URGENT! Outlook Express 6

[Pilfo]

For some unknown reason, I cannot now receive/send any e-mails using Outlook Express.

I have contacted my ISP, and they have informed me that there is nothing wrong with their servers.

They have suggested that I check my Norton Antivirus settings, and remove/delete my three accounts one by one, and then add them in again, checking each time.

I have done all of the above, and also switched off and re-booted my PC, done a restore point, ran Norton Antivirus and a Virus Detection, but all to no avail.

Can anyone help? :? :x

Pilfo

[MarkPearson]

I had a similar problem a few months ago...

I never ever resolved it, some times it would work, other times not.

Can I ask which ISP you are with?

I ended up using webmail (safer!)

[Pilfo]

Hi Mark,

The ISP that I am with is Easily.

The problem started last night from about 18.00 hrs.

Pilfo

[mattk]

Have you tried sending/receiving emails with Norton turned off?

[Pilfo]

Is that wise/safe?

Pilfo

[mattk]

Nope, but what the hell!

Surely you can turn off just email protection/scanning?

[confused]

just turn norton off, send a mail to yourself and see what happens, if you send/recieve it, its a norton problem.

[Pilfo]

Hi confused,

Nope! Just tried that, by sending an e-mail from my MSN account with Norton disabled.

Outlook just keeps hanging, and displaying the same message i.e.

"Your POP3 server has not responded in 60 seconds. Would you like to wait another 60 seconds for the server to respond?"

I am also getting:- A time-out occurred while communicating with the server. Account: 'customermail.easily.co.uk', Server: 'customermail.easily.co.uk', Protocol: POP3, Port: 110, Secure(SSL): No, Error Number: 0x800CCC19

Pilfo

[jmds]

Hi,

I use easily for my email, have you tried logging on throught the webmail interface?

This may help narrow down the problem.

[Pilfo]

Hi John,

I don't have any problems receiving/sending messages via Webmail, just with Outlook.

Pilfo

[kyber]

Whilst their web front end works fine, I would just check that you can access the pop3 account from elsewhere. Try from http://www.mail2web.com

If that works, then try another email client. I suggest the opensource Mozilla Thunderbird. Remember to set the option to LEAVE mail on the server so you can pick it up in Outlook Excess when you get that working again.

If Thunderbird works, then probably:

1. Outlook Excess is corrupted, OR
2. You anti-virus software is not interacting with Outlook correctly.

In either case, I suggest reinstallation.

If Thunderbird does not work, then probably:

1. Problems with the anti-virus software, OR
2. Some network problems preventing you using the correct protocols to access your email.

In the case of the former, as above I suggest reinstallation. In the case of the latter you can check this manually but I cannot remember how off the top of my head.

If you can try another PC in the same environment and that works it would point at the anti-virus software again.

Stuart

[DuaneJackson]

Click start, click run, type "CMD" without the quotes and hit return. A black box will come up.

Type:

telnet customermail.easily.co.uk 110

and press return.

You should get a message that says:

+OK CommuniGate Pro POP3 Server 4.0.6 ready <somenumbers@easily.co.uk>

Let us know if you get anything different.

[Pilfo]

Hi Duane,

How long should it take?

I've still got (in the black box) after ten minutes, "Connecting To customermail.easily.co.uk... " followed by a flashing cursor.

Pilfo

[DuaneJackson]

should be within a second or too.

They are right in saying their server is up and no problems.

Try doing it again with Norton disabled.

Have you installed any firewall software recently?

[kyber]

How are you connecting to the internet?

[Whistle Ink]

Hi,

I've had a similar problem about three times so far! For some unknown reason it doesn't send and receive even if I disable 'scan email' functions. It does work when I either turn Internet Security off or when I start up in Safe Mode.

Then I get p&£!&d off and download thunderbird and don't like it, then I try others and then the damn thing starts working again! :evil:

[Pilfo]

Hi kyber,

Broadband connection (Telewest)

No problems with Internet connection as such, just Outlook.

