messages not downloaded

[Geoplay]

For several days now, in respect of this newsgroup only, when I check for
new messages, I get the indication after most have been downloaded, that
either two or three were not downloaded. I then 'catch up' and that message
disappears - but then when I download the next batch of messages - the same
thing happens again. I am using OE6 in XP pro SP2.
As I say, this has only started happening in the last few days.
Any help in resolving this would be appreciated.

 

[tobe]

You are not alone!

tobe

 

[Larry]

Hmmmmm. And I thought it was just me.

You are not alone!

tobe

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

Folks - if you are seeing this using NNTP, and with Outlook Express as the
NNTP client (or Outlook, for that matter, which uses Outlook Express for
this function.):

I'm not seeing this, but I have scads of unread messages in all the groups
except one, so I am not in a position to see it.

I do believe that I understand what is happening, and it is a bug in Outlook
Express, and really worth just ignoring, and not thinking about.

I can't explain it well, I'm afraid--but in pulling in the messages, the
client asks the server for an "estimate" of the number of messages
available. The server uses an algorithm to some up with this estimate. The
client then pulls in the messages.

This appearance happens only with Outlook Express, and perhaps only with one
particular set of NNTP host software. Microsoft is not the only user of
this host software, however. Other NNTP clients are smarter about dealing
with the estimate, and don't give this appearance. I've also seen it stated
that the circumstances where these "ghosts" arise involve oddities about the
estimating process. This can change--they can do work at the server end
which will clean this up for a period of time.

Really--ignore this appearance--it isn't worth anybody's time worrying about
it.

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