Troubleshooting Outlook Express Error 0x800ccc90
 
 
Symptom
There was a problem logging onto your mail server.
  • Your Password was rejected. Account: 'pop.yourname', Server: 'pop.yourname', Protocol: POP3, Server Response: '-ERR invalid user or password', Port: 110, Secure(SSL): No, Server Error: 0x800CCC90,
  • Error Number: 0x800CCC92
Solution
The first step is to check your Outlook Express settings, making sure that the POP3 and SMTP servers are as in the screenshots, and that your full user name and password are correct.

Then test your connection by following this procedure.
 
  • Click the Start button then RUN type in cmd on (Windows NT/2000/XP) or Command (Windows 95/98/ME). This will open a new command prompt window, with white text on a black screen.
     
  • Type in the following exactly as it appears. You will not see what you are entering so take it slowly, and if you make a mistake, start again.
    telnet pop.yourname 110     and then click the Enter key on your keyboard. You will then be connected to the email server.
     
  • Type in USER followed by your email address e.g. USER andre.mellet@unidsl.co.uk and then click the Enter key. You will then get a message +OK Please enter your pass, with the PASS command
     
  • Type in PASS followed by your password e.g. PASS andre007 and click the Enter key. If it is correct, you will get an OK Well done message.
     
  • If you can do this, you have connected to the Unidsl server and so the problem lies somewhere with Outlook Express.
     


If this doesn't work, it may be that TCP/IP has somehow become corrupted within Windows. So try reinstalling TCP/IP. To do this

  • Click Start
  • Settings
  • Control Panel
  • Network connections
  • Right click your connection and click Properties
  • Click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and then click Uninstall

Then close down your PC and open it up again.

  • Follow the same steps as above, but instead of clicking Uninstall click Install.
  • On the screen which appears, click Protocol and then Add
  • Click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and then OK (You may be prompted for your Windows installation disk at this point.

If you run Windows XP, the process is slight different. You need to

  • Click Start
  • Run
  • Then type in Command
  • In the screen which appears, type in netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt

If you're still having problems, it could be that Outlook Express is itself corrupt. Microsoft's Instructions on how to delete it and reinstall it, along with making a backup of your address books etc, are located here for Windows 95, 98, and ME and here for Windows 2000.