Pegasus generally works fine for most messages. But some messages, typically from institutions, start off with pages of text relating to formatting such as margins, fonts, etc. After scrolling down I eventually find the message. I just updated to version 4.8 but find the same problem. This is on my desktop computer which is running Windows 7. If I view the same message on my laptop which runs Windows 10 but Pegasus is set up the same way, the problem disappears. How can I get rid of the garbage with these emails?

Is the IERenderer version in both of your Pegasus Mails up to date at version 2.7.1.5?
Is it enabled in both?

I agree it looks like a rendering problem. But I can't find in Pegasus Tools or Help any mention of rendering settings.
Thanks.

Pegasus Mail has three renderers, TER, BearHTML and IERenderer. Normally, IERenderer is enabled by default. When disabled, BearHTML takes over. TER steps up when BearHTML is disabled which is an intentional act not easily done. IERenderer is updated regularly so that is the one to use. It has its own toolbar button. It is the rightmost one that looks like the Internet Explorer logo "e" superimposed with the Pegasus flying horse. Hovering over it with your cursor will reveal the installed version. Clicking it brings up its menu. Look at the "Use IERenderer" item. A checkmark indicates that it is enabled. No checkmark means it is disabled. While there, notice the "Auto Update Check". When enabled, Pegasus Mail will check for a new version of IERenderer each time it starts up. A red exclamation point will be added to the toolbar icon when a new version is available. It will not be installed automatically. You will need to download and install it.

Finally, the IERenderer menu contains an item called "Configure IERenderer". This is where you can look at the options available. I suggest sticking with the defaults but there is extensive help info available. Click the box containing the question mark for details. The "Configure IERenderer" item is greyed out when a text-only message has focus. Clicking on a message containing HTML will make it available.

Below is the URL to the IERenderer history page. It contains links to the download of each version.
https://www.pmpgp.de/renderer/History.htm

Thanks for this detailed advice, but I'm still not there. My toolbar doesn't show the Pegasus hidden icon, but I went to Control Panel and Programs and found the IERender app which was installed at the same time as my update to Pegasus 4.8. It shows version 2.6.5.9 not the most recent version 2.7.1.5. On my laptop which reads these emails properly the IEReader version is even older: 2.4.9.2. The IEReader app in my Control Panel doesn't offer any configuration or enabling options. Right-clicking just offers Uninstall. So I'm still at a loss, but I can live with unwanted garbage on some emails so don't feel obliged to continue

This is the IERenderer toolbar icon.

I don't have an explanation as to why it is not visible on your toolbar.

The Pegasus Mail installer contains the IERenderer version as of the time the installer was packaged. Obviously it has be modified a number of times since then. I suggest downloading and installing the current version on each PC. I provided the URL to its history in a previous post. This URL will download the current version as a .zip. https://www.pmpgp.de/renderer/IERenderer.zip

Extract it and then run IERendererSetup.exe. There is no need to uninstall the previous version. The installer will display an information window showing the path of Pegasus Mail that it is installing to. Cancel the installation if that is not correct (it shouldn't be but there is a condition that could cause it to be wrong).

Thanks again. Although I had doubts that a new IERenderer version would fix the problem, I downloaded and installed it. Unfortunately no change. Maybe somehow the renderer is not being enabled. Anyway as I said, I can live with the unwanted garbage so it may not be worth further efforts.

Oskar, did the IERenderer icon become visible in your Pegasus Mail toolbar? If so, click on it and confirm that there is a checkmark next to the "Use IERenderer" option.

No, even when I ask that all programs show on taskbar, it's not there.

Are you using a toolbar.pm file?

I can't find a toolbar.pm file. This computer is at least 15 years old and Windows 7 may not have been fully updated. That could explain the toolbar problem. However I found the new IERenderer.dll file in the PMail folder. Right clicking gives numerous setting possibilities. For instance the General properties shows program "opens with unknown application" and that can be changed. Could this problem be fixed in this way?

Don't mess with the .dll.

Normal installation includes a directory \Pmail\Programs\IERenderer, which is where that .dll should be, an IERenderer.fff file in \Pmail\Programs, and an IERenderer.ini file in your mailbox directory.