Outlook 2003 Hangs Whilst Downloading Messages First Time Each Day

[lecutler]

Hello,

Can't remember exactly when this problem started, but it has been going for
several weeks now and it is driving me nuts.

The problem only occurs the first time I turn on my computer each day, and
after about 5 or so minutes it clears itself.

The problem is as follows, I start my computer for the first time of the
day, then I start Outlook 2003, it logs onto the mail server at my ISP and
starts to download the messages, but at some point during the download it
will hang and eventually give the following error.

Task 'mail.tpg.com.au - Receiving' reported error (0x8004210E) : 'Your
mailbox is temporarily unavailable because another e-mail message is being
delivered to it or another mail application is accessing it. The server
responded: -ERR [IN-USE] Unable to lock maildrop'

I have contacted my ISP and they claim that another application is trying to
access the mailbox at the same time.

I have no idea what the other application is, as Outlook is the only
application running.

The route to the ISP is; from my computer to the ADSL modem via wireless
link then out the phone line.

I have PC-Cillin Internet Security installed as my protection.

Windows is WinXP Pro and all applicable software have all available updates
installed.

What is very annoying is that up until now it had been working fine and for
quite some time.

I have carried out several scans with PC-Cillin, Spyware Doctor, Ad-Aware
Plus and NoAdware, nothing found.

Any ideas most appreciated.

Thankyou

Lloyd

 

[Guest]

Indeed a intersting one.
From what I understand with your description of you network, your Windows XP
Pro is not joined to a domain environment (i.e. Server with Central storage
etc)???

 

[lecutler]

Yes, that is correct.

 

[Guest]

OK, I want you to try a couple of things:
1. Boot your PC as per normal, wait 15 to 20 minutes before opening outlook.
Open Outlook, check your mail, there any problems?
2. Boot your PC, before you logon does the amount of "Unread Mail" correlate
the amount of e-mail you recieved once you opened Outlook?
3. Boot your PC with the boot option, boot in "Safe Mode with Networking
Support", check your mail, any problems?

I am suspecting a specific issue, I just want to make sure that my side is
clear before I make any satements.

Warm Regards,

Wayne Prinsloo

 

[lecutler]

Wayne,

I can answer questions 1 & 2 at the moment, will have to wait until tomorrow
for the problem to re-appear.

Answer 1, worked fine after waiting the requested time.

Answer 2, Yes the Unread e-mail did correlate.

Regards

Lloyd

 

[Guest]

My suspicion about the problem is getting stronger!

One last test, this is a bit of a difficult one ;-)

With Windows XP (More accurately Internet Explorer) you get Outlook Express
with free.
Change Outlook Express to you default e-mail client.
Start your PC, open Outlook, select "no" when asked to change Outlook to
your default e-mail client, check your mail, any problems?

I have had a suspicion (even on my own PC) that when I start my PC, it uses
your passwords you have entered into Hotmail (MSN Messanger), Outlook (rather
your default e-mail client) etc etc etc; to check your mail on your behalf to
tell you how much mail you have.... (Before you logon Screen)
Pretty kewl in way, if you think about it, but I think MS still needs to
perfrect that technology :-D ---- or perhaps it just your ISP that is to
strict in terms of their connection policies - I must admit, I personaly
never had or heard of this problem.

In a way it is logical, if you use a telnet session to connect to your ISPs
POP Server on port 110, you can use the list (some times the lst command) to
see a accurate list of mail you have waiting with their size... = again,
pretty kewl, and quick...

Please let me know of the results - want to store this in my memory bank ;-)

Regards,

Wayne Prinsloo

 

[lecutler]

Whilst at the login screen it correctly identified how many new messages I
had sitting in Outlook that I had not read, I have found now that after
reading them that the login screen is still telling me I have unread
messages.

Yes I have tried Ourlook Express, it also had trouble downloading messages.

Regards

Lloyd

 

[lecutler]

With regards to my ISP, nothing would surprise me, they have tightened their
e-mail system to the point where I am unable to get emails from certain
legitimate persons. Apparently when a new e-mail arrives they ping the
sender address and if they do not get the right response the e-mail is
deleted. The problem seems to be that the senders server may not be
configured properly or they may be blocking the ping.

Hence I had to set up a Hotmail account to get around it.

 

[Brian Tillman]

Whilst at the login screen it correctly identified how many new
messages I had sitting in Outlook that I had not read, I have found
now that after reading them that the login screen is still telling me
I have unread messages.

The Unread Mail count on the Welcome screen often disagrees with the real
mail count. Many of us simply disable the information.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304148/en-us

 

[lecutler]

Well I have disabled it, in fact I deleted all references from my mail
server in the Registry. But the problem still persists.

Can only mean something running in the background is having a look also,
just have to figure out what.

Lloyd

 

[lecutler]

Starting to wonder whether it might be my ISP that is mucking me around. I
have been giving them a hard time about them blocking legitimate e-mails and
still allowing spam to get through.

Even though I stated before that it worked fine after waiting the period
asked by Wayne, I checked again and left the computer on for about 1.5 hours
before starting Outlook 2003 and it was approx ten minutes from the first
attempt before it cleared.

Lloyd