist for:

failed updates
storage errors
firmware problems
full operating system corruption.

Understanding how these tools work—and why higher‑quality systems manage failure better—can significantly reduce downtime, data loss, and support costs.

Click open the headers below to learn more about how Manufacturer hardware recovery tools work with Windows Recovery to provide the best capability for restoring PC faults. Support options are available for professional assistance. You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here.

How the Windows Recovery Drive Helps Recover Windows

The Windows Recovery Drive is a Microsoft‑provided safety net. Created using a USB stick, it contains the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), which can be used when Windows will not start.

At a basic level, Windows recovery tools allow you to:

Repair startup issues
Roll back recent updates
Reset Windows while keeping or removing user files
Access advanced tools such as Command Prompt for manual repair

For many home users, this is sufficient. Windows recovery is generic by design. It is meant to work on almost any compatible PC regardless of manufacturer.

However, that strength is also its limitation. Windows recovery focuses solely on the operating system. It does not deeply understand the hardware it runs on, nor does it diagnose whether Windows failed because the hardware itself is deteriorating.

The Limits of Windows‑Only Recovery

When a system will not boot, Windows Recovery (see our article here) assumes that:

The storage device is healthy
Firmware is intact
Drivers can be reapplied later
Hardware faults are unlikely

In a business environment, or in circumstances where users provide consultative or professional/advisory work, these assumptions are optimistic. Instead, in keeping with professionally managed network, it should be anticipated that IT will fail and plan for the eventuality.

If a failing SSD (hard disk drive), memory error, or firmware issue is the cause of the failure, Windows recovery may repeatedly reinstall an operating system that cannot remain stable. This leads to extended downtime and escalating support effort.

This is where manufacturer PC recovery tools from the become important. This kind of utility wraps around Windows Recovery, and apart from providing early warnings for hardware failure, these kinds of utilities are often capable of reinstalling the manufacturer’s OEM version of Windows. This is useful in situations where Windows might have been optimized for the computer’s hardware performance.

Manufacturer Recovery Tools: Beyond Windows Recovery

Major PC manufacturers add their own recovery layers on top of Windows. Manufacturer tools are tightly integrated with firmware, drivers, and hardware diagnostics.

Suppliers like Acer, Asus, Dell, Lenovo, and other mature brands supply spohisticated diagnostics, early warning, and recovery tools for computers which start in intermedate price ranges and above. Availability varies on specifications so do check before buying,

For the purposes of this article we will refer to Dell’s SupportAssist OS Recovery. Dell’s bundle operates similarly to other major manufacturer solutions.

What Manufacturer Recovery Tools Typically Provide

Manufacturer or PC recovery tools like Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery typically feature:

Pre‑boot hardware diagnostics to test storage, memory, CPU, and motherboard
OEM‑aware Windows repair that understands the exact device model
Data backup tools before reinstallation
Factory image restore matched to the device
Firmware‑level recovery when disks or partitions are damaged

These utilities are beyond Windows Recovery capability. Manufacturer PC recovery tools operate outside Windows and, in some cases, partially inside the computer’s own system firmware. This allows recovery to begin even when Windows is completely unusable. In the right hands, this software can recover computers that might be otherwise determined to be unviable to repair.

Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery dashboard

Manufacturers provide utilities like Dell’s SupportAssist OS Recovery which practively monitor performance and provide recovery tools not available in Microsoft Recovery Drive.

Why This Matters for Professional Users

From a cost perspective, the difference rarely shows up on day one. It appears later, when a device fails during a critical work period.

Without strong business PC recovery tools:

Diagnosis takes longer
Data recovery is riskier
Rebuilds become manual and error‑prone
Support costs rise quickly

With manufacturer PC recovery tools in place:

Hardware faults are identified early
Recovery paths are clearer
Downtime is measured in hours, not days
Devices can often be restored remotely or with minimal intervention

What looks like a £550 saving at purchase can easily become a £1,000 loss during a single serious failure.

The Strategic Difference Between Generic and Business‑Grade PCs

The real difference between a £250 laptop and an £800 business‑grade device is not performance. It is survivability.
Business‑grade systems are designed with the expectation that:

Failures should be expected
Mission critical devices must be recovered quickly
Data must be protected
Support needs to scale

These expectations are embodied in better business PC recovery tools for professional-level equipment, not just stronger materials or better keyboards.

