Windows Mail "-ERR invalid command" message

[Amy]

Hi,
I am having trouble receiving and sending emails through Windows Mail. When
I hit the "Send/Receive" button this message appears:

Account: 'mail.comcast.net', Server: 'mail.comcast.net', Protocol: POP3,
Server Response: '-ERR invalid command', Port: 110, Secure(SSL): No, Server
Error: 0x800CCC90, Error Number: 0x800CCC18

I have contacted our provider and the account information is correct.
Please help!

 

[Sandra]

I am having the same problem. It has happened on occasion for the past week
or so, but seems to go away on it's own. Since yesterday, I have not been
able to send or receive email through Windows Mail. I also have comcast.
I'm also anxious to find out why. If I go directly to comcast mail I can
send and receive fine;.

 

[Amy]

I finally was able to troubleshoot the problem, but I don't know why it
happenend or if what I found was even the cause. I went to Tools, then
Accounts and opened the Properties to my default email provider. It will
take you to a window with several tabs. Click on the Server's tab and about
3/4 of the way down the window there is a box that you can check "Log on
using secure password authentication". This box was checked for me. I
unchecked it, hit Apply then OK, exited out of that window and then restarted
my Windows Mail program and it seemed to work. I'm not sure if that was the
reason it wasn't working in the first place and I don't know how it got
checked. I called Comcast and they couldn't figure out the problem either.
Try that-hopefully it will work for you too!

 

[Sandra]

Thanks, but when I went to the server tab , the "Log on using secure password
authentication box " was not checked. Something else must be causing this.
Unless yours just started working, like mine had been doing in the past.

 

[Gabe]

I have the same problem: Checked the box, unchecked the box - and the problem
still exist. Any other ideas?

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Comcast made some changes in their email settings without telling
their customers. Follow these steps, beginning with step 10:
http://www.comcast.com/Customers/FAQ/FaqDetails.ashx?Id=2288

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Is your problem with receiving or sending? Make sure you are using
Comcast's latest setup instructions:

http://www.comcast.com/Customers/FAQ/FaqDetails.ashx?Id=2288

If the problem persists, post your complete error message.

 

[Sandra]

I followed thee latest Comcast setup instructions and can now send e-mail via
Windows but still get this message when I try to receive.

Account: 'mail.comcast.net', Server: 'mail.comcast.net', Protocol: POP3,
Server Response: '-ERR invalid command', Port: 110, Secure(SSL): No, Server
Error: 0x800CCC90, Error Number: 0x800CCC18

I have McAffee Security should I be turning off the e-mail scan and if so
how do i do that.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Go to Tools, Accounts, select that account, Properties, Servers.
Make sure that "Log on using Secure Password Authentication" is
*not* checked.

If it was not checked, the next most likely cause is your antivirus.
McAfee antivirus is among the top three troublemakers for Windows Mail.
Turning off email scanning in McAfee is seldom sufficient.
The only way you can prove or disprove that McAfee is the culprit is to
uninstall it, followed by using their debris removal tool:
http://service.mcafee.com/FAQDocument.aspx?id=107083&lc=1033

If you decide to replace McAfee, we can recommend a free antivirus
program which is more compatible with Windows Mail:

Instead of uninstalling your antivirus, another option is to upgrade
to Windows Live Mail (WLM), which is more resistant to the adverse effects
of overly intrusive antivirus products: http://get.live.com/wlmail/overview

Even with WLM, you must disable email scanning in the antivirus,
for the reason explained here:
http://thundercloud.net/infoave/tutorials/email-scanning/index.htm

Sorry, I don't have a copy of McAfee, so I don't know how to get to its
email scanning settings.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Your error message pertains to receiving.
The "My server requires authentication" setting affects only sending,
and has no effect on receiving.
The error "Invalid command" is usually caused by your antivirus program.
Which antivirus are you running?
As a minimum, email scanning in the antivirus must be turned off,
although that may not be sufficient to eliminate all bad effects.
In a worst case scenario, your antivirus may need to be uninstalled.

Email scanning in any antivirus must be disabled, for reasons
explained here:
http://thundercloud.net/infoave/tutorials/email-scanning/index.htm

If no improvement after disabling email scanning, consider upgrading
to Windows Live Mail, because it is less prone to suffering bad effects
from overly intrusive antivirus programs:
http://get.live.com/wlmail/overview

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

If you would like some custom help, post your complete error message,
like Amy did.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

If you would like some custom help, post your complete error message,
like Amy did.