Not receiving some emails

[JonnoKV]

Using Exemail I noticed recently that some emails I expected to receive had not arrived. My email client program is Mozilla Thunderbird. This issue seemed to go away until a friend 'phoned me to say that an email she had sent me had been returned 'Undeliverable – Mailbox Full'.
I searched all folders where I thought the other missing emails may have gone, including Junk, but they were not there. I used Thunderbird for a long time with my previous ISP and nothing like this ever happened. I don't recall reading any conditions for running Exemail, e.g, size limit of Inbox, etc., when I signed up and, in fact, wouldn't know where to find them if they exist.
I'm wondering if anyone else using the same combination of programs for email has had a similar experience.

[Dazzled]

It can happen to anyone (and usually does) if you don't configure your mail client to delete from the server after you have stored it on your computer. A simple mail retrieval without that specific direction leaves the material on the server, which eventually runs out of space. All servers have size limits; see http://www.exetel.com.au/a_plan_inclusions.htm.

In Thunderbird, go to Server Settings, and untick Leave Messages on Server.

(Considering that Thunderbird has to issue a DELE message to the server for the stuff to be wiped, this is a back to front kind of question - "leaving" is the default server state)

Another way to clear the server is in webmail. In this case it goes to a Trash bin. Refresh the page and select purge on the side bar.

PS The emails you are looking for cannot be found, as the mail server didn't accept them. The senders were automatically notified of this.

[JonnoKV]

I just wrote a follow up to your reply then saved it to Draft, now I can't find it! Aaaaargh!

[JonnoKV]

Hi: I'm coming back to this issue after a domestic injury that kept me 'out of action' in following this up. Thanks to Dazzled for the advice. As a (relatively) new user I didn't know about the 'Inclusions with ADSL Broadband Plans' info. I hadn't noticed the Advice for New Users click-on on the side of the front page.
Still a couple of questions: if I set Thunderbird to Leave Mail on Server, I assume I will have to click Get New Messages to download them.
Also I didn't know at all about Webmail. Going to that page, I can see which user name to put in, but, which password? Is it my main Exetel one, my email client one, or a new one I make up? Any help will be appreciated.

[asankag]

Hi JonnoKV,

1. You don't need to do any changes in the way you retrieve emails. It will automatically fetch the new emails. However you may want to set an auto delete options after a set period of time from your email client, otherwise as mentioned before, you mailbox will get full.

2. The password is the one that you enter in your email client or to be precise, your email account's password.

Regards,
Asanka

[Dazzled]

There aren't many occasions when an ordinary domestic email account operated by an email client like TB should leave messages on the server.

An exception: Imagine a user operating one computer that auto downloaded, and simultaneously running another laptop computer which also automatically stored locally. In that case, first in best dressed applies, and the other device would see nothing. The message store would eventually be divided between the two. Most of us would want to save all messages together on only one computer.

On the other hand an exclusive webmail user will likely want to save post on the server, and the webmail system expects a manual delete in this case. Eventually the box fills and deletion of some is essential. It stays around using space in the Trash folder until Purged.

[JonnoKV]

Hi: Back again to this email issue after some personal things kept me away. I tried to take the advice (31 July) of using Exetel Webmail. However, following the instructions on the login page I used my Exemail address then the Exetel login password but it rejected me. I can't find anything in Exetel's help pages about this. Can anyone enlighten me?

[ShaminG]

I used my Exemail address then the Exetel login password but it rejected me

If you can not remember the email password, please follow the instructions below to edit your email account password.

1. Please log in to "Exetel Member Facilities" via https://www.exetel.com.au/login/index.php
2. From the Panel in the left hand side, move your mouse cursor on top of 'Manage Services'
3. Click on 'Email'
4. Click on the tab 'Edit password'
5. Type in the preferred password, verify the password.

Try the new password in webmail. Make sure you type in the full email address for the user name.

[basshead]

I've had similar issues over the last couple of months.

It appears to only occur to some emails which have been forwarded, or where there are multiple recipients.

It has occurred from at least three different email addresses, and not restricted to hotmail, yahoo type accounts, as at least one of them is an optusnet email address.

I have been using webmail for some of my email accounts for the last week or so (without using an email client) to see if the email clients (Thunderbird, and YAM (Amiga platform) were sending them to Trash or Spam folders (which they weren't as I'd already checked). Using webmail and having the email clients not running, all emails would remain on the mail server, and the few expected emails never arrived (and were not still on the server from when they previously sent several days ago). I don't have exetel's spam services activated either.

I've logged a complaint with exetel to see what they come up with but thought I'd post it on the forum too.

Any suggestions or explanations would be appreciated.

edit: I got some details from one of the sender's "error" responses:

Action: failed
Status: 5.2.3
Diagnostic-Code: smtp;450 5.2.3 Msg Size greater than allowed by Remote Host

ie: email size exceeded exetel's maximum email receive size. It was photos, so that explains one of the unreceived emails.

[Dazzled]

To get to the bottom of it try and get the codes returned for these messages - there is one. I know some people can barely work a mail client, but life's not meant to be easy.

The status code format is: class "." subject "." detail" where class is one of "2", "4", or "5".

From RFC 3643:

The class sub-code provides a broad classification of the status. The enumerated values for each class are defined as:

2.XXX.XXX Success

Success specifies that the DSN is reporting a positive delivery action. Detail sub-codes may provide notification of transformations required for delivery.

4.XXX.XXX Persistent Transient Failure

A persistent transient failure is one in which the message as sent is valid, but persistence of some temporary condition has caused abandonment or delay of attempts to send the message. If this code accompanies a delivery failure report, sending in the future may be successful.

5.XXX.XXX Permanent Failure

A permanent failure is one which is not likely to be resolved by resending the message in the current form. Some change to the message or the destination must be made for successful delivery.

You can Google up most codes, or consult the above standard. 250 means succesfully delivered.