web-based e-mail

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dean
  • Start date Start date
D

Dean

I do subcontract work for a firm that requires me to use one of their e-mail addresses for communications with their clients. Because I also have my own e-mail, I find myself constantly logging out of Outlook and logging back in alternately to each account. Given that I want to be responsive to both my customers and his, this becomes very time consuming.

The tech guy at the firm (remotely via VPN and PCAnywhere) spent hours trying to help me. First we tried to install various e-mail notification systems (mailbell, etc, etc) , but each one bombed out shortly after I opened them. He said they worked fine on his and other computers. Then, I decided it might be Ok to simply log onto this company's web-based e-mail, one which, unlike mine with adelphia.net, doesn't log you off if you don't use it for 10 minutes. However, when I first logged on, it would start initial loading but never get anywhere. So, effectively, I cannot use it. The tech guy feels the causes are the same and is not willing to spend any more time with me - he has spent hours already, in his defense. This is what he tells me about what he has already done and what he is willing to do:

I believe there's a problem with the CDO or related libraries. I tried to reinstall the CDO, remove bad java objects from Internet Explorer, check for viruses, and clear temporary internet cache as well as temporary files.

I would be happy to rebuild your system, which entails to wiping out your hard disk drive and reinstalling Windows XP plus Office, applying all updates and recreating your Outlook profile for our company's mail. You will have to reinstall all other applications. This job will take me under 3 hours to do. Otherwise, it will take too long to resolve the current problems, which we already have spent quite a bit more than 3 hours.

I am not able to be without my computer and, even, if I can do it myself, am reticent to do something this drastic, considering that I have two VPNs that work fine, no other problems in surfing anywhere, and can use adelphia's web-based e-mail just fine.

Does anyone have any potential fixes I can try?

Dean
 
Hi Dean, there are plenty of middleware offerings

I use http://mail.onlineni.net/parse.pl?file=html/english/help/sync.html with Outlook.

ICQ (messenger) has options to retireve mail notifications and coupled with Trillian (which consolidates all of your instant messenging and mail accounts)

Your Techo seems to think that there is something wrong with CDO (collaborative Data Objects. What the ?). You should be able to run Help>Detect and Repair menu option in Outlook.

Can't you get them to forward your mail to your one account?
I do subcontract work for a firm that requires me to use one of their e-mail addresses for communications with their clients. Because I also have my own e-mail, I find myself constantly logging out of Outlook and logging back in alternately to each account. Given that I want to be responsive to both my customers and his, this becomes very time consuming.

The tech guy at the firm (remotely via VPN and PCAnywhere) spent hours trying to help me. First we tried to install various e-mail notification systems (mailbell, etc, etc) , but each one bombed out shortly after I opened them. He said they worked fine on his and other computers. Then, I decided it might be Ok to simply log onto this company's web-based e-mail, one which, unlike mine with adelphia.net, doesn't log you off if you don't use it for 10 minutes. However, when I first logged on, it would start initial loading but never get anywhere. So, effectively, I cannot use it. The tech guy feels the causes are the same and is not willing to spend any more time with me - he has spent hours already, in his defense. This is what he tells me about what he has already done and what he is willing to do:

I believe there's a problem with the CDO or related libraries. I tried to reinstall the CDO, remove bad java objects from Internet Explorer, check for viruses, and clear temporary internet cache as well as temporary files.

I would be happy to rebuild your system, which entails to wiping out your hard disk drive and reinstalling Windows XP plus Office, applying all updates and recreating your Outlook profile for our company's mail. You will have to reinstall all other applications. This job will take me under 3 hours to do. Otherwise, it will take too long to resolve the current problems, which we already have spent quite a bit more than 3 hours.

I am not able to be without my computer and, even, if I can do it myself, am reticent to do something this drastic, considering that I have two VPNs that work fine, no other problems in surfing anywhere, and can use adelphia's web-based e-mail just fine.

Does anyone have any potential fixes I can try?

Dean
 
Thanks, I have sent this to my techo, who is probably sick of my problems. Actually, in the midst of all this, it dawned on me that I also had Outlook Express and might be able to use that. He has hooked me up that way, via IMAP, though it does tie up one of their VPN connections all day. So, maybe I shouldn't worry.

As far as forwarding e-mail, forwarding a copy might work, but not the e-mail itself, as they are subject to SEC type privacy regs etc, which may not like having e-mails sent somewhere else (although I suppose the original stays on their server).

I'm not sure what middleware is - Is this the equivalent of mail-bell and others, all which seemed to fail? Also, I did not mean to suggest that there was any problem with Outlook itself. Just with all programs like Mailbell, as well as loading my e-mail from this company's web-based e-mail system. Doesn't your detect and repair solution (is that easy for even me to run) suggest that you thought I was saying the problem was in Outlook?

