Outlook Express 6 woes

[spannersatcx]

A friend of the wife asked me to help with a friends pc, they have been unable to get OE to send/receive any mail for a while.

The following messages are displayed:

The connection to the server has failed. Account: 'pop3.rdplus.net', Server: 'pop3.rdplus.net', Protocol: POP3, Port: 110, Secure(SSL): No, Socket Error: 10061, Error Number: 0x800CCC0E

The connection to the server has failed. Account: 'pop3.rdplus.net', Server: 'smtp.rdplus.net', Protocol: SMTP, Port: 25, Secure(SSL): No, Socket Error: 10061, Error Number: 0x800CCC0E

I know the mail server works as I transferred the e-mail settings to my pc and downloaded all the mail that was there.

The pc in question also has Norton AV and internet security installed, when trying to do a liveupdate it says that it is unable to get the file and the error number os LU1814, had a look at symantec website and it could not even recognise the error code, it is NAV 2002. I downloaded it manually and did the update that way, did a full virus scan, spybot etc, and the pc was clean.

I have turned off windows firewall, (not sp2) I did install sp2 to see if that helped but no luck.

Obviously there is something blocking OE to access the mail server, anybody any ideas??? rdplus is readers digest, I hooked the pc up to my broadband connection and can access the net ok.

[goates]

How is the friend's PC connected to the internet? Is there a hardware router involved? Can the computer connect to websites?

goates

[spannersatcx]

It's normally on a dial up, I connected it to my network which has a router, no problems getting on the net.

[StudentInDebt]

Check the account properties advanced tab. Have a look at which ports are being used to connect to the mail server (from the error message it appears that port 10061 has been specified). Pop usually uses port 110 and smtp port 25 (click on use default ports). Looks like they are using different port numbers from the default (both the same looks fishy too).

Is there some anti-spam software running? Not familiar with Norton so I can't say whether it has caused the changes.

[Ausatco]

Nooo, SID, it's not using port 10061, that's an error number, as is 0x800CCC0E in the error message.

A google on 0x800CCC0E points you to some MS knowledgebase articles which discuss the problem.

It appears the pop3 and smtp ports (110 and 25, respectively) are not opening when they should.

Spanners, does NAV2002 have a firewall? If it does, turn it off and try again.

When you installed SP2 it would have installed a firewall which is on by default. I would expect it to handle OE6 properly as its from the same stable, but it might be worth temporarily turning SP2's firewall off as well and see how you go.

If you can get your mail with no firewalls then your client software is ok, you just have to configure your firewall properly.

BTW, you should be running only ONE software firewall at a time - if NAV2002 has a firewall you'll have to choose between it and XP's one.

Hope this helps,

AA

[spannersatcx]

I turned off, xp firewall, disabled NAV, Norton Internet security is off. Ports are set correctly in OE. Something somewhere is blocking it on that pc, as I said I transfer the e-mail settings to my pc and downloaded all the mail no problem and that's behind mcafee firewall and a router.

I just don't seem to be able to find what's blocking it, apart from a format and reinstall not sure where else to look.

[PPRuNe Pop]

Spanners, had a similar problem yesterday. Strangely enough on friends pooter. I tracked it down to Norton. Removed the said prog and all was well until we put it back!!! I hate Norton - it takes over your computer IMHO.

Not sure if it will help, but nothing to lose.

[ck4707]

Spanners

Had same problem last week. One day same error message, Next day all was well!! Did nothing myself.

This was using BT Broadband and BT Internet.

CK

[spannersatcx]

Thanks, I have a feeling it is something to do with Norton, will let you know how I get on.:mad:

[spork]

From what you say it sounds like the firewall (NIS) needs an update of progs that are allowed to access the internet. The LU1814 message usually points to that.

Go into NIS and find Internet Access Control, when it shows the list of progs currently with permission, highlight them all and "remove" them. Then run the Application Scan for all drives that have programmes. When the listing is finished, use "select all" which ticks each item, and then OK/close.

That will usually sort it. If this is confusing, just ask.

[Spitoon]

Had the same problem myself - on and off for several weeks, no rhyme or reason to it. NAV2002 was the culprit. You have to uninstall it (not just disable it or switch it off) to prevent the problem.

I've since upgraded to NAV2004 - with a promise from the shop that if it didn't cure the problem I could have my money back. Been good as gold ever since.

[spannersatcx]

I'm getting there, I've now got it to receive mail, unfortunately I can't get it to send at the moment, I've messed about with internet security and cleared all applications and rescanned to allow access to OE. I now get the following message.

The message could not be sent because one of the recipients was rejected by the server. The rejected e-mail address was '[email protected]'. Subject 'test', Account: 'pop3.rdplus.net', Server: 'smtp.rdplus.net', Protocol: SMTP, Server Response: '550 relay not permitted', Port: 25, Secure(SSL): No, Server Error: 550, Error Number: 0x800CCC79

Thanks for the help so far guys, appreciate it.:D

[spork]

Not wishing to be contentious Spitoon, but that's like saying that fitting a new carburettor cured a blocked jet problem - as the installation of the new product will have carried out the full procedure in my para 2 above, it will have cured the problem.

"can't get it to send at the moment" "The message could not be sent because one of the recipients was rejected by the server. The rejected e-mail address was..." That sounds quite normal, in that the email address was rejected. That means it got as far as the server so it was sent. Try sending to yourself, yourself at work, your neighbour etc, and see what happens.

Unfortunately these security problems are never easy to resolve - the error messages for example, are never clear. This results in users buying new bits and pieces everywhere. Find yourself a good PC support person and get them to review your PC - you'll be quids in as a result.

[Spitoon]

Not contentious at all. I merely described how I solved the same carburettor problem.

