Level 1

6 points

Mail deception - says messages are sent out but are not delivered

The Mail program appears to send my outgoing e-mail messages but does not actually do so. When I send a new message or reply to a message, Mail behaves as though the message has been sent: the spinner runs and the swoosh sound occurs when the message leaves my Outbox. The message then appears in my Sent folder. However, the mail is never received by the intended recipients. I apparently operated like this for weeks until my sister mentioned my lack of response to her e-mail a couple of weeks prior. (Honest, I really did reply.) Upon investigation I learned that others had not received messages I had sent. I then tried sending a message to myself at the same account and at my work account (different ISP) and the messages were not received.

I am using a POP account at core.com. If I access my account via the core.com webmail site, I am able to actually send messages. Getting them from the Mail program on my computer is the problem.

I noticed several other questions posted about Mail not sending messages but those queries mentioned receiving an error message or the program timed out trying to send and knowing immediately the mail was not sent. My situation seems unique in that the program is behaving deceptively - it tells me a message is sent but it is not.

I followed the steps Apple posted regarding Leopard Mail not sending messages but no success. I am using OS X5.6 on an Intel MacBook.

I have spoken with the core.com technical support staff and they assure me the problems is with the Mail program or my iMac. They are most likely correct. As an experiment I set up MS Entourage as an e-mail client for my core.com account. Entourage had no trouble sending messages to intended recipients.

I have double and triple checked the settings in Mail Preferences. The core.com technical support representative confirmed I am using the correct settings and suggested I use a different e-mail client program and forget about Apple Mail. However, I understand it is not possible to export information from Mail to a different e-mail client program so I am reluctant to make the change. The representative also suggested I remove Mail and reinstall it as a way of possibly correcting the problem. I do not want to go that route if I can avoid doing so. If that is the best approach, how do I go about saving my messages and addresses in Mail before removing Mail? Other suggestions to get Mail to behave properly?

Thank you!

iMac Intel Core Duo 2.4GHz, Mac OS X (10.5.6), MacBook Intel Core Duo 2.2GHZ

Posted on May 12, 2009 7:43 PM

46 replies

spdsail Author

Level 1

6 points

May 30, 2009 8:33 AM in response to Mailman42

As mentioned in my problem description, one of the tests I conducted was to send messages to myself at my work e-mail account (different ISP) and to myself at my originating ISP mail account (core.com). The messages were not received by either e-mail account. I checked the spam folders on both. The Mail program acts as though the messages are sent out but they are not received by the recipients. IF I go to my ISP web mail site and send a message, they are delivered/accepted.

As mentioned, when I configured MS Entourage to send messages via core.com, the messages are delivered to intended recipients. To me this is a strong indication that there is a problem with how Mail is "processing" the messages. I would like to resolve the the problem with the Mail program so I can continue using it as my e-mail program and not transfer addresses and old messages (if that is even possible).

Mailman42

Level 2

245 points

May 30, 2009 8:37 AM in response to spdsail

Dumb question. Have you made sure that entourage & Mail have the same settings? I'm assuming you have, but just making sure.

After that, I would have core.com check their mail logs (if you can convince them to do that), and have them look while you send email with Mail.

After that, I'm at a loss to offer anything else.

May 30, 2009 8:45 AM in response to GTSC

I assume the account you are sending from is the same on the Blackberry and while in Mail? Who is the provider of this account? It is their SMTP that is being used as the Outgoing Server?

Ernie

spdsail Author

Level 1

6 points

May 30, 2009 8:52 AM in response to Mailman42

I checked the settings with the core.com representative for Mail and used the same exact settings for Entourage. Entourage worked but Mail did not.

On one of the numerous occasions when I spoke with a tech representative at Corecomm about my problem, he observed while I sent a message using Mail (or should say attempted to send a message) and he did not see any activity. Corecomm decided it was not a problem on their system and blamed it on the Mail program and encouraged me to change to a different e-mail client software saying that Mail, in their experience, has been problem prone.

May 30, 2009 8:54 AM in response to spdsail

Please prepare a message for sending. Before sending, click on Window in the menubar, and open both Activity and Connection Doctor. Now watch each of them as you Send.