Thanks so much,
Dean
Hi Dean, there are plenty of middleware offerings

I use http://mail.onlineni.net/parse.pl?file=html/english/help/sync.html with Outlook.

ICQ (messenger) has options to retireve mail notifications and coupled with Trillian (which consolidates all of your instant messenging and mail accounts)

Your Techo seems to think that there is something wrong with CDO (collaborative Data Objects. What the ?). You should be able to run Help>Detect and Repair menu option in Outlook.

Can't you get them to forward your mail to your one account?
I do subcontract work for a firm that requires me to use one of their e-mail addresses for communications with their clients. Because I also have my own e-mail, I find myself constantly logging out of Outlook and logging back in alternately to each account. Given that I want to be responsive to both my customers and his, this becomes very time consuming.

The tech guy at the firm (remotely via VPN and PCAnywhere) spent hours trying to help me. First we tried to install various e-mail notification systems (mailbell, etc, etc) , but each one bombed out shortly after I opened them. He said they worked fine on his and other computers. Then, I decided it might be Ok to simply log onto this company's web-based e-mail, one which, unlike mine with adelphia.net, doesn't log you off if you don't use it for 10 minutes. However, when I first logged on, it would start initial loading but never get anywhere. So, effectively, I cannot use it. The tech guy feels the causes are the same and is not willing to spend any more time with me - he has spent hours already, in his defense. This is what he tells me about what he has already done and what he is willing to do:

I believe there's a problem with the CDO or related libraries. I tried to reinstall the CDO, remove bad java objects from Internet Explorer, check for viruses, and clear temporary internet cache as well as temporary files.

I would be happy to rebuild your system, which entails to wiping out your hard disk drive and reinstalling Windows XP plus Office, applying all updates and recreating your Outlook profile for our company's mail. You will have to reinstall all other applications. This job will take me under 3 hours to do. Otherwise, it will take too long to resolve the current problems, which we already have spent quite a bit more than 3 hours.

I am not able to be without my computer and, even, if I can do it myself, am reticent to do something this drastic, considering that I have two VPNs that work fine, no other problems in surfing anywhere, and can use adelphia's web-based e-mail just fine.

Does anyone have any potential fixes I can try?

Dean
 
Your techo mentioned CDO which is part of Outlook. So doing the Outlook repiar option should fix the CDO problem (if it is a problem)
Thanks, I have sent this to my techo, who is probably sick of my problems. Actually, in the midst of all this, it dawned on me that I also had Outlook Express and might be able to use that. He has hooked me up that way, via IMAP, though it does tie up one of their VPN connections all day. So, maybe I shouldn't worry.

As far as forwarding e-mail, forwarding a copy might work, but not the e-mail itself, as they are subject to SEC type privacy regs etc, which may not like having e-mails sent somewhere else (although I suppose the original stays on their server).

I'm not sure what middleware is - Is this the equivalent of mail-bell and others, all which seemed to fail? Also, I did not mean to suggest that there was any problem with Outlook itself. Just with all programs like Mailbell, as well as loading my e-mail from this company's web-based e-mail system. Doesn't your detect and repair solution (is that easy for even me to run) suggest that you thought I was saying the problem was in Outlook?

Thanks so much,
Dean
Hi Dean, there are plenty of middleware offerings

I use http://mail.onlineni.net/parse.pl?file=html/english/help/sync.html with Outlook.

ICQ (messenger) has options to retireve mail notifications and coupled with Trillian (which consolidates all of your instant messenging and mail accounts)

Your Techo seems to think that there is something wrong with CDO (collaborative Data Objects. What the ?). You should be able to run Help>Detect and Repair menu option in Outlook.

Can't you get them to forward your mail to your one account?
I do subcontract work for a firm that requires me to use one of their e-mail addresses for communications with their clients. Because I also have my own e-mail, I find myself constantly logging out of Outlook and logging back in alternately to each account. Given that I want to be responsive to both my customers and his, this becomes very time consuming.

The tech guy at the firm (remotely via VPN and PCAnywhere) spent hours trying to help me. First we tried to install various e-mail notification systems (mailbell, etc, etc) , but each one bombed out shortly after I opened them. He said they worked fine on his and other computers. Then, I decided it might be Ok to simply log onto this company's web-based e-mail, one which, unlike mine with adelphia.net, doesn't log you off if you don't use it for 10 minutes. However, when I first logged on, it would start initial loading but never get anywhere. So, effectively, I cannot use it. The tech guy feels the causes are the same and is not willing to spend any more time with me - he has spent hours already, in his defense. This is what he tells me about what he has already done and what he is willing to do:

I believe there's a problem with the CDO or related libraries. I tried to reinstall the CDO, remove bad java objects from Internet Explorer, check for viruses, and clear temporary internet cache as well as temporary files.

