Freeze up while downloading mail

My computer freezes up when downloading certain email from my cable server. Sometimes goes for days/weeks/months before the problem reoccurs. Lately been every day. (BTW, the only freeze up problem in 3.5 years of XP)

It seems to happen on certain email, nothing particular about the message... just plain text, with no attachments. I can restart and try to download the very same message and freeze again.

I can go to the server's online email site and read the email with no problem.
I also have another computer running Windows-95, Netscape 4.78, that will download the same email with no problem.

I have tried two versions of Netscape mail (4.78 and 7.2), Outlook Express and now use Thunderbird mail... same results for all.

 

It happens. And, unless the message is, definitely, legit, I would consider it suspicious, and would make a beeline to the website, and delete it.

 

For anyone that might be having a similar problem.

Problem solved!

I had been using Norton 2002 ever since I got my Dell in 2002. This year Norton refused to renew my subscription... they thought they would force me into upgrading. NO WAY, I switched to FREE AVG.

That is when my problem went away... it had been Norton all along. When I received certain mail Norton would cause my computer to freeze when it scanned the mail. I never received any indication that Norton was doing anything. What wised me up was when AVG scans incoming email there is a flag goes up informing me that AVG is scanning the mail.

BTW the certain email wasn't one that contained anything other than plain text.

I'm glad Norton refused to renew my subscription.

 

I think that if I had known that you had Norton, I would have asked you to disable it. I am using free AVG, which I update, automatically, two to three times each week. I never noticed an incoming mail flag, but I see the outgoing mail flag.
As for scanning Netscape, I don't think that it is necessary, if you are careful.
I will never open an attachment. I may download it, and scan it. And, keep up with the auto-updates. AVG may fail at times, because of internet congestion, but keep after it. FYI, there was an update yesterday, but not today.
I am glad that you figured out the problem.