Hello Osprey and Michael,

Sorry not to get back to you sooner.  In a busy law firm, I just don't have time to fiddle with software, and that's why I especially appreciate the help I've received from you and others who participate in user forums.

With regard to this thread, my original problem of multiple downloads has been solved, and by changing the settings I have been able to keep the "POP3 Network or Protocol Error" from reappearing except at lengthy intervals. So I consider the problem solved.

Many thanks for your willingness to help.  I'm sure I'll need help again, and I'm glad there are people smarter than I who stand ready to offer assistance!

Roland

One of our Windows XP computers running Pegasus 4.5 suddenly started getting multiple copies of incoming messages.  For example, I sent a test message to that computer this morning at about 8:30 a.m. and within an hour it was downloaded about 30 times.  Soon we had to shut down the program because it had received nearly 500 messages, almost all repeats of messages sent within the past few days.  The settings are set to delete emails downloaded from the server.

Also, an error message keep appearing, "POP3 Network or Protocol Error," which says essentially that the user name or password is incorrect and authentication failed.

 I tried uninstalling and reinstalling Pegasus, but that did not help.  Same problems reappeared.

Although I've been using Pegasus for at least ten years, I have only an average lay person's understanding of technological issues.  I would appreciate help in knowing how to stop these multiplying emails and how to stop the error message (which I realize may be aspects of the same problem).  Thank you,

Roland Chase

See picture below. Make sure you got that box checked (delete mail on server)

Hi Yass,

 Thanks for your reply.  As I said in describing the problem, "The settings are set to delete emails downloaded from the server."  So I did check the box you referred me to.  Any other ideas?  

 Roland

Admittedly, this is a long shot, but perhaps you could check that your pmail.ini file does in fact contain this line.

Delete downloaded mail from host          = Y

Cheers!

[quote user="rchase"]So I did check the box you referred me to.  Any other ideas?[/quote]

If Pegasus Mail cannot terminate a POP3 session properly it may not be able to change the server's message status or delete messages which it only does after successfully retrieving all unread messages. You may need to enable connection logging (on Tools => Internet options => General, please read the associated help for details) for figuring out what's going on, it might be a single message causing Pegasus Mail to fail and abort unsuccessfully.

Thank you, Steffan.  My problems are half-way solved.

 I checked the pmail.ini file and it did not contain the line you suggested.  I inserted that line, saved the file, exited Pegasus, and reopened it.  Unfortunately, that did not solve the problem of continuously downloaded files.  However, in further examining Pegasus on this computer I learned something new about Pegasus.  There are actually TWO ways of making sure that email on the server is deleted when retrieved, so it doesn't keep coming down when checking for email.  The user on this computer was using the MultiPOP window, and edited the Connection entry for her email address with a check mark next to the box stating "Delete retrieved mail on host."

 However, when I went through Tools/Internet options/Receiving (POP#), there is another box that says “Delete mail on server once it has been successfully retrieved.”  That was NOT checked.  And that of course solved the problem of repeated downloads.  I still do not understand why this should happen, since it was for the same email account as the one in the MultiPOP window that was checked to delete retrieved mail on host.  Apparently if you use MultiPOP you have to make two entries to prevent mail from remaining on the server.

 I don't know if you can help me with my other problem, which has not been solved.  Every 15 seconds or so an error message appears that says "POP3 Network or Protocol Error.  ... "The host claims that either the username or password you have supplied is invalid."  The trace showing end of transaction contains six lines:

[*] Connection established to 69.89.31.230

>> 0020 +OK Dovecot ready.

<< 0012 USER krowe

>> 0005 +OK

<< 0016 PASS XXXXXXXXX

>> 0029 -ERR Authentication failed.

(I have a .gif screen shot but could not figure out how to insert it in this message).

Many thanks for your help.

Roland

Michael,

Thank you for your suggestion.  Because I was able to solve the problem of repeated downloads I did not need to enable connection logging (not sure I know how to do that anyway.)  Please see my reply to Steffan, if you can help with my other problem.

 Roland

[quote user="rchase"] I don't know if you can help me with my other problem, which has not been solved.  Every 15 seconds or so an error message appears that says "POP3 Network or Protocol Error.  ... "The host claims that either the username or password you have supplied is invalid."  The trace showing end of transaction contains six lines:

[*] Connection established to 69.89.31.230

>> 0020 +OK Dovecot ready.

<< 0012 USER krowe

>> 0005 +OK

<< 0016 PASS XXXXXXXXX

>> 0029 -ERR Authentication failed.[/quote]

Roland, first of all the above is a connection log (or internet session log), so you obviously know how to get it. Secondly the answer appears to be pretty clear: The password seems to be wrong - unless you can download emails from this account using the exact same credentials some other way (via webmail interface, e.g.). If the latter works you may need to enable some of the advanced authentication options on Tools => Internet options => Receiving (POP 3) => [double-click a POP 3 definition] => Security.

[quote user="idw"]Roland, first of all the above is a connection log (or internet session log), so you obviously know how to get it. [...][/quote]

Michael,
Not necessarily the session log; since those few lines also are part of the error messages that Pegasus show for 20 seconds by default. It can also, obviously, be part of the connection log, but if he says he doesn't know how to set that, then I assume he doesn't. Apart from that I agree with you, and you described the two alternatives very good, i.e. if possible via webmail, then it must be an authentication setting (or perhaps some odd one-off glitch, timing issue etc. at the ISP, but that wouldn't last forever, so a password or some authentication issue).

Roland,
If you at some point in the future want to enable connection logging, see what Michael mentioned in a post earlier. (That is: in the menu: Tools > Internet options > On the General tab > Check the box "Create Internet session logs (advanced diagnostic use only)".). Do remember to disable it after a connection attempt. You can then read the log file. Otherwise it will create or add to the log files every time you try to connect. And this is only a troubleshooting "tool".

From the help file:
[quote]Create Internet session logs (advanced diagnostic use only)  Checking this control tells Pegasus Mail to create special log files that show the entire exchange of information between it and the servers it connects to. Each session will be created in a file called TCPxxxx.WPM in your home mailbox directory (the "xxxx" is replaced by four digits).[/quote]
And if you see the error message that often ("Every 15 seconds") it means that Pegasus tries to connect that often; I don't know, but it seems to be set quite low.