I would be happy to rebuild your system, which entails to wiping out your hard disk drive and reinstalling Windows XP plus Office, applying all updates and recreating your Outlook profile for our company's mail. You will have to reinstall all other applications. This job will take me under 3 hours to do. Otherwise, it will take too long to resolve the current problems, which we already have spent quite a bit more than 3 hours.

I am not able to be without my computer and, even, if I can do it myself, am reticent to do something this drastic, considering that I have two VPNs that work fine, no other problems in surfing anywhere, and can use adelphia's web-based e-mail just fine.

Does anyone have any potential fixes I can try?

Dean
 
Here was his answer to your prior post. Kindly do not take offense as he worked very hard to help me and his final solution was to send me my computer and have him reformat the hard drive and reinstall, not a scenario I could consider. And no professional likes to be second guessed! Any thoughts?

The guy responding appears to be an ordinary POP3 user, not an Exchange Corporate Workgroup (CW) user, so has no concept of how CDO interacts with Outlook in CW mode and Outlook Web Access (OWA aka Web Mail). CDO is not used in POP3 environment, thus, his puzzlement as to why CDO is at all involved.

I'm pretty sure we tried to uninstall and reinstall Outlook, which would be one-up better than the Detect and Repair tool. I doubt it's going to help but I'd be happy to do this for you.


Your techo mentioned CDO which is part of Outlook. So doing the Outlook repiar option should fix the CDO problem (if it is a problem)
Thanks, I have sent this to my techo, who is probably sick of my problems. Actually, in the midst of all this, it dawned on me that I also had Outlook Express and might be able to use that. He has hooked me up that way, via IMAP, though it does tie up one of their VPN connections all day. So, maybe I shouldn't worry.

As far as forwarding e-mail, forwarding a copy might work, but not the e-mail itself, as they are subject to SEC type privacy regs etc, which may not like having e-mails sent somewhere else (although I suppose the original stays on their server).

I'm not sure what middleware is - Is this the equivalent of mail-bell and others, all which seemed to fail? Also, I did not mean to suggest that there was any problem with Outlook itself. Just with all programs like Mailbell, as well as loading my e-mail from this company's web-based e-mail system. Doesn't your detect and repair solution (is that easy for even me to run) suggest that you thought I was saying the problem was in Outlook?

Thanks so much,
Dean
Hi Dean, there are plenty of middleware offerings

I use http://mail.onlineni.net/parse.pl?file=html/english/help/sync.html with Outlook.

ICQ (messenger) has options to retireve mail notifications and coupled with Trillian (which consolidates all of your instant messenging and mail accounts)

Your Techo seems to think that there is something wrong with CDO (collaborative Data Objects. What the ?). You should be able to run Help>Detect and Repair menu option in Outlook.

Can't you get them to forward your mail to your one account?
I do subcontract work for a firm that requires me to use one of their e-mail addresses for communications with their clients. Because I also have my own e-mail, I find myself constantly logging out of Outlook and logging back in alternately to each account. Given that I want to be responsive to both my customers and his, this becomes very time consuming.

The tech guy at the firm (remotely via VPN and PCAnywhere) spent hours trying to help me. First we tried to install various e-mail notification systems (mailbell, etc, etc) , but each one bombed out shortly after I opened them. He said they worked fine on his and other computers. Then, I decided it might be Ok to simply log onto this company's web-based e-mail, one which, unlike mine with adelphia.net, doesn't log you off if you don't use it for 10 minutes. However, when I first logged on, it would start initial loading but never get anywhere. So, effectively, I cannot use it. The tech guy feels the causes are the same and is not willing to spend any more time with me - he has spent hours already, in his defense. This is what he tells me about what he has already done and what he is willing to do:

I believe there's a problem with the CDO or related libraries. I tried to reinstall the CDO, remove bad java objects from Internet Explorer, check for viruses, and clear temporary internet cache as well as temporary files.

I would be happy to rebuild your system, which entails to wiping out your hard disk drive and reinstalling Windows XP plus Office, applying all updates and recreating your Outlook profile for our company's mail. You will have to reinstall all other applications. This job will take me under 3 hours to do. Otherwise, it will take too long to resolve the current problems, which we already have spent quite a bit more than 3 hours.

