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outlook express - can recieve - can't send!!!

H

hairygit1

Member
Hi Thanx for looking in.

The problem is as follows:

Unless the computer is rebooted, outlook express [5] works without a problem except, the mail in the outbox isn't sent, and the mail stays in the outbox. No error messages.

If the machine is rebooted, most of the time, if done immediately, the mail will get sent.

All the account settings are correct, as nothing would get sent at all otherwise.

Running AMD 3000/512 DDR [crucial] / 120 hdd. etc etc/ v92 modem - jetway


Are there any good ideas out there?
I will be away from the poota for a couple of days after this evening, but thankyous will be posted.

Good luck,
 
In all seriousness.

Don't use outlook express.

There are plenty of other free email programs out there ( Mozilla, Opera, Eudora) that do a much better job, and don't have issues like this.
 
You seriously need to upgrade to XP or 2000. 98 was not meant for that serious of hardware like you have. Outlook express pretty much sucks too and there are many other free products out there that do work much better.
 
Come on, guys. This "don't use Outlook Express" is not helpful whatsoever. Outlook Express works fine for millions of people. And what's this about "Win98 was not meant for that serious of hardware"? I don't quite get that, either.

People who post problems here are looking for more than this "throw the baby out with the bathwater" approach.

Hairy, you say you are up to date with all patches, etc. But you're still using Outlook Express 5.x? Why not Outlook Express 6? Was that a typo?

You can try several things to remedy this problem. You can first move any messages in your outbox to another folder (like drafts, for example). Then, close Outlook Express. You need to have your 98SE set to show all hidden files for the next step. Once you have that setup, do a search for "outbox.dbx". When you find it, delete it. Outlook Express will recreate it the next time you open it.

If that's not the issue, you can delete and recreate your mail account(s) in OE. First, of course, make sure you've archived messages safely that you want to keep.

You can also setup a new identity with all the same settings. See if OE sends email correctly under the new identity. If it works, you can then import messages from your old identity, then delete the old identity and have your new Identity be the default.

Read this article from Microsoft. It will give you more information on the steps I've mentioned:

Troubleshooting OE re: unsent messages
 
Slickster : I work tech support for Cox Communications. Believe me, this whole "works fine for millions of people" line is a joke that got put on a bill-board for everybody to laugh at. If Cox would simply get off it's rear and promote a different email client or design its own, we could easily quarter our daily throughput of calls.

On the other hand, that would require laying off 3/4 of the people who do work Cox Tech Support.

**edit*** Hit tab a couple of times to clear an IM message and messed up on my timing and submitted this without finishing.

The reason I took a shotgun approach instead of even trying basic troubleshooting is that I've learned the hard-way that Outlook Express just is not worth it.

Do I really need to look back at Norton, Mcafee, BitDefender, AVG, Zone Alarm, PC-Chillin, Security Focus, Gartner, and all the other anti-virus | computer security related sites?

I shouldn't have to do this to know that the "works fine for millions of people" is a proven lie from the virus reports alone.

The simple fact is this. There is no way you can do any kind of computer related tech support at all and be able to recommend people use Outlook based products (which does make me wonder where you got all your posts from Slickster). Unless you are getting paid on Microsoft Technical Support. And then your getting paid to try get an upgrade to the Office Outlook.

Yes. I can troubleshoot OE 5.x for HairyGit1, but what would be the point? He'd still be wide open to all sorts of other troubles that are pretty much going to happen.

And I don't think that's a typo. Do keep in mind that he's using Win98Se. Also do keep in mind that Microsoft is shutting off the available downloads and updates for Win9X systems.

There is no way I can, in any good conscience, even think about trying to troubleshoot OE when I'm not getting paid to. There are far better solutions that are just as free, and they do not carry the risks that using Outlook based products carry.
 
I can't get in an argument about the merits of Microsoft products. Suffice it to say that yes, millions of people use them, and OE is by far the email program of choice on these systems.

re: viruses and attacks...the Willie Sutton line about robbing banks applies. When asked why he robs banks, he replied "because that's where the money's at". When hackers attack MS products, they do so because that's the brand of OS used by an overwhelming margin. I don't have any interest whatsoever in being an apologist for MS. I am a realist, however.

If you truly wanted to be helpful in suggesting alternatives, why not take him step by step how to migrate to a specific product you had in mind? Most people are NOT expert users.
 
Thanx for your replies.

The solution 'don't use OE' might as well be applied to window$ full stop.

I know that there are better/more efficient ways than OE/IE/Office/Operating Systems, and at the moment, am using Opera [Fully recommended] as a browser, but for my needs at this moment in time, Windows98 and Outlook Express are required as i am not the only person using the computer [my girlfriend is also using this machine and if i try and change anything like this, i am a DEAD man - luckily she was using Opera from the beginning].

The deleting dbx files will be tried in due course, and i will post the result.
Thank you all for replying - especially you slikkster.
The link to the ms technical - wow, i was looking for this page or something like it for hours - just didn't use the right search term i suppose. [or it didn't like my attitude]

Thanx again


 
If you dont want to help people without getting paid why are you even in this forum ?
That was the most negative response to a persons problem i've ever seen.
This includes the 5 computer magazines i subscribe to and read every month.
You should be here to help people not attack them.
 
Hey,

You lot are going to like this:

the error is a socket 550 error and the full error is 800ccc79.
What this means is there is a problem with the setup, as it is possible to send out [only on a new reboot, when i dial-up immediately]

All the settings have been gone through thoroughly - with the ISP at premium rates. They insist there is no problem on their side.
OE6 has been uninstalled - wiped [all simple account references] then reinstalled again - same problem.

Well enough is enough - installed FIREFOX [happy now?]

SAME PROBLEM

I put on Taskinfo to see if anything loads up during the first few minutes of idling - nothing.
BUT I did notice that DirectX loads itself up during the send/receive. Is this supposed to happen?
I shut down that process - same problem.

Just to recap -
Problem is not with outlook express - also produced with firefox.
All settings are correct!!! [yeah, i know what you are thinking "sure they are you idiot" - But they really are]
Can send only on new reboot [logging out then back in again doesn't help]
Now,
anyone got any ideas please.

A search on google and msoft got nothing of use

Thankx again
 
I know this is not an OE specific problem, but try this OE "fix" (from a Microsoft Knowledge Base article):

Click to select the "My server requires authentication" check box, which is located in the Outgoing Mail Server properties in Outlook Express.

Try outgoing email again.
 
Firefox is NOT the replacement for OE, Thunderbird is... Firefox is the replacement for IE.

I've seen this in OE and Outlook before. The only thing I've found to work is to delete the account and recreate it. It's a hassle and you have to remember to archive your messages or you'll lose them. And you need to remember to deal with your address book... But that's the only thing I know to do for the problem.
 
Ozee, I'm sure he meant Thunderbird, otherwise there'd be no settings for email to set, right? Additionally, he said he's already gone down the road you suggested.

Here's the actual Microsoft Knowledge Base article about this issue on how to address this with OE:

Microsoft Knowledge Base article on this problem and how to resolve it

In the resolutions section, only the first option applies to you. "Click to select the My server requires authentication check box, which is located in the Outgoing Mail Server properties in Outlook Express."

To get to this setting, click on Tools/Accounts and highlight your email server. Then, click on Properties on the right side menu. When the Properties box comes up, click on Servers. At the bottom of that window, you should see "Outgoing Mail Server". Below that is a checkbox that says "My server requires authentication". Check that box, click Apply, click OK. Exit out. Try outgoing email.
 
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