can't send email

I have two problems. I can't send email (problem "A")
and noticed the second problem (let's call it "B" - with
Windows Update) after struggling with A). I will
describe these in chronological in order in case that
provides more clues.

(A) I am able to connect to the internet, surf, retrieve
info from websites, do whatever; however, I am NOT able
to open multiple emails in succesion when accessing
emails with IE. (This is not the case with Outlook
Express - I am able to download and read all emails in
OE -- keep reading to learn why I didn't just stop here
and use OE). In order to open emails in IE, I must shut
down IE and start over after opening an email in order to
access the next email. But, even worse, I am unable to
SEND emails (including this email which I am sending from
a friend's machine) from IE or OE (hence why I didn't
stop with the OE solution above). After having spent
literally hours with my ISP (sbcglobal - who has been
very helpful but also unable to solve), we have checked
everything on that end. I have also tried using the SBC
browser and Netscape, but all have the same problem. In
the process, I realized that I have not been performing
WU since 10/28/03.

(B) WU hangs at 66%, tells me that I have 16 critical
updates and 21 XP updates, but doesn't show what they are
and doesn't show any driver updates. Instead, it says no
driver updates available. When I request review and
install, it hangs and then eventually returns with "web
pag unavailable. WU log states "Querying software update
catalog from
https://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.c...merdrivers/get
manifest.asp (error 0x800c0008)". I have tried EVERY fix
suggested listed in files Updtcl.htm and Updtlp.htm that
are listed in http://ww3.telus.net/dademar (and many
more) and NO progress has been made.

As additional info, my Norton Antivirus picks up three
viruses repeatedly and deletes them. They are
w32.skybot.worm (this is the most active - NAV deletes
about every hour), w32.funlove.4099 and w32.Pinfi. They
all show up in C:\documents and setting\all
users\documents\openme.exe. (Note that after NAV deletes
these, I do not appear to have such dir in my C: drive).
However, these files do not appear to be causing any
problems but it does seem odd that they keep appearing so
frequently. The Microsoft websites tell me that these
are all known, old and manageable, but they keep coming
back. I do run Live Updates, Intelligent Manager and
Virus updates very frequently. And, yes, I turn off NAV
when trying tosolve problems A and B.

Can you help me?? I'm running XP pro. Thank you.
Laura
..

On Sat, 6 Dec 2003 12:31:14 -0800, Laura wrote:

After having spent
literally hours with my ISP (sbcglobal - who has been
very helpful but also unable to solve), we have checked
everything on that end.

I have DSL service with this company and have never had a problem accessing
my email account. You can find a page in their online help section that
explains what settings (POP3 and SMTP) are needed to use Outlook or Outlook
Express. Also fill in the user name and password info when configuring your
email account but do not check the box for SPA.

If you access the site via http (the web interface), that info is not
needed. Instead, log on with your SBC account/password on the SBC home
page. Once you have done that, the online mailbox is available.

The home site offers a check box for "remember user name and password" but,
at least for me, it doesn't "stick." Often find that I have to type in the
sign in info. Since all of the other sites that retain passwords work just
fine, I've always assumed that this was an oddity of the SBC site. Having
users log in manually now and then would be a form of added accounted
security.

I don't know why you can't send. Is the email too large? Many servers have
limits on how large a single email can be. If the recipient has a full (or
near full) mailbox, even a moderately sized email could put them over their
limit and your email might bounce.

--
Sharon F
MS MVP - Windows Shell/User

On Sat, 6 Dec 2003 12:31:14 -0800, Laura wrote:

They are
w32.skybot.worm (this is the most active - NAV deletes
about every hour), w32.funlove.4099 and w32.Pinfi. They
all show up in C:\documents and setting\all
users\documents\openme.exe.

Have you looked these things up at Symantec's website? The antivirus
program may only be able to clean the worst of these infections. There may
be additional steps that *you* need to perform manually. These extra steps
would be outlined in the documentation on Symantec's site.

--
Sharon F
MS MVP - Windows Shell/User