I am not able to be without my computer and, even, if I can do it myself, am reticent to do something this drastic, considering that I have two VPNs that work fine, no other problems in surfing anywhere, and can use adelphia's web-based e-mail just fine.

Does anyone have any potential fixes I can try?

Dean
 
Dean, here are some thought I had on your issue:
1. if you are using outlook then you are using POP3
2. instead of using outlook for this e-mail account, you can check your mail
3 different ways:
1. if that company is using Exchange 2003, then you can log in with OWA.
This is already built in to Exchange 2003 and would be accessed through
internet explorer. you would type something like http://{company web
site}/exchange
you would log in and ie would display like outlook does.

2. you could term into this office if they have a terminal server. All the
tech would have to do is give you permission to do this and set up outlook on
the terminal server. Doing it this way, you would actually be using outlook
on another computer to check your email. This could remain open throughout
the day. Many companies use this method.

3. Install Eudora on your laptop. It is a solid email program like outlook
is and used to be very popular before Microsoft expanded outlooks abilities.
This way you would use outlook for youe e-mail and eudora for your client's
email.

I'm not quite sure what he thinks the problem is with your computer. But if
he is correct and something is wrong with your computer (it could be just one
file that is bad) you dont need to reinstall windows. You could do a repair
of windows by booting from the windows CD. what this does is replaces all the
windows files with fresh copies from the windows cd, which would correct any
bad file. I recommend not trying it yourself unless you have an experienced
tech on the phone walking you through it. It takes about 1 1/2 hours to
complete and all your programs would still be installed and functional. There
is one draw back. I have done this many times and sometimes a program will
not function after this procedure. This is because that program replaced a
windows file when it was installed and the repair procedure just put that
file back to the windows version. If this happens, then you have to reinstall
that program.

Always make sure you backup all necessary data before trying to resolve a
computer issue.

Persoanlly, I would just install Eudora. It is safe and a faster resolution
and you can keep both outlook ans eudora open at the same time.

Pproblem Solved
 
As it turns out, I am able to use my unused Outlook Express ("OE") to
monitor that company's e-mail after all, via their VPN. I thought they
would care that I was using a VPN connection 20 hrs a day but they don't
seem to. OE seems to crash about once a day, but that's not so bad really!
I assume it's as good as Eudora, and I do like to use it for Newsgroups like
this?

So, I suppose my problem is pretty much solved. The only thing that bothers
me, nonetheless, is why all those mail notification systems would not work
correctly PLUS that I couldn't get my e-mails to "load" from the company's
web-based secure "Microsoft Outlook Web Access" e-mail (is that what you're
suggesting in item #1?) - the latter works fine on another computer on my
network, so something in my computer, not the router, is problematic, I
guess. As I noted in an earlier e-mail, the tech guy thinks the causes are
related. My only concern is that the problem will worsen or is affecting
other things, without my knowledge. It certainly doesn't seem that way.

My guess is that he feels that he'd rather simply reinstall windows and
everything and feel certain the system was clean than to do this repair,
particularly if it takes 1.5 hours. If I do it myself and consult with him
for any questions, is it likely that he needs to only watch it for a few
minutes? If this is simply due to a damaged windows file, is it likely to
remain limited to these two kinds of issues above? Otherwise, I have no
problems whatsoever and maybe should just leave well enough alone. What do
you think?

Thanks much!
Dean
 
General OE Caveats:

- Don't use Inbox or Sent Items to archive messages. Move them to local
folders created for this purpose.

- Empty Deleted Items folder daily.

- Disable Background Compacting [N/A in SP2] and frequently perform a manual
compact of all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm.

- Do not attempt to close OE via Task Manager or shutdown your machine if
Automatic Compacting is taking place (WinXP SP2 only).

- Your anti-virus application's email scanning feature can also cause
corruption. Disable it. It provides no additional protection.
--
OE6-specific newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress
OE General newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.outlookexpress.general

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE, Shell/User, Security), Aumha.org VSOP, DTS-L.org
 
Though I assume it is unrelated, why would I have trouble getting to a
website as common as www.outback.com ?

Dean

PA Bear said:
General OE Caveats:

- Don't use Inbox or Sent Items to archive messages. Move them to local
folders created for this purpose.

- Empty Deleted Items folder daily.

- Disable Background Compacting [N/A in SP2] and frequently perform a
manual compact of all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm.

- Do not attempt to close OE via Task Manager or shutdown your machine if
Automatic Compacting is taking place (WinXP SP2 only).

