Can't get email in Express

I have access to the internet through Explorer and I can get my email remotely through the ISP's webpage but I cannot get my email from Express. I get over 50 some emails a day and getting it through the ISP's server is a pain. My ISP was so little help that actually after they were done, I couldn't get internet access at all and I ended up having to re-install Windows ME all over again. An interesting fact that may or may not be related, I cannot download from any website now either. I tried to get the newest version of Explorer and it won't let me. It says it has a problem with my proxy server. I'm not using a proxy server. I just uninstalled ZoneAlarm and my ISP helpdesk guy was blaming it on ZoneAlarm. I'm hoping you might be able to get my Express up and running - you've always helped me in the past with my weird little computer problems !

 

Did you actually fresh install ME, or did you do the go-back feature it has, or did you install it over itself?

There are many ways to install an OS, depending on the tools you have.

If it was a go-back, that would put it back to factory specifications, then you'd have to re-enter all ISP information.

A full fresh install would require the same.

Installing it over itself likely would not help the problem.

There are also many reasons why one cannot download their e-mail. Believe me, I've had my share of them. Sometimes it was Outlook & sometimes it was the ISP. I have found out that much of the time the ISP help isn't much help.

It is not likely that Zone Alarm was messing with anything, unless you told it to.

If you have all the right info in your e-mail client, try an IE repair. It can also repair problems with Outlook Express when you run it.

Please post back.

 

It sounds to me like that system's Winsock is damaged.

I've used the file found
here (sorry it's a direct link to the download, couldn't find anything else) to fix this problem on a number of 9x and ME systems. It's only 32K.

Sometimes, when you run the winsock fix program, it opens incompletely so you can't see the "finish" button at the bottom. Just drag the window to enlarge it so you can get to the button. That's all I've ever had to do...open it, click "Finish" and it works its magic.

The ISP tech was an idiot for telling you to uninstall ZA (but mine always tries the same thing). Sometimes that uninstall can be a 25-step program and an incomplete uninstall can leave you dead in the water. I suggest you reinstall it...you can always turn it off if you think it's causing this problem.

 

Deloris: Thanks for the input - can you refresh my frazzled brain about how to run the repair on Explorer?

Miz: Thanks for the winsock fix. Also, as far as AZ, I tried to re-install but it keeps saying it is missing a .dll file. I tried downloading another copy from the internet but since this weird glitch with my email I can't download anything from the internet either. I can look things up but cannot download, not from AZ or Microsoft or Netscape...nothing....

 

OK, if I can remember. I have my Start & Programs menu set up different than most people do. LOL

Go to: Start\Programs\Accessories\Sytem Tools. Click on tools at the top of the window, then on Internet Explorer Repair. Once a little dialog box comes up there are three choices. Be sure to pick Repair Internet Explorer.

Which .dll file is ZA missing?

 

I must be brain dead cause when I go to Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools then click on tools at the top there is nothing called "Internet Explorer Repair ". I have only Map Network Drive, Disconnect Network Drive and Synchronize. I'm using Windows ME - is it possible that it is located somewhere else or is my brain located somewhere else and I'm not understanding? I can't even do a system restore cause the last restoration point I have is today at 3:45 when I re-installed the ME operating system.

As far as ZA, the DLL file it kept saying it was missing was VSNETUTILS.dll

 

I must be brain dead cause when I go to Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools then click on tools at the top there is nothing called "Internet Explorer Repair ". I have only Map Network Drive, Disconnect Network Drive and Synchronize. I'm using Windows ME - is it possible that it is located somewhere else or is my brain located somewhere else and I'm not understanding? I can't even do a system restore cause the last restoration point I have is today at 3:45 when I re-installed the ME operating system.

As far as ZA, the DLL file it kept saying it was missing was VSNETUTILS.dll

 

Good news ! I'm not sure what did it but my Express is up and running again. I tried the Winsock.exe and it didn't appear that anything happened. I tried to re-install ZA in that hopes that it might make some difference and it came up again that the .dll file was missing so it wouldn't install . Then as I was searching for the "restores Internet Explorer" function my Express started downloading my emails.....go figure. So thanks again for all your help - I really appreciate it.

 

There is another way to get to the Internet Explorer repair tool, but it involves going to the Add\Remove Programs & highlighting the IE & clicking remove, & then when the window pops up saying it can repair it, letting it repair it, but I don't like doing it that way.

I looked on my computer & even though I don't have Zone alarm on mine anymore, I still have the .dll in the System folder. Programs don't always remove all of their junk you know. The .dll was for ZA 2.6.357, and that is also the version number of the dll file, so be sure you get the version number that matches the version of ZA that you have, just in case they used different version numbers of .dll's for different versions of ZA.

Maybe the winsock fixed it wihout any fanfare, but you still need to find the IE repair tool so that you will know where it is. It could be in a different place on ME. I don't have ME, but I have messed with comps that did & it didn't seem to be a whole lot different as far as where stuff was located.

I am glad it is working now.

 

Glad to hear you got it fixed.

I should have warned you that the winsock fix doesn't give much indication it did anything...other than if it worked, everything winsock affects starts working.

 

cone and Deloris--For the record, Deloris left out one step in guiding you to Repair Internet Explorer by going through Start|Programs|Accessories. After System Tools, you scroll to and click on System Information. Then you click on Tools.

 

You are absolutely correct Welshjim. I did leave that out.

Terribly sorry about that cone.

I have all my stuff set up totally different than what is the default with Windows, so sometimes it is difficult for me to remember exactly where something USED to be.

I shall try not to let that happen again.

 

Deloris--I certainly "forgive" you!!
My post was only "For the record" since cone had already solved the problem.

 

I understand that Welshjim, but my leaving out even one step can be very confusing to others. Especially a newbie. I must strive not to let that occur in the future.

My programs menu is so organized, & so totally different from the way Windows, or the installed programs would do it when left to their own devices, that no one else could find a darn thing on it. It's set up to accomadate my way of thinking. That tends to make it difficult to remember where something used to be. LOL