Ernie

spdsail Author

Level 1

6 points

May 30, 2009 9:10 AM in response to Ernie Stamper

I just sent a test message as you suggested. The Activity monitor said the message was sent (albeit it took a long time for such a short "test" message) and the Connection Doctor said I was successfully connected.

The copy I sent to myself at my Corecomm address was not received. Nor did I receive a copy at my work ISP account.

May 30, 2009 12:14 PM in response to spdsail

Go into web mail access, and check to see if there is a SPAM folder. I notice that Corecomm touts a new SPAM filter.

Try sending the same message again (open in the Sent mailbox, click on Message in the menubar, select Send Again, then click on Format and choose Make Plain Text if not already). If you don't mind, add my address as a Cc -- click on my name to find my address in the bio line of the resulting Profile.

Ernie

spdsail Author

Level 1

6 points

May 30, 2009 2:10 PM in response to Ernie Stamper

I checked the Corecomm spam folder but did not see my message. (I did not expect to find it because Corecomm's SpamCatcher software does not work for me and several other of their customers. I complained to Corecomm and they told be it was a known problem they have been working on ... for over a year now.)

I resent the message as you suggested and copied you on the message. If by chance you receive a copy the address will show as coming from "@voyager.net". (Corecomm acquired Voyager several years ago and the address has remained valid. After this problem developed I confirmed with the Corecomm technical support group that my e-mail settings are still valid.)

May 30, 2009 2:59 PM in response to spdsail

Just arrived back home, and checked email at 5 minutes ago -- no message from you.

I recently had my ISP cancel my ability to use an old email from a company they acquired (I changed ISP to cable, after that. However, from the time of the acquisition there was both a valid address for the prior ISP, and also with the new one. Has Corecomm provided you another email address, as well? If so, have you tried sending from that address?

With no error message, this behaves more like a blacklisting of your address for sending (in some combination with Mail protocol, than anything else.

I will reread all your reports.

Ernie

May 30, 2009 3:13 PM in response to spdsail

Hi again,

Reading at:

http://home.core.com/web/technicalsupport/setup/email/nm6.html

alerts me to the fact that the Username you should be entering is the full email address, and not merely the portion in front of the @. This apparently includes using your voyager.net address using the smtp.core.com. Entourage may derive the Username directly from the Email address, but Mail never does this -- instead you must enter the Username or full Email address used as Username directly. Check this. I am thinking failure with your voyager.net address might not result in an error message if Corecomm doesn't have this duality programed just right.

Ernie

spdsail Author

Level 1

6 points

May 31, 2009 1:24 PM in response to Ernie Stamper

Thanks for the reply to my post yesterday. I am using my full e-mail address as my user name in the Mail settings. That is per Corecomm's instructions. I verified this when I contacted their technical support group.

If I read your last message correctly, that is what you were suggesting or inquiring about.

May 31, 2009 1:38 PM in response to spdsail

Yes, more or less, that is what I was asking about, but more generally looking for why not sending when seems to be sending, but producing no error message about failure to send.

The second part of the question was whether you had another Corecomm address to try to send from?

Ernie

spdsail Author

Level 1

6 points

May 31, 2009 2:43 PM in response to Ernie Stamper

No, I do not have a second Corecomm address.

I think I am eligible to create a sub account with Corecomm with a different address. I will check into that and see if I have success sending from the new address.

Mail does behave as though the messages are sent moving them from the out box to the sent box; but they are not received by addressees - including a copy sent to my own voyager.net address.

spdsail Author

Level 1

6 points

Jun 1, 2009 8:28 AM in response to Ernie Stamper

I created a second e-mail address with Corecomm and checked the settings for this new address with their technical support group. I have had no success in sending messages via this new address.

Jun 1, 2009 1:43 PM in response to spdsail

Quit Mail, and in the Finder open Home/Library/Mail/Mailboxes -- locate the Outbox.mbox folder and remove it -- after opening it to determine whether it is empty -- should have one Info.plist file and one Messages folder, which should be empty.

Relaunch Mail, and again test sending a message.

This is very odd, as I am sure you know, by now!

Ernie

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Mail deception - says messages are sent out but are not delivered