- Your anti-virus application's email scanning feature can also cause
corruption. Disable it. It provides no additional protection.
--
OE6-specific newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress
OE General newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.outlookexpress.general

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE, Shell/User, Security), Aumha.org VSOP, DTS-L.org
...OE seems to crash about once a day, but that's not so bad
really!
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
We'd need more detail about that problem, Dean, which should be the subject
of a new thread here.
--
~PA Bear
Though I assume it is unrelated, why would I have trouble getting to a
website as common as www.outback.com ?

Dean

PA Bear said:
General OE Caveats:

- Don't use Inbox or Sent Items to archive messages. Move them to local
folders created for this purpose.

- Empty Deleted Items folder daily.

- Disable Background Compacting [N/A in SP2] and frequently perform a
manual compact of all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm.

- Do not attempt to close OE via Task Manager or shutdown your machine
if Automatic Compacting is taking place (WinXP SP2 only).

- Your anti-virus application's email scanning feature can also cause
corruption. Disable it. It provides no additional protection.
--
OE6-specific newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress
OE General newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.outlookexpress.general

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE, Shell/User, Security), Aumha.org VSOP, DTS-L.org
...OE seems to crash about once a day, but that's not so bad
really!
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
<< Your anti-virus application's email scanning feature can also cause
corruption. Disable it. It provides no additional protection.>>

I assume, in the case of AVG Free, you're referring to scans of both
incoming and outgoing?

Also, that your advice is the same for Outlook, not just OE?

Lastly, I'm not sure if I have sp2. It says it's 6.00.2900,2180, then in
parens it says "xpsp_sp2_rtm..." If I don't have SP2, kindly tell me how to
disable background compacting?

Thanks
Dean

PA Bear said:
General OE Caveats:

- Don't use Inbox or Sent Items to archive messages. Move them to local
folders created for this purpose.

- Empty Deleted Items folder daily.

- Disable Background Compacting [N/A in SP2] and frequently perform a
manual compact of all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm.

- Do not attempt to close OE via Task Manager or shutdown your machine if
Automatic Compacting is taking place (WinXP SP2 only).

- Your anti-virus application's email scanning feature can also cause
corruption. Disable it. It provides no additional protection.
--
OE6-specific newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress
OE General newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.outlookexpress.general

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE, Shell/User, Security), Aumha.org VSOP, DTS-L.org
...OE seems to crash about once a day, but that's not so bad
really!
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Your headers tell me you're running WinXP SP2 (Microsoft Outlook Express
6.00.2900.2180).

"Compacting in the background" has been removed in OE6 running WinXP SP2.

"Automatic Compacing" has been enabled in OE6 running in WinXP SP2.
Independent of how many times or how often you compact all folders manually,
Windows will notify you that it will compact all folders every 100 times you
close OE and this cannot be disabled. When you encounter this, just let it
happen: Don't try to close OE via Task Manager or shut down the machine
until it finishes...or risk losing part or all of your message store.

Please post further OE questions to one of these OE newsgroups:
--
OE6-specific newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress
OE General newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.outlookexpress.general

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE, Shell/User, Security), Aumha.org VSOP, DTS-L.org

<< Your anti-virus application's email scanning feature can also cause
corruption. Disable it. It provides no additional protection.>>

I assume, in the case of AVG Free, you're referring to scans of both
incoming and outgoing?

Also, that your advice is the same for Outlook, not just OE?

Lastly, I'm not sure if I have sp2. It says it's 6.00.2900,2180, then in
parens it says "xpsp_sp2_rtm..." If I don't have SP2, kindly tell me how
to disable background compacting?
General OE Caveats:

- Don't use Inbox or Sent Items to archive messages. Move them to local
folders created for this purpose.

- Empty Deleted Items folder daily.

- Disable Background Compacting [N/A in SP2] and frequently perform a
manual compact of all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm.

- Do not attempt to close OE via Task Manager or shutdown your machine
if Automatic Compacting is taking place (WinXP SP2 only).

- Your anti-virus application's email scanning feature can also cause
corruption. Disable it. It provides no additional protection.
--
Dean said:
...OE seems to crash about once a day, but that's not so bad
really!
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I'm just now realizing that you may have not read far enough back in the
thread. The only problem was with accessing their webmail (Outlook Web
Access) from my home computer. I get to the site OK, but it says it is
"loading", but has never actually loaded. In the bottom left, if I click on
"Done", it has about 5 errors, wherein it shows the line of the error, a #,
the character of the error, also a #, the type of the error (all but one is
"unspecified", the other one is "object doesn't support this property or
method") and the code (which is zero in all cases), then the URL.

Does this provide any clues as to what could prevent it from downloading all
my old e-mails?

It definitely does work on other computers.

Thanks!
Dean
 
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