If my car is broke I take it to my nearest garage because I don't know much about cars. After several days of not being able to access my e-mail, and Symantec telling me it was my ISP's fault and my ISP telling me it was Symantec's fault, and many hours of tweaking the NAV settings, I needed to get things sorted out.

Now I might be right and I might be wrong, but when it comes to computers, I think I know as much if not more than the oik down at PC World so I could have spent a tidy sum getting someone to look at it only to come to the same conclusion that I did - which wasn't much of a solution. On the other hand, I could spend £35 and upgrade my NAV in 15 minutes - which both Symantec and my ISP said would probably fix it.

With more time and more knowledge I might have been able to fix the problem without the upgrade. But I've got better things to do with my time.

FWIW, the original error message about losing the connection to the server is rather different to the bounced e-mail and I suspect that the latter is nothing to do with the earlier problems and is the sort of thing that crops up periodically for various reasons.

[Ausatco]

Yes, Spitoon, I think you're right there.

Spanners, try removing the offending address and send it again. If it goes without error, voila!!

If it doesn't ... :mad:

AA

[spannersatcx]

Sorted now, the reason I couldn't send but only receive was (I think) because I was using a broadband connection on my home network as soon as I plugged in the modem and tried it on dial up they sent straight away. Even though I changed the smtp outgoing server to the broadband one it obviously didn't like it.

The upshot was that nortons was causing the problem and once hacked about a bit all came good, I think this explains to me why I don't personally use nortons, I have in the past and it took over so much I binned it, and now I can remember why.

Thanks to all for the help, much appreciated, :cool:

[PPRuNe Pop]

Spanners. Very pleased you resolved the issue and also pleased that you binned Norton - so has my friend - after I left him to it. His machine also increased speed and that says it all for me. I would NEVER let Norton near MY machine. And he has not had any further problems :D :D

[Ausatco]

Good to hear you're now ok, Spanners.
I too have a friend with Nortons trouble. It was taking his machine 5 minutes to shut down, plus other issues. Replaced Nortons with Vet and ZoneAlarm and problem solved.

Also, if your friend is looking for an AV and firewall package, I've found Trend Micro's (http://www.trendmicro.com) Internet Security 2004 to be excellent. I don't know how good the firewall is, I don't use it, preferring Zone Alarm (http://www.zonelabs.com). However, the Trend Micro installation detected ZA's presence and switched off its own firewall, thereby avoiding a rather common clash.

It's email scanning is excellent and allows other email scanners to be hung off it in series. eg, my email is scanned in this order:
[list=1]
By my ISP at the server
By Mailwasher (http://www.firetrust.com/products/pro/)
By Zone Alarm's mail scan
By Trend Micro
By Firetrust Benign (http://www.firetrust.com/products/benign/)(disables nasties possibly embedded in HTML email)
[/list=1]

Not much bad stuff gets through:ok:

AA

[Omark44]

Well I think some of you are being a bit unfair to Norton here!:D
I've used their AV with ZoneAlarm Pro on four computers now and it has all worked well and in harmony.

The people I have come across that have had Norton problems have often caused them for themselves, albeit unwittingly, by mixing their security programmes, using two AV programmes, or Norton Security plus other pop-up and Adware programmes etc. instead of leaving one programme alone to do what it does best.
Of course it helps if they are properly installed and configured in the first place but, like many others, I get bored reading the instructions!



Just my 2d.

[spannersatcx]

Omark44, I hear what you are saying, however all they had installed was NAV and internet security. No adaware, or spybot or anything, one day it worked the next it didn't. At the end of the day you pays your money...........I upgraded them to 2005 versions which seemed better, but it does seem to take over a bit, anyway it's sorted now.

Like I said I had Norton once and returned it under the 60 day money back guaruntee if not satisfied clause as it ground my pc to a standstill. I've had McAfee installed on mine for a while now, touch wood, without any problems.

[spork]

Yes - I can see you “found” a solution to the problem, but I can easily solve any PC problem by throwing a lot of money at it. Postings on just about all PC forums can be answered by saying “buy a new PC” but it won’t be long before that new one will start misbehaving due to it not being set up correctly on day one.

“I think I know as much if not more than the oik down at PC World” Yes - their solutions will be based on a wipe and re-set 100% of the time. That cures the problem of course but it won’t be long before the freshly set-up PC will start misbehaving due to it not being set up correctly once more. It must be frustrating to work there, as they wouldn’t let you apply your knowledge if you had it – hence the oiks!

“With more time and more knowledge I might have been able to fix the problem without the upgrade.” That’s why I said: Find yourself a good PC support person and get them to review your PC - you'll be quids in as a result.

“The people I have come across that have had Norton problems have often caused them for themselves, albeit unwittingly…” and “Of course it helps if they are properly installed and configured in the first place” Wholeheartedly agree! Things have got incredibly complex now and they aren’t going to get any simpler. It’s not true to say that to solve a Norton problem you have to uninstall it – it just has to be installed and maintained correctly - that of course applies to any software of that nature.

“one day it worked the next it didn't” It’s unfortunate that essentially a LiveUpdate caused the initial problem, and that Norton didn’t have the sense to add a dialogue box about running the Application Scan. However, the advice I put in my 25th October 2004 15:16 post solves the problem for now and for the future. McAfee works in exactly the same way, and “touch wood” really isn’t a good PC security motto.

I agree with Omark44 that it’s a shame to see people (including a mod) slagging off Norton. Correctly set-up and maintained, even the older versions will keep you safe from just about everything.

The connection to the server has failed = firewall.
Error message about losing the connection to the server = firewall.
Bounced e-mail/server refusal = incorrect addy or non-existent addy.