Outlook 2003: 0x80042108 Error

Boot machine, login in to OL2003 and check email with no problem.

After surfing the web for a while, go back to OL2003 and try checking mail and get the error number in the title and a message similar to

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Outlook is unable to connect to your incoming (POP3) e-mail server. If you continue to receive this message, contact your server administrator or Internet service provider (ISP)

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.If I reboot the problem goes away for a while.

I've tried timing it to see if if it's a time thing, tried after cetain sites, using certain programs, updating Ad-Aware, Spybot, A-Squared, NAV etc.

I can't seem to pin point when it happens, but as I said a reboot seems to correct it unti lthe next time.

What to do ?

http://undercrank.com/posts/04/01/ou...ror-0x80042108

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Rob on June 20, 2006

I was getting this same error and could not figure it out for the life of me. I tried disabling all virus scanning, didn't work. I contacted my email provider and ISP, and they couldn't see any problems. If you are having the same problem and none of the previous solutions have worked I may have the answer. In Outlook, go to tools->email accounts. Hit next, choose your email account and click change. Click the more settings button and go to the advanced tab. Put a check in the "This server requires an encrypted connection (SSL)" box for your incoming server and hit OK. Click test account settings. You should get a message that says it didn't work. Go back to "more settings" and the advanced tab. Uncheck the "This server requires..." box. Make sure the correct port number (usually 110) shows up again and click OK. If you test the settings again it should complete without errors. I have no idea why this works. The settings were correct the whole time. For some reason changing them and then changing them back fixes it. I had to do this on about 15 computers in my office, and it worked for each one.

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http://www.slipstick.com/problems/errorcode.htm

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Error 0x80042108 when receiving messages. - There are a couple of causes for this error. You may have SSL enabled and don't need it or you are running Norton Personal Firewall 2002 or Norton Internet Security software.

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Error message when you start Microsoft Outlook: "0x80042108 Outlook is unable to connect to your incoming POP3 e-mail server
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/3187...d=2520&sid=223

Thanks I tried or had already seen most of those things to no avail.

Last night I think I worked it out.

A couple of weeks ago I was getting annoyed with the Windows Messenger icon always appearing with a red x in the notification area.

Since I didn't use it I tried to find somewhere to uninstall it.

I could only find the option to uninstall from the Start Menu not the actuall application itself.

So I went to Control Panel > Adminstrative Tools > Computer Managment > Services and disabled something called messenger.

I also started Windows Messenger went to options and unchecked the option to allow WM to run in the background.

No more WM icon.

Last night I noticed that WM icon was back and I right clicked on it and clicked exit and it told me I couldn't close it becuase other open programs were dependant on it.

The only other program open was Outlook 2003.

It then dawned on me that may be by me disabling Messenger in services and unchecking the option to have WM running in the background, it could have caused my problem.

So I reversed those things and it's been fine since.

Incidentally I went to check the messenger service on my work PC and it was also disabled, but I notice that it says

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This service is not related to Windows Messenger

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so maybe it was just the unchecking of the run in background option for WM that caused my issue and reversing that fixed it.

Looks like I was wrong, the problem reared it's ugly head again.

I have seen lots of instances of this error, but no consistent cause and solution. Norton can definitely be a cause, but I have seen it on PC's with no Norton software installed. Deleting and re-creating the e-mail account sometimes works as well. If you do find a solution that works consistently that would help wuite a few Outlook users.

I'm not sure if it is cured, but I went to Windows Update tonight and was looking through the optional ones and saw KB904942 which said it had something to do with HTTP authentication so I thought I'd install it just for the sake of it.

It seems to have fixed it.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/904942/en-us

After installing and rebooting I started IE to go to my work email but got an error about the page not being found.

I tried Google and got a page from my ISP stating that I had to disable the use of Proxy under connections in Internet Options.

Did that and IE was fine.

And for now Outlook seems to be fine too.

Thanks. Please let us know if the problem returns.

Logged on tonight and the problem is back. :mad: