Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

suddenly getting RETR error when trying to get mail from POP3 yahoo mail server.

  • 1 reply
  • 19 have this problem
  • 11 views
  • Last reply by Matt

more options

I use Thunderbird 24.3.0 for three mail accounts - gmail, comcast and yahoo/sbcglobal. The gmail and comcast accounts work as they should. Two days ago the yahoo account (POP3) failed on Get Mail with an error message:

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


(Some messages came in (85/190) but the rest cannot be retrieved.

I checked all server settings - correct server, port, security, password. I removed and re-installed the mail account. No difference. Checked with Yahoo answers and did not find any definitive answer. This is a POP3 account. Technically hosted by SBCGLOBAL but under a Yahoo brand. (no info on the SBCGlobal site related to this problem)

I use Thunderbird 24.3.0 for three mail accounts - gmail, comcast and yahoo/sbcglobal. The gmail and comcast accounts work as they should. Two days ago the yahoo account (POP3) failed on Get Mail with an error message: The RETR command did not succeed. Error retrieving a message. Mail server pop.att.yahoo.com responded: problem retrieving message. (Some messages came in (85/190) but the rest cannot be retrieved. I checked all server settings - correct server, port, security, password. I removed and re-installed the mail account. No difference. Checked with Yahoo answers and did not find any definitive answer. This is a POP3 account. Technically hosted by SBCGLOBAL but under a Yahoo brand. (no info on the SBCGlobal site related to this problem)

All Replies (1)

more options

unfortunately Yahoo and their Branded contracts just don't work as advertised and neither the ISPs Nor Yahoo appear in the slightest bit interested.

If you delete the popstate.dat file in the profile folder in the yahoo server directory, it will restart the download again from the top (Everything)

You might also find that disabling email scanning in your anti virus program may be beneficial. (Could it be McAfee?)

The majority of RETR complaints here are from ATT and BT users, both of whom get McAfee given in by their ISP.