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Level 1

40 points

Won't send my mail

Why does mail occasionally refuse to send my mail. When it does I get a box that says "Cannon send message using the server..." It suggests using a different mail server, but I don't have one. It has a connection doctor button that says everything is OK. When this happens I can not send mail to that specific address again. I've tried new mail, hand typing in the address, closing everything and restarting, but that address is incognito to my computer.

It doesn't happen often but is very frustrating when it does.

Geoff

iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.5), iMac G4 1GHz 1.23Gmemory

Posted on Dec 17, 2009 5:17 PM

30 replies

Geoff K Author

Level 1

40 points

Dec 18, 2009 7:11 PM in response to Ruth Haug

Ruth's description of things describes my problem far better than I have. However, I have a G4 iMac so Intel can't be blamed.

The fact that 2 (or more) people have had this problem strongly suggest it's a bug in the program. The fact that it's intermittent and erratic suggest it's a bug active only in conjunction with other factors, probably things that are not happening often. i.e a multifactorial cause; all factors have to be present at once for the symptoms to manifest.

In other words, it's going to be tough as nails to figure this out and with it affecting relatively few people/macs there may not be enough energy put into it to solve it. However, once the cause manifests something locks onto that person's address prohibiting it's use. Could we find a way to purge the address of it's evil spirit?

My computer/Mac knowledge is only a little above entry level. (I want the computer to work for me, not me for it.) So I won't be able to help much. I do have a screen shot of the message if that will help. Is there a way to post it?

Geoff

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Dec 18, 2009 7:26 PM in response to Geoff K

Well, I've given both of you some things you might try assuming the problem is in Mail's configuration or your system installation. Ruth has tried a few things. What have you tried?

Don't post images unless you know how to keep them relatively small. Better that you post them at some site with a link to them. Otherwise just give us the text error message and any other relevant information that may be helpful.

Of course you are also welcome to call AppleCare in search of help or take the computer to a local Apple service center for assistance. You can also search the forums to see what other discussions there may be where a solution may be posted. Search Google as well.

Actually the fact that 2 people have the problem means nothing. It would take hundreds or thousands of such reports together with supporting information to justify bug status. Two people reporting a problem does not make a bug especially when neither of you can put together a set of circumstances that will always replicate the problem other than each of you not being able to send mail to different recipients through different servers.

i suggest you try some of the recommendations I provided to Ruth. Booting into safe mode seemed to fix the problem for her, I believe.

Geoff K Author

Level 1

40 points

Dec 19, 2009 10:29 AM in response to Kappy

Kappy, you seem irritated by my lack of insight into your thinking. And I'm irritated at your rigidity and lack of logic. i.e. We're not a match.

I'll follow your initial advice and leave my Mac imperfect and live with the bug.

Geoff

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Dec 19, 2009 10:49 AM in response to Geoff K

No, I'm not irritated. I'm just trying to help. If you don't care for my suggestions that's certainly your privilege.

Dec 20, 2009 9:15 PM in response to Kappy

I just found these posts as I am having the exact same problem. I am a network administrator and computer repair specialist, yet I had never seen this issue before. I can receive email & I can send email to everyone, but one person. I was able to send this person an email on Oct 27th, but now I can't. I had already tried creating new accounts, etc. Nothing works. I do have a question for those with a similar issue. Do you have Blackberry's? The only change I have made to my MacBook is to install Blackberry software which did merge with my Mac Address Book. I'm wondering if this isn't the issue... Any thoughts.

Geoff K Author

Level 1

40 points

Dec 21, 2009 8:19 AM in response to Community User

I don't have a blackberry, nor an iPhone, nor a PDA. Sort of a computer neanderthal; just a lonely 5 year old G4 iMac. The only peripheral I plug in is a camera. There's also a SimpleTech hard drive plugged in. Not sure if it preceeded my problem.

The problem has been happening for 2 years but very sporadically. I think it has always been with corporate based recipients. Four that I can think of are; my place of employ, (huge IT department) my financial advisor, (small firm contracting out IT needs), one person with a dot gov address, and the recent one, a AAA employee. Since my place of employ (ex. I'm retired) overhauled it's IT system it has not happened but it still sometimes rejects my email as sender non-existent. My financial advisor also changed his ISP and I've had no problem since.

In the past I've been able to purge the gremlins but I don't know how I did it. I think it was by restarting, waiting a few days and trying again. This time it has been here a 10 days and is still lurking.

Geoff

Geoff

Bob713

Level 1

0 points

Dec 21, 2009 6:04 PM in response to Geoff K

Never had a problem with mail before. Now for the past week sending mail would hesitate for a minute or so. Or just hang (spinning at "sending". Quit mail and restart mail and the msgs would send immediately ... then sending a new msg would hang again. Now it's solid - nothing I've tried as suggested in this thread works.

Further searching indicates it seems to be an at&t server problem - for me at least.

Bob713

Level 1

0 points

Dec 21, 2009 6:34 PM in response to Bob713

An AT&T rep in India (I guess) finally owned up that the servers are being "upgraded" and that this is a California wide issue. So we get to wait and see.

Dec 31, 2009 11:38 AM in response to Bob713

I'm seeing this too. It's not just AT&T in California though. I'm in Texas and
I believe this occurs with both my email services. Curious
thing though. After it hangs on the first message and I tell it to send later, I
can then send subsequent messages just fine.

Jan 8, 2010 11:36 PM in response to Ruth Haug

I am having the same problem with my wife's Mac book. We both have the same Mac Books and use the same ISP (COX). I can send and receive with no problems and she can't all of a sudden. All the sever information is correct the problem just started out of the blue and has been like this for about a week. It is very frustrating. There has to be some sort of bug, cause I've tried all I know and I know enough to get in trouble. I plan on making a apple care appt. and have her machine tuned up and see if there is any issues.

Feb 21, 2010 11:50 PM in response to Canis Pugnax

Count me in. I have a G5 that has never once have a mail problem since I bought it new. All the hardware is fine. As of about a week ago, I can send new messages, receive, but I can't forward anything.

"Cannot send using the server (null)
This message could not be delivered because your SMTP settings are not set. Please use the Accounts Preferences panel to set the SMTP options for your account.

Select a different outgoing mail server from the list below or click Try Later to leave the message in your Outbox until it can be delivered."

In a word, Bullsh*t. The setting are perfect, and a mirror of the other three Macs in the house and at work.

Message was edited by: Jim Ireland

Mar 6, 2010 7:12 PM in response to Jim Ireland

i think i have same issue over the last couple of days. Intermittently Mail application just won't send. Leave it alone for a while (duration changes) and then hey presto it sends again. I thought this was related to network settings as i just had cable broadband installed and problem only seemed to occur around same time. but now i'm convinced it's Mail app'.

joelfink

Level 1

0 points

Mar 11, 2010 9:41 AM in response to mariotheplumber

I am in the same boat. I have used the mail app for many years, and now sometimes I can send mail and sometimes I can't. I can send via HTML right after servers timeout on mail app.
Hopefully there is a fix coming.

Mar 11, 2010 7:28 PM in response to joelfink

interestingly it's improved over last 2 days, maybe that's because I've been making sure that I leave a long enough time period in-between using Mail app and using mobile device. Only downside is I have to make sure that mobile device is turned off before I start Mail app' otherwise server gets locked and takes hours to reset.

Since I posted I've also upgraded versions of itunes and osx, so maybe that helps as well.

Mar 29, 2010 6:49 PM in response to mariotheplumber

I have had the same problem as the others have mentioned. The mail hangs and will not send but then at a later time (up till 8 hrs later) the mail goes out. No problem receiving mail. The problem seems to be an issue with forwarded messages and messages with many recipients. Could be a spam delay feature, regardless, it's a big problem for me.

Won't send my mail