Pilfo

[DuaneJackson]

kyber, just to let you know I'm also on telewest bb and connecting to their POP3 with no problem - so it's not an issue with IP ranges.

Pilfo, do you occasionally get messages that pop up saying "xyz is trying to access the internet" and then gives you options such as permit/deny?

[kyber]

How is your PC/laptop connected to Telewest broadband? For example, do you use a standard network port on your computer and connect it to the Telewest box using standard network cable or is the box connected using a USB port on your computer or are you using a wireless connection?

The fact that you cannot even telnet to the mail port (which admittedly many ISPs prevent you from doing but not your guys) does suggest that it is not antivirus software but, as suggested above, some kind of firewall technology. Are you using the Microsoft security software (Windows XP) or some addon like Zonealarm? If possible, disable these and try the telenet command again. (I also did it and it responsed within a second.)

Sorry that there is no magic wand, this is a little bit of trial and error.

Stuart

[Pilfo]

should be within a second or too.

They are right in saying their server is up and no problems.

Try doing it again with Norton disabled.

Have you installed any firewall software recently?

I've tried it with Norton disabled and it's still hanging up.

I haven't installed any other firewall software recently.

Pilfo, do you occasionally get messages that pop up saying "xyz is trying to access the internet" and then gives you options such as permit/deny?

No, I don't get any such messages.

However, I have just completely disabled Norton Security and I did receive e-mail messages, although one of my three accounts kept showing a 'pop-up' asking for Login Username and Password. I had to hit 'Cancel' before I could go any further, as it kept popping back up all the time.

I have now re-enabled Norton and....same problem. What should I do with Norton now, which is obviously (as some of you have said) what is causing the problem!

Pilfo

[Pilfo]

Hi kyber,

My PC is connected to Telewest broadband using a USB port on my computer.

I am only using the Microsoft security software (Windows XP) and Norton 2005.

Pilfo

[Pilfo]

:idea: How about if I disable Norton Internet Security, and then shutdown/restart my PC with it still disabled.

Then restart my PC and then re-enable Norton.

Pilfo

[kyber]

With a USB connection the network limitations must be within your PC. Some kind of firewall.

Norton is very tricky to disable or remove in my experience. The uninstall routine never seems to do a decent job. There are guidelines on the Symantec website on how to remove it fully.

Of course, it should not be causing you these problems. If it were just the anti-virus package, you could tell it to stop scanning emails for a bit (risky of course) but the Internet Security version does provide firewall technology. I dropped Norton IS a while back and started using Zone Alarm instead and I cannot remember exactly what options you have in Norton but most of the more advanced firewall tools hold a list of programs that they are aware of operating on your computer and have settings for the kind of network access each program is allowed. You can probably delete Outlook Express from this list and restart OE which should then cause Norton to re-evaluate the settings.

The built in Windows XP firewall should be disabled as you are running Norton IS. Running both could cause some problems.

If you get a lot of spam it is really not safe to download your emails without an antivirus package checking them out so you are in a tricky position especially with Outlook Express which, because it is so common, has been targetted a lot by virus/trojan writers. You should be able to turn off the firewall and leave the anti-virus measures in place though.

You could look at downloading a trial copy of an alternative anti-virus package and then properly removing Norton for a while and seeing how you get on.

A complete reinstallation of Norton would not be a bad thing anyway. (Remember though that the uninstall/reboot sequence will not really remove it properly.)

A bit of a stream of consciousness but hopefull of some help.

Stuart

[Pilfo]

First of all let me say a GREAT BIG THANKS to everyone that offered their advice/help today.

I personally feel that my whole day has been ****ed up, trying this and that! :cry: I have literally spent all day on my PC :x

I have also been on the Symantec website, and contacted Dell Support.

I decided to create a new restore point and then restarted my PC.

But before I opened Outlook again, as a last resort I ran the Blueyonder Instant Support Tool, to improve my browser performance. It may have been purely coincidental....but everythings fine now! :o :shock: :? but :D

Thanks again.

Pilfo