MacMail 6.6 OSX Mountain Lion — Incoming Mail issues

kananaskis wrote:

Suddenly, 3 days ago, incoming mail ceased. Outgoing mail continued. Upon checking my ISP's Web Mail account, incoming mail is there. Contacted the ISP Technical Support. After an hour session troubleshooting my Account Settings with them and sending 'test e-mails' to myself, all efforts to no avail.

My ISP only has MacMail Version 8.4 OSX Yosemite. They have determined it is because I am on an older operating system and MacMail version, they could not provide any further assistance.

I am not able to upgrade to OSX Yosemite because Apple no longer supports iWeb. I am a medium-level web designer and web master of 4 websites. Yes, I have looked thoroughly into the other Mac supported web design programs and they were not suitable for my well-designed websites. Yes, I have been informed about partitioning my Mac, but as an elderly person, I find this burdensome when so proficient on the way I have everything established on my iMac and MacBook.

HELP!

Thank you!

Balderdash! Poppycock! Not possible! THEY Changed Something 3 days ago.

If all else on your Mac was unchanged, it logically follows that something changed at your ISP's emal system end. Proof can be demonstrated by outgoing mail messages are unaffected. Further proof could be obtained by other email provider's successful receipt of emails to your Mail client.

Call tech support at your ISP back, and immediately ask for a supervisor. [this has happened to me before! Level 1 tech support is often unaware and/or unable to access the Knowledge Base that higher ups can]

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You're welcome. Your first inclination was right - 'twas your persistence that was lacking😉

First rule of troubleshooting = what has changed since your last joy? If you cannot think of anything that you have done, you can look outside of your environment with confidence. Nothing EVER happens for no reason. Think like Sherlock Holmes... eliminate things until what is left is all that is possible, no matter how improbable.

When calling, be politely assertive to save everybody's time - especially yours. Keep in mind that the next first responder may well be more skilled than the last one.

Your pitch is simple:

• I changed nothing
• 3 days ago incoming mail stopped working
• I changed nothing
• outgoing mail works
• I changed nothing <- get my drift? stick to your guns.

Best luck, and don't forget to tell us what bonehead move they pulled!! - and how they made it right.

buenos noches

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⬆ click/tap for full size ⬆

[when there in 1988, the Museum at 221A was a Fish & Chips 'walk-up']

{seems Scotland Yard is still "consulting"}

I can't even remember the last Level 1 tech from which I actually achieved satisfaction (I have already done everything in their "book" before I call 'em!)

Mail is 'mail' - the protocols are consistent no matter what App or version - else CHAOS!

I will be " quivering with antici.............pation." I am now a "Casual Living Consultant", schooled in the path of least resistance.

Vilis existi- bis pretium !

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Troubleshooting Apple Mail

What does Mail/Window/Connection Doctor Show? If the server is red, select it and look at the Show Details box.

Troubleshooting sending and receiving email messages

Very interesting... puzzled, am I...

I do not use Mail.app as a rule - preferring MS Entourage 2008 - OSX Tiger / PB Pismo

My experiment with Mail & Connection Doctor gave some unexpected results (?)

FIRST try - Launch Mail > let it check = failed (asking repeatedly for passwords)

verified All passwords correct and Close to simultaneous test = mail reception is normal in Entourage

All

outgoing goes through TWC/RR SMTP server = OK

Connection Doctor details column showed "... failed. Try checking your account settings" [paraphrased]

• Quit Mail.app
• Read you linked pages
• only interesting part was from your link:

If you can’t send or receive email on your Mac - Apple Support

Follow these steps if the Mail app in OS X suddenly doesn't send or receive email.

If your Mac is connected to the Internet, but Mail no longer sends or receives any email messages, the issue could be with the provider of your email service. Or your email account settings could be out of date.

SECOND Attempt > Launch Mail.app = VOILA! ALL accounts check and receive as expected

BUT - Connection Doctor seems confused

THIRD Attempt ( to replicate 2nd attempt results ) > Launch Mail.app = ALL accounts check and receive as expected

BUT - Connection Doctor STILL seems confused (see above image)

I am unsure what to make of this(?)

• Intermittent failing?
• Some setting at the server end perceiving Apple Mail and not liking it - sometimes?

...Mail/Window/Connection Doctor...

Mail = Mail.app

w/ Mail.app OPEN...

Window = Menu Title > click > menu appears

Connection Doctor = Window Menu 'choice' > choose = a reporting pane opens

No problemo...

TIP: screenshot of any dialog, alert or pane

to capture a "Dialog box or Alert Message", ⌘ Command + ⇧ Shift + Press ' 4 ' then > SPACEBAR , the cross-hair cursor will turn into a "Camera" and hilite the dialog > click the mouse button

kananaskis wrote:

... I called back my ISP. In my normal polite manner, ...

... challenged by my comments and vowed to find a solution. He had to correct the settings provided by the previous techie. ... found that my e-mail password was not congruent with what I had been using. Once it was synched in at their end, the incoming e-mails flowed in like a river. I had not changed my password so do not know what happened at their end.

Anyway, all is resolved! I am so glad you provided to me the moral support to 'persist and insist' to resolve the issue rather than be left adrift with incorrect information the previous techie provided.

SNIP

* Thanks also for reminding me about 'screen shot'. I use this often when troubleshooting. Ever so handy.

* In closing, gentlemen, I have greatly appreciated the time taken to assist me and provide such excellent moral support!

**Interesting phrase you used, CCC. 'think cheap, think twice the price'. Agree! Are you Spanish? South American? A British subject? Always fascinates where all the techies come from. Definitely a world-wide community.

¶ 1 & 2

[snicker] "Who knows what evil lurks in the minds of men? The Shadow knows!" < "who knows" is the relevant part. Point is, they did 'something' that corrupted their database of users and passwords - or maybe just yours and some other select few - happens to some degree to the Apple ID database as evidenced by some folks here experiencing anomalies while others are unaffected. Go figger.

*GREAT! Screenshots = 1000 words sometimes. No problemo, amigo.**

** 'Twas Latin - your 'Gratis' is "free" in Latin and the Latin root for other languages - Google translated "cheap at twice the price" as I posted (my Latin from middle and secondary school is far past rusty) - what did I expect from a dead language and a modern cliché?
I am from Texas, where we corrupt the English language and intersperse Spanish at will... Spanglish is the result. [I thought maybe you would deduce my non-UK status from the 221B Baker Street "when there in 1988..." comment 😉 As Marshall McLuhan said, " The new electronic interdependence recreates the world in the image of a global village." - a LONG time ago! - he died in 1980...

Buenas tardes desde Texas

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You are welcome. Mail menu bar/Windows. On the dropdown, select Connection Doctor.