Summary

Microsoft Windows’ Recovery Drive remains useful and should still be part of a basic disaster‑recovery plan. However, it is only one part of a comprehensive disaster recovery approach.

Manufacturer PC recovery tools—such as Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery—wrap around Windows recovery to provide diagnostics, data protection, and device‑specific restoration that Windows alone cannot offer.

For businesses, or users who rely on their computer for time-constrained productivity, choosing devices with strong recovery ecosystems is not a luxury. It is a practical investment in continuity, resilience, and predictable support costs.

If you are managing systems for the long term, recovery capability matters just as much as processor speed or storage size.

Comstat provides independent advice on business IT choices that reduce risk, protect continuity, and support long‑term growth. If you need help configuring email, please get in touch, or use our contact page to organize an appointment which suits your timetable. You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here .

Why Professional IT Support Still Matters in the Age of AI

by Steve Galloway | Mar 18, 2026 | Articles and help

AI Helps — But It Does Not Replace Professional IT Support

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a useful tool in homes and small offices. It can answer questions, suggest fixes, and help diagnose problems. But AI does replace professional IT support, because small‑business systems are complex. They involve networks, security, backups, mobile devices, shared data, cloud services, and more. These parts work together, and a wrong change in one area often creates new problems somewhere else.

AI is excellent at offering general guidance. It gives ideas and helps people learn. However it answers only the question it is asked. IT problems are often nuanced and an evident problem may be grounded in an unexpected cause. So, most DIY attempts fail because the real problem was not the one AI was asked to fix. When the wrong question is asked, the answer—no matter how clever—cannot solve the issue. That is where professional IT support makes the difference.

Click open the headers below to learn more about how expert guidance still matters in IT management..

You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here.

AI Does Not Replace Human Oversight

You would not fly a plane without a pilot

If you tried to fly a commercial airliner by yourself with AI to guide you, it wouldn’t end well. Nobody would feel safe flying a commercial aircraft without a trained captain. Any one system can be easily understood. However all systems work in tandem. This needs nuanced understanding because managing the integrated whole is complex, and the consequences of mistakes are too serious. So, even with autopilot and advanced onboard computers, airlines still rely on skilled pilots for oversight.

Business networks are similarly complex. While livers might not be at stake, the income that a business owner derives from a computer network might be the means with a livelihood depends. A network with 35 connected devices – not unusual in today’s world – may include laptops, phones, IoT devices, printers, routers, switches, cloud services, and security tools. One wrong “fix” can disable access, expose data, or break something else that worked perfectly before. This is why professional IT support remains essential.

Would you repair your own car engine using AI?

Most drivers today cannot repair a modern car. The engine uses an array of sensors, electronics, and software. AI can help diagnose a possible fault. You might use AI to find pointers that might save an engineer diagnosis time on the workshop floor, but you would still take the car to your trained mechanic to fix it. Changing a brake pad yourself when the actual problem was a faulty ABS sensor might cause a fatal accident.

The same is true for IT. AI might suggest a setting to check, but it cannot look at logs or understand your computer setup (even something as simple as the difference between Windows Personal or Windows Professional). Nor can it anticipate your broader context within a network, or foresee the side‑effects of a change. Only someone who already knows your systems, your history, and your business can do that.

Root Cause: A Cached Notebook Structure on Android

OneNote Mobile caches each notebook’s structure when it is first opened. It continues to use that cached structure until the app is forced to refresh it. Even when new sections are added on desktop or web, Android may not notice new sections unless the OneNote cache on the Android handset is fully cleared.

In this case, the “Charlie’s Notebook” entry was an old OneDrive notebook created years earlier when the user first setup OneNote. Android had continued treating it as the default notebook. The result was:

Quick Notes were sent to the wrong notebook
New sections like 2026 never appeared
Notebook colours stayed out of date
Recent Notes showed pages from two different notebooks

All of this pointed toward a stale cached notebook that needed a proper reset.

