Message header goes "poof" during download to Outlook 2003

[Spruce Street]

During download from POP3 server, a message header that I have seen is on the
ISP webmail will flash onto the Inbox list on Outlook 2003 and then "float"
off. After that, the message is also gone from the ISP webmail. This only
happens occasionally (1-2 times a day) but from different email senders. I
will get other messages from the same sender the same day without problem.
It has nothing to do with size, embedded image, attachments, number of emails
in the download queue. I have disabled special spam filters, but have
Outlook set on High. I have no Rules or special Views that I can find. ISP
is Comcast.

 

[neo [mvp outlook]]

Does "float" off mean the item disappears and is not being moved to
Outlook's junk e-mail or any other folder by an Inbox rule?

 

[Spruce Street]

Yes. I will see the item populate the Inbox list for an instant. Then it is
almost "mechanical" as if a puppet master yanks the message back up and the
next message will come down. Sometimes, the next message will populate
before the string is pulled but then the next message returns.

After the "string" the message is nowhere to be found. Not in Delete,
Screened, Quarantine. It also has then been removed from the Inbox on the
ISP's Web Mail and isn't in Delete or Screened, etc. there either. It is
just gone.

 

[VanguardLH]

in message

During download from POP3 server, a message header that I have seen
is on the
ISP webmail will flash onto the Inbox list on Outlook 2003 and then
"float"
off. After that, the message is also gone from the ISP webmail.
This only
happens occasionally (1-2 times a day) but from different email
senders. I
will get other messages from the same sender the same day without
problem.
It has nothing to do with size, embedded image, attachments, number
of emails
in the download queue. I have disabled special spam filters, but
have
Outlook set on High. I have no Rules or special Views that I can
find. ISP
is Comcast.

"float off" means what? You actually see something go *floating*
across your screen?

If instead you mean that you momentarily see the new e-mail show up in
the message list and then it immediately disappears then you have a
rule, spam feature or program, or view that is moving, deleting, or
hiding the new item.

Rather than run Outlook's spam filter on high, disable it to see what
happens. Have you looked in the Junk folder (with a view to show all
messages)?

Do you run any other anti-spam software?

Do you have anti-virus software scanning your e-mails? If so, have
you yet tried disabling its e-mail scan function?

Regardless of not having a "special" view, have you look how the
current view is defined?

There are no folders created by Outlook called Delete, Screened, or
Quarantine. Those are folders that some 3rd party anti-spam program
created, or you are confusing server-side webmail folders with those
in Outlook. Because of the Quarantine named folder, and if it really
does exist in Outlook and you are not talking about some server-side
folder in your webmail account, then look at your anti-virus software.

 

[Spruce Street]

It hits the Outlook inbox messages, and then seems to be pulled back up.
Doesn't float out of the field. There are no rules that I can find. I have
only default views. I'll try lowering the Spam filter setting, but it will
take a while to detect this because it is intermittent and it only hits
random emails, and may allow an email from the same sender later in the day.

I don't run other anti-spam. Only McAfee AV Enterprise, SpyBot and Spyware
Blaster. Haven't turned off AV email scanning function yet. Don't find
missing emails in Junk. (I threw out those other terms for places things get
lost generically out of frustration. It is a standard Outlook 2003 setup.)
Current view is simply by date, no groups or any other sort, with autopreview.

I'll set Antispam to a lower setting and watch for a day and see what
happens and report back. Thanks.

 

[VanguardLH]

in message

It hits the Outlook inbox messages, and then seems to be pulled back
up.

There is no "pulling back up" to the server. POP3 does a RETR
(command). It then follows with a DELE (command) *unless* you
configure Outlook to leave messages on the server.

Doesn't float out of the field. There are no rules that I can find.
I have
only default views.

Did you look at HOW those views are defined? You can customize the
views. That means you can also go look to see how they are defined.
It is possible a "default" view has been modified.

I don't run other anti-spam. Only McAfee AV Enterprise

And there be your anti-virus program which uses blended techonologies
to detect "bad" e-mails.

http://www.mcafee.com/us/enterprise...ervers_desktops/virusscan_enterprise_80i.html

Try disabling it for awhile (during which it is YOUR responsibility
regarding attached e-mails and linked images if you permit them to
display).

Current view is simply by date, no groups or any other sort, with
autopreview.

That is not the "view". That is sort order. Go under the View menu
to see WHICH view you are using. And, as mentioned, you might want to
look at how that view is defined.

 

[Spruce Street]

Outlook is supposed to leave messages on server until delete. I guess I
don't understand Views as well as I thought I did. I just drop down and look
at the check boxes and the config. Please guide me about how views are
defined view and how it may have been modified and how that can be checked.

 

[VanguardLH]

"Spruce Street" ...

Outlook is supposed to leave messages on server until delete.

Only if you configure Outlook to do so. That is why those e-mails are
still up on the server. They did not get "yanked back up". They just
never got deleted. However, according to your first post, and after
you poll for new mails, the item disappears from the Inbox when you
look using the webmail interface to your e-mail account. That would
mean Outlook is *not* configured to leave mails on the server.

I guess I
don't understand Views as well as I thought I did. I just drop down
and look
at the check boxes and the config. Please guide me about how views
are
defined view and how it may have been modified and how that can be
checked.

I still use OL2002 so the menu navigation may be different in OL2003.
Select a folder. Under the View -> Current View -> Customize Current
View, and look under the Filter options (in all tabs, especially the
More Choices tab).

You could also try starting Outlook in its safe mode ("outlook.exe
/safe") to see if a plug-in, like for your anti-virus program, is
causing the problem.

 

[Spruce Street]

Thanks. Checked that out. Navigation was the same but there was nothing
there. I'll stick with the plan and see what happens with modifying spam
settings and let you know.

Appreciate your help.