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Unable to receive e-mail messages "The RETR command did not succeed" "Mail server x.x.x responded: Problem retrieving message"

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  • Last reply by solarman

solarman
solarman
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Thunderbird v 31.4.0 running on Windows 7 I use Thunderbird to read/organize my e-mail every day and have done so succesfully for years. My ISP is AT&T and occasionally, I get error messages when receiving messages indicating a problem with the incoming server, or sometimes with the outgoing server when sending, but until now, a retry has always worked to clear up the error. Now it looks like a solid problem. I am able to send e-mails, but I cannot receive e-mails to any of my 4 e-mail accounts (all AT&T/Yahoo accounts). When I click "Get Messages" I get the error: 

  " The RETR command did not succeed. Error retrieving a message.  Mail server pop.att.yahoo.com
     responded: problem retrieving message"

I called AT&T support. First they asked me if I could verify my Account settings. Yes, nothing has changed. They asked me to try "inbound.att.net" port 995 as my incoming server. No help, I get the same error. They asked if I can access my e-mail using the browser at ATT.NET - Yes, that works fine. They said they find multiple reports of this type of error doing a Google search, but unfortunately, they say they do not support Thunderbird, so they can't help... Good Luck  :(

I suspect it IS an issue with access to incoming e-mail server, since I have not made any recent changes to my account settings and there were no Thunderbird software updates immediately preceeding this issue. Any help would be appreciated. I can read my e-mail online, but there are ads everywhere and much prefer reading and organizing my e-mail with Thunderbird. Thanks.

Thunderbird v 31.4.0 running on Windows 7 I use Thunderbird to read/organize my e-mail every day and have done so succesfully for years. My ISP is AT&T and occasionally, I get error messages when receiving messages indicating a problem with the incoming server, or sometimes with the outgoing server when sending, but until now, a retry has always worked to clear up the error. Now it looks like a solid problem. I am able to send e-mails, but I cannot receive e-mails to any of my 4 e-mail accounts (all AT&T/Yahoo accounts). When I click "Get Messages" I get the error: " The RETR command did not succeed. Error retrieving a message. Mail server pop.att.yahoo.com responded: problem retrieving message" I called AT&T support. First they asked me if I could verify my Account settings. Yes, nothing has changed. They asked me to try "inbound.att.net" port 995 as my incoming server. No help, I get the same error. They asked if I can access my e-mail using the browser at ATT.NET - Yes, that works fine. They said they find multiple reports of this type of error doing a Google search, but unfortunately, they say they do not support Thunderbird, so they can't help... Good Luck :( I suspect it IS an issue with access to incoming e-mail server, since I have not made any recent changes to my account settings and there were no Thunderbird software updates immediately preceeding this issue. Any help would be appreciated. I can read my e-mail online, but there are ads everywhere and much prefer reading and organizing my e-mail with Thunderbird. Thanks.

Chosen solution

'Problem Resolved !!! The source of the problem was a single e-mail message. I don't know what it is about that particular e-mail message, I can read it and all its attachments just fine if I access my e-mail account via the web, but Thunderbird or the inbound server DOES NOT LIKE IT !!!. The strange thing was that the failure to receive that one e-mail message was preventing me from receiving all other e-mails that followed ?!? I solved this problem by logging into my e-mail account via the web, then moving all the e-mails out of the Inbox to a folder. Next, I moved each individual e-mail, one at a time back to the Inbox and each time tried to receive it in Thunderbird. Suddenly, I was receiving messages in Thunderbird. Eventually, when I tried it with this one e-mail, I got the error message repeatedly. Interesting that the content of one message can block all subsequent messages from coming through. I know AT&T would argue, but I suspect the incoming mail server for this issue. Or could it be Thunderbird?

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solarman
solarman Question owner
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Here is some additional information that may help the e-mail technical experts out determine if the problem is with the Thunderbird client or the remote e-mail server...

When I click the "Get Messages" in Thunderbird, at the bottom of my screen I can see a series of status messages all beginning with my e-mail address followed first by "Host Contacted: pop.att.yahoo.com" then by "Downloading message 1 of 34..." but then it is stuck with the error reported above. So, the fact that it is connecting with the server and is able to report the number of messages pending download is good news I think, but still, is the problem with the client or with the server?

solarman
solarman Question owner
more options

Chosen Solution

'Problem Resolved !!! The source of the problem was a single e-mail message. I don't know what it is about that particular e-mail message, I can read it and all its attachments just fine if I access my e-mail account via the web, but Thunderbird or the inbound server DOES NOT LIKE IT !!!. The strange thing was that the failure to receive that one e-mail message was preventing me from receiving all other e-mails that followed ?!? I solved this problem by logging into my e-mail account via the web, then moving all the e-mails out of the Inbox to a folder. Next, I moved each individual e-mail, one at a time back to the Inbox and each time tried to receive it in Thunderbird. Suddenly, I was receiving messages in Thunderbird. Eventually, when I tried it with this one e-mail, I got the error message repeatedly. Interesting that the content of one message can block all subsequent messages from coming through. I know AT&T would argue, but I suspect the incoming mail server for this issue. Or could it be Thunderbird?