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Outlook Error 0x8004210E when trying to receive mail.
Posted by James Robshaw on 29 July 2006 01:56 PM

Problem: I get the following error message when I try to receive mail using Outlook:

 Task 'domain name - Receiving' reported error (0x8004210E) : 'Your mailbox is temporarily unavailable because another e-mail message is being delivered to it or another mail application is accessing it.  The server responded: -ERR Can't get lock.  Mailbox in use'


The Cause:
Under certain conditions (eg. network problems, malformed email messages, more than one email client being configured to poll the server) the lock file which is used to stop more than one person logging into the account at once, fails to be deleted at the end of the POP3 session.

It then prevents you from logging in again, generating the Outlook error above.

The Solution: If there is no further activity on the POP3 mailbox, usually within 15-20 minutes it will be unlocked automatically.

However If you are still experiencing this problem contact ProExe support and we will remove the lock file from your account. 

If the problem occurs again, please make sure that you don't have more than one email client configured to check the same account.

This error can also occur if the message being downloading is malformed, and the client computer has anti-virus or anti-spam software running (such as McAfee or Nortons Anti-virus). The software installed on the client has problems with interpreting the email and doesn't finish, and doesn't try to download the next message from the server.

To resolve, the anti-spam or anti-virus software has to be disabled if not at least to diagnose and debug. In some cases a single message could be holding up the download on the client firewall end, once this message is removed or let through by disabling as previously mentioned every thing can be resumed as per the previous configuration settings, and the anti-virus software can be re-enabled.

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