/ Deleting a Stuck E-mail

Deleting a Stuck E-mail

I can’t get current emails, only ones that have been received time and time again, despite deleting them. I can send but not receive emails. I am using Outlook Express. Please help a pensioner with not a lot of technical knowledge? Kate Dubensky

Remove Email from your Server

When it comes to a problem like this, there is a good chance that there is an email stuck on the server that is interfering with your incoming mail, rather than a problem on your computer. Let’s start with a few troubleshooting steps to clear the server.

Removing the Stuck E-mail Message

Often, a single message in your Inbox will get stuck, causing a blockage. When this happens, you may receive several e-mail messages (often repeats), then the problematic e-mail comes along and cannot be downloaded. None of the emails in line after the problematic message can come through either. When you hit Send and Receive again, the same thing happens, you’ll receive the first few messages before the problematic one and then nothing. The solution is to delete the problematic message. However, this is difficult to do because it hasn’t been downloaded yet!

You can delete it on the server side if you have access to a Web-based version of your e-mail. For example, do you have a Web site where you can check your e-mail online through your ISP? If so, check your e-mail online and delete the troublesome message. If not, contact your ISP and explain that you think a corrupt e-mail is blocking emails from downloading to your computer. They can then delete the message for you.

Contact your ISP for your Account Settings

If the above steps don’t solve the problem, it’s a good idea to verify that your account settings and server settings are properly configured. In order to confirm your settings, you need to have some information about your account. If you have this information in your records, then you’re ready to go. If not, you can get it by contacting your Internet service provider. You will need to know:

The email address
The type of account you use: POP3, IMAP or HTTP
User name and password
The SMTP server name or address
The POP3 server name or address
If a Secure Password Authentication is required
The port number for SMTP - usually port 25 - and is encryption required
The port number for POP3 - usually port 110 - and is encryption required
If the outgoing server require authentication

Check OE Email Account Settings

With this information, you can check your configurations are set properly:

Start Outlook Express
Choose Tools, then Account Settings
Choose the Email tab, then New
Choose Microsoft Exchange, POP3, IMAP, or http, then Next
Click the box to Manually Configure Server Settings
From the Add New Email Account box, choose Internet Email
When you get a box listing your setting information, check to confirm that the information is the same as the data your ISP gave you
Choose More Settings and confirm that the box for My Outgoing Server (SMTP) is checked or not checked, whichever your ISP told you
Click Use Same Settings as My Incoming Mail Server, then OK
Click Test Account Settings
Click Next and then Finish

Repair your Internet Explorer Installation

If none of this is helpful then you might want to repair your Internet Explorer installation. Since Outlook Express is part of your IE software, this will resolve any issues here too. First, click Start, then Settings, then Control Panel. Choose Add/Remove, then scroll to your IE listing and click to highlight it. Click the Remove button, then on the next screen choose Repair.