Very strange mailbox problem

[RossEdwards]

Hi,
My company uses a webhost that uses plesk. Normally I would harrass them for any problems but this one is so strange that here would definately provide the best answer (which i could pass on to them).

Our Plesk is version 8.2.0 for windows. At random times one of our mailboxes will give a login failure. This is usually firsted noted when the outlook on the related computer pops up its password box and refuses all entered passwords. It only affects 1 mailbox at a time with all others continue to function correctly.

By this time they are usually hassling me to press the 'magic fix it button'. I always try the password myself and check the settings. Next I try the horde webmail and get the same error. Next step is to change the password inside plesk and try again. Still we have no joy. My last ditch effort is to set the password to xxxx and try again. When this fails i put it all back the way it started and here it will still fail.

So, I leave it. As suddenly as it broke, it just starts working again. Is this a known issue? I did a bit of a search around and didn't spot anything.

Thanks -Ross Edwards

 

[chasovshic]

Greetings Ros,

What Mailserver are you using ?

 

[Bender]

Hi, Ross.

Try to login via telnet to the mail box at the time when the rpoblme persits:

http://www.activexperts.com/activemail/telnetpop3/

What is the output?

 

[RossEdwards]

Cheers, i'll give that a try next time and post the results.

 

[RossEdwards]

I've been able to simulate the problem and its looking like something is leaving a connection open to the mailbox and thus the error i described is occuring seemingly randomly. I won't know for sure until it happens again but this would make sense as the users aren't computer people and its not something they'd even understand.

This would also explain the 'doing nothing' solution as well. If it turns out to be something else and more interesting i'll let you all know.

Thank you all for your help.