"stuck in mailbox" - from a non-user, sysadmin/desktop support perspective?

[Unsettled]

I've run into this problem before, and it always seems to be some
magical thing like: move it out of the Outbox, close outlook, restart,
Send and receive, resend, and sometimes it works.

What exactly is the problem? I've suspected it has partly to do with
some sort of locking and how the PST works. As I understand, it's a
database for mail, calendar, and task data.

Is it some glitch in how the PST is? There are many in unix/linux
circles that will barf at the idea of storing mail in a database. Does
it all basically boil down to the mail store?

 

[Unsettled]

For more context, as I google around more I see people offering
advice/answers similar to the procedure found here:
http://www.howto-outlook.com/faq/messagestuckinoutbox.htm

Can anyone offer a technical explanation for this? The more detailed the
better -- probably discussing it in terms of electrons is too detailed.

 

[Unsettled]

For more context, as I google around more I see people offering
advice/answers similar to the procedure found here:
http://www.howto-outlook.com/faq/messagestuckinoutbox.htm

Can anyone offer a technical explanation for this? The more detailed the
better -- probably discussing it in terms of electrons is too detailed.

 

[Unsettled]

Here's another summary, basically a list of things to check/troubleshoot:
http://www.slipstick.com/problems/nosend.htm

So yes, the problem is well documented. The workaround/fixes are all out
there.

But the actual solution is so hard to find -- can someone explain?

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

http://www.slipstick.com/problems/nosend.htm

 

[Brian Tillman]

But the actual solution is so hard to find -- can someone explain?

The solution is not hard to find, as you seem to have had no trouble finding
it, but the causes are varied. The most common problem is the connection to
the SMTP server timing out or being interrupted and this can often be caused
by using an antivirus scanner to scan outgoing mail, something that is never
of benefit.

 

[Unsettled]

I should clarify - I'm referring to the case where people recommend to
create a new PST and change around the default delivery location.

What is the technical reason for this? Sure, I know it works, but what
is going on? Does it have to do with locking of the file?

What I'm after is a lower-level explanation of it all.

 

[Unsettled]

Ok, thanks for the link - we can use that as a baseline for this
discussion.

What I'm after is: "Cause #4: Using a program that access the pst or ost
data."

I will definitely verify exactly what is running next time I get a call
about this, but I'm quite skeptical that it's some other program
accessing the PST.

So I read: "Restarting Outlook (after verifying it closed completely in
Task manager) may allow the mail to send"

Yes, that has seemed to do it sometimes. But what is the technical
reason why it even does this? My theory it that there some sort of lock
within the PST on that file that doesn't get released. Better yet, what
tools are out there to figure out what goes on within a PST? I'm not
talking about the pstscan tool, but some sort of utility to browse
through it. I suspect there isn't one?

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

tools which use outlook data keep lock on the pst which keeps outlook open.
outlook spy and similar utilities will allow you to see inside the pst.
http://www.slipstick.com/contest/listings_view.aspx - choose development
from the category drop down.

 

[Brian Tillman]

I should clarify - I'm referring to the case where people recommend to
create a new PST and change around the default delivery location.

What is the technical reason for this? Sure, I know it works, but what
is going on? Does it have to do with locking of the file?

There are a number of things that can cause messages to be undeliverable.
Outlook will continue to try to deliver them. If the reason they're
undeliverable (for example, the account they're trying to use is no longer
available because it has been deleted, an antivirus scanner has disrupted
the communication path between Outlook and the SMTP server, or the ISP has
made a change and didn't tell the client, to name a few reasons) cannot be
rectified, but Outlook has the message locked in its continuing attempts to
deliver it, then you have to change the situation. The simplest way is to
set Outlook to work offline, which after stopping and restarting, will have
the message in the Outbox deletable because Outlook will not be trying to
send it, Outlook being offline. The worst case will be that you have to
create a new delivery location. That new locations Outbox won't have
anything in it and, since OUtlook will send only from the delivery
location's Outbox, the old Outbox will be just another folder and whatever
it contains will go away when the PST itself goes away.