The Hidden Cost of DIY Fixes

Small businesses often try to fix their own IT problems to save money. Unfortunately, DIY fixes tend to compound issues with unforeseen problems. One change leads to another, and by the time professional help is called, the recovery work is more difficult—and more expensive—than the original issue ever was.

Example – “my email does not work”.

We often deal with email problems. Often, we are asked to fix a computer because email does not work. The client has spent time trying to diagnose ApplMail or Outlook. However, in the example most recently dealt with, the client had note renewed a domain name. For whatever reason, AI did not detect this. The problem had nothing to do with the owner’s computer, and some days of email were lost (and time) because the problem was elsewhere.

AI does not always help

This is why many small businesses end up needing professional IT support more than ever, not less. AI has encouraged people to try more fixes, but these attempts are often made without understanding the underlying cause of the problem.

Solution – IT professionals solve problems

We do not offer ad-hoc support. Instead, we audit your network and needs firstg to establish benchmarks the benchmarks we rely on to plan ongoing support and deal with issues as they inevitably develop. IT constantly develops, and unfortunately this brings problems that nobody can anticipate. Disciplined planning and management helps to build a reliable network.

Our experience with field work since the beginning of 2025 underscores this. We have been asked to remedy more problems than ever before, and usually problems are exacerbated by unfortunate fixes that addressed the wrong issue.

What Professional IT Support Delivers That AI Cannot

Considered and contextual diagnosis, not guesswork
- AI answers your question. An IT professional identifies the actual problem
Preventative care
- Professionals maintain systems proactively, reducing faults before they appear
Security with accountability
- Incorrect settings can expose data. AI does not take responsibility for outcomes
System‑wide insight
- Fixing one device can affect every other device. Only human oversight can manage these relationships safely
Business continuity
- Downtime costs money. Professional IT support reduces the risk of outages and speeds recovery when issues arise

Professional IT support ensures that your network runs smoothly, safely, and with confidence. If you would like help exploring support options, feel free to get in touch, or use out contact page to organize an appointment which suits your timetable. You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here.

Summary

The important point here is that when a notebook has changed significantly on OneNote desktop or Web, Android and Apple may need a full cache reset to see the updated structure.

This problem is not uncommon. Unfortunately, users often shrug their shoulders when this kind of sync fails and OneNote loses its utility as. Not unreasonably, users are not sure where to look for the problem or even what the problem is. Happily, functionality is easily fixed and this article should help you understand that OneNote caches on mobile devices can be easily remedied.

If you would like help exploring OneNote features implementing OneNote across devices, feel free to get in touch, or use out contact page to organize an appointment which suits your timetable. You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here.

How to Search by Category in Outlook (Using Favourites & Search Folders)

by Steve Galloway | Mar 16, 2026 | Articles and help

Using Categories to search for emails

Searching your email by category is a fast way to stay organised, especially for volume email users and if you rely on colour‑coded workflows. Outlook now offers two reliable ways to do this. The simplest method uses categories which you have saved as favourites in your Outlook folder pane.

For more complex needs, Search Folders still offer the most control. This guide shows Microsoft’s recommended approaches and explains what currently works on Windows, web, and Mac.

Hot Tip!! This guidance is written for “New” Outlook. Outlook Classic is scheduled for deprecation in the medium term.

Click open the headers below to learn more about how you can use categories to simplify your searches in Outlook. You can jump to associated articles about Outlook Categories here:

You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here.

1. The fastest method: using favourited categories in New Outlook

If your goal is simply to search by category in Outlook, the quickest method is to favourite the categories you use most.

How it works

When you favourite a category, it appears in the left‑hand folder pane. Selecting a favourited category instantly filters your mailbox to show every message tagged with that category. It behaves like a dynamic “saved search” without requiring any setup.

Why use this method?

Instant filtering without typing a query
Always up to date as new mail arrives
No Search Folder required
Works in:
- New Outlook for Windows
- Outlook on the web
- New Outlook for Mac

Find out how to create Outlook Categories in this article.

2. When you need more: use Search Folders for complex searches

Favourited categories handle single‑category scenarios well. But if you need multi‑criteria filtering—for example:

Category + specific sender
Category + unread items
Category + timeframe
OR combinations (e.g., Category A or Category B)

…then a Search Folder is still the best solution.

