Problem with Windows Mail

[Frank_O]

Bought a computer for my mother-in law(MIL) which came with Windows Vista. The mail programme is Windows Mail which looks a lot like Outlook Express but apparently is completely different underneath.

Anyway, MIL is experiencing difficulty with sending mail. She can receive mail fine from her F2S POP mail account but when she tries to send mail it just parks itself in the Outbox and refuses to go. I have done some research on the net and it seems as if this is a relatively commom fault with Windows Mail. Does anyone here know of a relatively simple fix (no updates etc on Microsoft website) which I can take her through over the phone.

As MIL is in Grimsby and I am in Glasgow, it's difficult to give any more information. I have talked her through using Webmail and even sent illustrated instructions in the post (she's 76). When I next visit her in a few months, I'll probably be able to download Thunderbird (anyone know anything better and free?).

I know this isn't a great deal of information but I was hoping someoen might know more about this problem (or even when MS might be offering a patch)

Thanks

Frank

[AndyBites]

Has Windows mail sent any mail at all successfully so far, or has it worked in the past and now stopped working, or is it intermittent?

[Justin]

Works exactly the same as Outlook Express, it's even based on the same code.

It runs fine on my Vista at home.

Jut make sure you are not using authentication on outgoing or anything like that.

[Nick A J]

With Outlook (not sure about Express), if you open the message in outbox before it has been sent, it will not send even though it is in the outbox. You then have to move them to drafts, open and resend them.


See this MS page:
My Messages stay in the Outbox

[Frank_O]

Thanks for the replies.

In response to AndyBites - yes the programe has been sending mail successfully for about a month until last Thursday, now all messages go to the outbox but do not get sent.

Settings are the same as on my Outlook Express at home which also runs F2S POP mail so should be okay.

As I said in my post, this does appear to be a known issue with Windows Mail
for a certain number of users. I just wondered whether anyone had direct experience of it and knew of a fix.

Thanks for the prompt replies anyway. I have downloaded Thunderbird and will install on MIL's PC the next time I visit. In the meantime she will have to get by on Webmail.

[atsw]

It does sound as if something has got a bit messed up with the outgoing (SMTP) details - perhaps because of a recent vista update or perhaps Windows Mail itself. I would be tempted to remove the account, restart Windows Mail and then re-enter the account details. No mail will be lost, and it will ensure that all the right server settings are associated with the account.

You could probably do this remotely via Remote Desktop or Remote Assistance as long as you both have decent ADSL connections.

Andrew

[kmount]

She _is_ an f2s customer right ? ...

[Frank_O]

Originally Posted by Chaz

She _is_ an f2s customer right ? ...

Yes, she is an F2S customer. I might have a go at deleting the account and setting up again but, as I said previously, an internet search did seem to indicate that this is a known issue with Windows Mail.

Thanks anyway guys, as usual there are always plenty of helpful people willing to give support - much appreciated.

Frank

[atsw]

.... another thing to watch out for. Is there a firewall rule running which is blocking outgoing traffic on Port 25? Just an idea, but worth a check. Be sure to let us know if removing the account and re-instating it works, reading some of the Vista forums it seems to have done the trick for others with 'stuck' mail (although in the ones I read the messages could not be deleted from the mailbox folders, rather than could not be sent, but it might work).

Andrew