Outlook Express - can't send or receive emails

I'd be very grateful for advice. Can't send or receive emails - Internet connection is fine. Connection is with Eircom broadband. I've checked Accounts, Properties and Connection and nothing seems different. Connection is via LocalAreaNetwork.

It was OK a couple of days ago and I haven't changed anything. Usually I fall back on a system restore but not sure if that's a good idea or if it would work. Has anyone any idea why this has happened and how to fix it?

Outlook Express's error message is:

"Your server has unexpectedly terminated the connection.......".

What service provider is the account with ? Eircom , o2 and Vodafone accounts seem to work for me so maybe something has changed with the settings? System restore is probably a bit drastic, maybe the account properties have been changed.
Is Outlook managing to login to the accounts, if so then maybe there is a problem with the account and you would be better to logon to the providers own web pages?

Re: (1) Emails OK again. (2) Should ZoneAlarm be purchased?

Thanks for trying to help beldin but I'm back in business. Think the problem was due to my configuration of Zone Alarm. After I posted was able to receive emails then Windows powered down and started checking the disk. I cancelled. When Windows started up again, got a message from Microsoft W's

The system has recovered from a serious error

Click to expand...

The server (Eircom) was again not receiving emails.

I'm afraid I took the MS Windows message with a grain of salt (not blase however). Had already run a few scans that were fine. Then I remembered putting my email address in the Locker - part of the Zone Alarm system. I undid that and, voila, everything OK again.

On the subject of Zone Alarm, I downloaded the trial as I had read on AAM (a mine of useful information) that ZA's Firewall was better than Windows since it monitors traffic both ways. The trial is up tomorrow so will have to buy or let it go. Having paid for Norton, AdawareSE and XoftSpy, am thinking purchasing ZA might be a bit of overkill. Has anyone bought ZoneAlarm? If I'd known in time, I'd have taken Zone Alarm in preference.

Re: (1) Emails OK again. (2) Should ZoneAlarm be purchased?

sherib said:

Thanks for trying to help beldin but I'm back in business. Think the problem was due to my configuration of Zone Alarm. After I posted was able to receive emails then Windows powered down and started checking the disk. I cancelled. When Windows started up again, got a message from Microsoft W's



The server (Eircom) was again not receiving emails.

I'm afraid I took the MS Windows message with a grain of salt (not blase however). Had already run a few scans that were fine. Then I remembered putting my email address in the Locker - part of the Zone Alarm system. I undid that and, voila, everything OK again.

Click to expand...

Ah - so something had changed after all!

On the subject of Zone Alarm, I downloaded the trial as I had read on AAM (a mine of useful information) that ZA's Firewall was better than Windows since it monitors traffic both ways. The trial is up tomorrow so will have to buy or let it go. Having paid for Norton, AdawareSE and XoftSpy, am thinking purchasing ZA might be a bit of overkill. Has anyone bought ZoneAlarm? If I'd known in time, I'd have taken Zone Alarm in preference.

Click to expand...

ZoneAlarm provide a free edition for personal use if that's of any use. It lacks some of the features of the Professional version but is otherwise a fully fledged product and as good as any commercial alternative (and better than XP SP2's firewall for the reason that you mentioned above).