What is a Search Folder?

A Search Folder is a virtual folder that stores criteria and updates in real time. It works like a reusable saved search. Although the new Outlook does not let users “save a search,” it does support Search Folders.

Outlook provides a saved searchesd folder in your folder pane to which you can add search folders.

Creating a Search Folder (New/Classic Outlook for DESKTOP)

Right click on Saved Searches Folder → select New (or Add) Search Folder
Choose a preset, or select Create a custom Search Folder
Select Criteria to define filters such as:
1. Category
2. From:
3. Subject
4. Keywords
5. Date
Name the folder clearly (e.g., Finance, Categorised, 2026 invoices) and Save.

in this example, a category caslled “Outstanding” has been selected. More attributes can be added to filter your search further.

Add your saved search to Favourites

For extra convenience you can make your saved search a Favourite. This puts a shortcut towards the top of your folder pane near Inbox, Sent, etc. The folder still resides in your Saved Searches folder.

Outlook on the Web: mixed support

Outlook on the web supports Search Folders at the mailbox level, but it does not allow you to pin them to Favourites in the same way the Windows desktop app does.

Practical notes:

Search Folders still work and remain visible
You cannot favourite saved search folders
For quick access, Microsoft recommends using favourited categories instead

If you need to reliably search by category in Outlook on the web, favouriting categories remains the simpler option.

New Outlook for Mac: saved searches exist, but pinning does not

At time of writing, Outlook for Mac allows users to create search queries and save them. However, adding saved searches or Search Folders to the Favourites pane is not supported. Drag‑and‑drop behaviour sometimes appears to work, but it is inconsistent and not officially documented.

Mac users who need fast access to tagged mail should rely on favourited categories until Microsoft expands this feature.

Practical tips for smoother workflows

Use meaningful names
- For Search Folders, name them for purpose: e.g., Client Work – Categorised or Finance – Outstanding.
Combine categories with other filters
- Ideal when you need more than a simple category filter.
Keep the list clean
- Remove old Search Folders to reduce clutter.
Use categories as your backbone
- Especially if your primary aim is to search by category in New Outlook
Plan a taxonomy that can be managed over time
- planning a structure helps to reduce bloat and redundant categories. Also, a documented taxonomy helps colleagues who may need to duplicate categories – remember. categories operate at a user level, not an organisational level.

Summary

If you want to search by category in Outlook, the fastest and most widely supported method is simply to favourite your categories and use the dynamic filter. This works across Windows, web, and Mac.

For advanced filtering, Windows users can rely on Search Folders, which remain the best way to create a complex, reusable saved search. On the web and Mac, Search Folder support is more limited, so categories offer the most consistent experience.

If you need help or want advice about planning a category taxonomy, please get in touch, or use our contact page to organize an appointment which suits your timetable. You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here.

How cPanel Spam Filters Work: Managing Email Protection with SpamAssassin and BoxTrapper

by Steve Galloway | Mar 15, 2026 | Articles and help, Web Server

About cPanel Spam Filters

Email security matters more than ever, and cPanel users rely heavily on spam filters to keep inboxes clean. Understanding how cPanel spam filters work—and how to adjust them—helps ensure real messages get through while junk is blocked. In this guide, we’ll explain how spam filters evaluate email, how you can manage those settings in cPanel, and how SpamAssassin compares with cPanel’s stricter tool, BoxTrapper.

Apache SpamAssassin is the no. 1 Open Source anti-spam platform giving system administrators and users a filter to classify email and block spam (unsolicited bulk email).

Click open the headers below to learn more about how to enable and manage SpamAssassin and learn about the stricter Boxtrapper utility which is also available. Support options are available for professional assistance. You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here.

How cPanel Spam Filters Score Incoming Email

cPanel spam filters offer a scoring a scoring system that evaluates every incoming email message. Each email is analysed for spam indicators like:

suspicious wording
forged headers
missing SPF records
whether incoming email is “whitelisted” by the targeted recipient
unusual formatting and dozens of other signals

Each factor adds positive or negative points.

