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The RETR command did not succeed. Inbound.att.net responded problem retreiving message. Outbound mail is functional.

  • 6 replies
  • 1 has this problem
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  • Last reply by frodgers

frodgers
frodgers

This started out with a no space error even though there was plenty of disk space free. Turns out it is a filesystem limitation of 4gb (32 bit). Fixed that by moving messages to a secondary folder, doing compacting and deleting messages. Worked for another day or so, then failed with this message. How do I turn on extended debug info so I can see which message is the problem on the server or exactly what part of the pop process is failing? I have also taken a look at popstate.dat and I see nothing unusual.

This started out with a no space error even though there was plenty of disk space free. Turns out it is a filesystem limitation of 4gb (32 bit). Fixed that by moving messages to a secondary folder, doing compacting and deleting messages. Worked for another day or so, then failed with this message. How do I turn on extended debug info so I can see which message is the problem on the server or exactly what part of the pop process is failing? I have also taken a look at popstate.dat and I see nothing unusual.

All Replies (6)

Matt
Matt
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Before doing to much logging, try the operating system in safe mode with networking. Often it is the anti virus and it's various components that is the root cause of the issue, although the server renumbering all the mail can also be the issue. Something I think ATT and Yahoo do on a fairly regular basis, given that this forum goes through peeks and troughs of people complaining about the RETR command all at the same time it can only be something happening at the server end.

So try Windows safe mode first Logging https://wiki.mozilla.org/MailNews:Logging

Note that that is over and above the general error console stuff (Tools menu > Error console). The error console can be helpful, but clearing it first get rid of the junk that is accumulates rapidly so you only get what is relevant to your latest attempt to do something.

frodgers
frodgers Question owner

Enabled full logging for POP3 since that is what the server is running. Here is the tail end of the log where failure seems to occur.

0[130f140]: POP3: Entering state: 15

0[130f140]: POP3: Entering state: 15

0[130f140]: POP3: Entering state: 15

0[130f140]: POP3: Entering state: 18

0[130f140]: SEND: RETR 171320


0[130f140]: Entering NET_ProcessPop3 45

0[130f140]: POP3: Entering state: 3

0[130f140]: RECV: -ERR [SYS/TEMP] problem retrieving message.

0[130f140]: POP3: Entering state: 19

0[130f140]: ERROR: pop3RetrFailure

0[130f140]: POP3: Entering state: 24

0[130f140]: Calling ReleaseFolderLock from AbortMailDelivery

0[130f140]: ReleaseFolderLock haveSemaphore = TRUE

0[130f140]: POP3: Entering state: 25

0[130f140]: Clearing server busy in POP3_FREE

0[130f140]: Clearing running protocol in POP3_FREE

0[130f140]: Clearing server busy in OnStopRequest

0[130f140]: ~nsPop3Protocol()

0[130f140]: Calling ReleaseFolderLock from ~nsPop3Sink

0[130f140]: ReleaseFolderLock haveSemaphore = FALSE

Note: I do have a large number of messages held on the server purposely. I also have large local archives.

I am wondering what would be the effect if I did the following separately: 1. setup another box and let it try to sync with the server. 2. move the messages on the server to a sub folder leaving those not downloaded in the inbox.

Matt
Matt
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Easiest and least pain is move mail downloaded from the inbox to another folder on the server and delete the popstate.dat file in the relevant account folder in your profile. Hence clearing Thunderbird "knowledge" of what mail is needed next. Then start Thunderbird and your mail will just download.

frodgers
frodgers Question owner

If I delete popstate.dat what will happen when I delete a message locally and want it also to leave on the server? A little more complication; I also have another AT&T account. What impact will I see to that account since I believe both accounts use the same popstate.dat? Is popstate generated completely new on every sync with the server? My current file is about 7.45 MB.

Matt
Matt
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  • Top 10 Contributor

Each account in Thunderbird has it's own folder. Your att stuff is most likely mail.att.yahoo.com and mail.att.yahoo-1.com A number being added to each new account for that server as it is added. Each POP account has it's own popstate.dat file.

The file contains basically message numbers, those downloaded and still to be deleted on the server, the last one downloaded etc. So deleting it leaves Thunderbird with no idea what has happened in the past so it connects to the server and downloads everything in the inbox, because I has no idea it has already done so.

The size itself is odd. When I look through my folders, I just do not have a file larger that 1kb. But my setting are to either leave messages on the server or delete messages on the server. Not leave until I delete them which requires a server reference for each message.

frodgers
frodgers Question owner

Problem self resolved. I suspect something was wrong with the ATT/Yahoo servers. Now doing the 2 month email catchup.