By default, your instance of SpamAssasin uses a default threshold of 5 when filtering is enabled. If the combined score of an email exceeds this value, the message is flagged as spam and is either moved to the Junk folder or discarded, depending on how the account is configured.

Because the calculation is cumulative, even legitimate emails can occasionally reach a high score—especially those containing marketing language, attachments, or forwarded content. This makes it important for users to tune cPanel spam filters to match their needs. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for example, would relaxe their threshold to 8, to permit end users to allow their own servers to deal with arguable decisions.

rDNS, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are all protocols that help “authenticate” valid emails. While email “just” works out of the box, without these services email that YOU send to others can be compromised because tools like SpamAssassin use these configurations to test email you send to recipients. These settings are often considered to be irrelevant by casual users because they are troublesome to implement and email seems to send when a user dispatches it. The problem is that if you send inadequately authenticated email, you usually do not know that it has been dropped by a spam filter. You can read more about authenticating your outgoing email in our article, Configure SPF, rDNS, DKIM, and DMARC for email.

Managing SpamAssassin Settings in cPanel

SpamAssassin is the default filtering engine in your cPanel environment, and it gives users fine‑grained control without requiring technical expertise. You can enable or disable the filter from the your cPanel home page in Email → Spam Filters panel.

Open spam filters in your cPanel web server console

Adjusting the Spam Threshold

You will find a slider or a numerical box where you can adjust the spam score threshold in your Spam Filter preferences. Lower numbers make the filter more aggressive, while higher numbers reduce the chance of blocking legitimate emails. Users keep the threshold between 3 and 7, depending on how much mail they receive and how sensitive their workflow is.

The setting depends on your needs. Also, the setting needs periodic review. Above, we saw that ISPs use a more relaxed spam control of 8. Retailers, too, might need a more relaxed setting to accept orders from poorly authenticated email senders. In these sorts of situations, you would probably use locally implemented filtering to better target invoming email. For instance, a retailer might want to approve incoming email whose subject header or textual content matches “new order” or other metric.

Users typically configure their spam filtering like this – click open to adjust tolerance

Auto‑Delete and Spam Box

SpamAssassin also includes:

Spam Box, which moves suspected spam into a special folder
Auto‑Delete, which permanently removes messages over a certain score
Whitelist and blacklist settings, allowing total control over trusted and untrusted senders

These optional tools give you more precision without requiring deeper configuration.

By adjusting these controls, you ensure that cPanel spam filters behave appropriately for your daily email habits.

SpamAssassin vs BoxTrapper: Which Is Better?

Your email server provides another spam filtering tool called BoxTrapper. The two solutions take different approaches to spam filtering.

SpamAssassin

Uses an automated scoring system
Requires no interaction from the sender
Works quietly in the background
Allows whitelisting and custom scoring rules

SpamAssassin is designed for ease of use and minimal disruption while still providing strong protection via its cPanel spam filters.

BoxTrapper

Uses challenge–response verification
Sends an automatic confirmation email to unfamiliar senders
Requires the sender to take action before their message is delivered
Filters nearly all spam because automated bots cannot confirm

BoxTrapper is far more aggressive than SpamAssassin. It is extremely effective—but at the cost of convenience. Some businesses and individuals avoid it because legitimate senders may ignore the confirmation request, leading to missed messages. You can find out more about BoxTrapper in this article.

For everyday users, cPanel spam filters based on SpamAssassin offer the right balance. For those facing severe spam issues and who can tolerate the extra step for new contacts, BoxTrapper provides nearly complete protection.

Summary

Most users will be well‑served by SpamAssassin’s flexible scoring system and simple management options. It provides reliable filtering via cPanel spam filters while allowing legitimate messages to pass through with minimal effort.

If you require near‑zero spam at the cost of extra friction for new senders, BoxTrapper may be the better choice. This would be desirable if you need to limit incoming email to known senders and you need to minimize the risk of phishing or other attempted attacks.

Both systems reflect the core strengths of cPanel spam filters, and understanding each helps you customise the best email experience for your needs.

If you need help configuring email, please get in touch, or use our contact page to organize an appointment which suits your timetable. You can return to our Index of Articles by clicking here .