Subject: I need help!
Please forward this desperate message to your help desk.
I have two or three problems that I'm hoping something there can assist me with.

I have not been able to respond to e-mail (or send a new message) through Outlook for at least 2 or 3 weeks. I can type the message but then when I hit send, an error message comes up saying something about my performing an illegal operation and I must restart Outlook and of course the message I typed is lost.
Currently, I can't download my messages. There is an error message that comes up at the bottom right of the gray bar that says, "Mail delivery error. Click here." And there is a yellow triangle with an exclamation point in it. When I double click on it, I get the following details:

The TCP/IP connection was unexpectedly terminated by the server. (Account 'mail.hal-pc.org', POP3 server:"mail.hal-pc.org', Error number: 0x8000ccc0f).
I can't get my messages unless I go to the HAL-PC website. And then to reply to them, I have to go the website or to a hotmail account.
I tried to send you a message by clicking on your link from the website under a troubleshooting area. When I click on your e-mail address, it opens a new message in Outlook Express. I typed the message and hit send. I got the following message: Your server has unexpectedly terminated the connection. Possible causes for this include server problems, network problems, or a long period of inactivity. Account: 'mail.hal-pc.org', Server: 'mail.hal-pc.org', Protocol: SMTP, Port: 25, Secure(SSL): No, Error Number: 0x800CCC0F

I would appreciate any light you could shed on these problems.

Editor: Here is the response from the HALNet Support Desk.

" illegal operation" - This is the Outlook program crashing.
1. You need to make sure there aren't any emails in the "outbox" in your Outlook Email. If so, delete or move it to another area such as the "Inbox".
2. You may need to clean up your computer's hard drive of temporary files and possibly may need to re-install Outlook. As the error message says "contact your program vendor." For Outlook this is Microsoft Corporation.
0x800CCC0F CONNECTION_DROPPED Connection closed.
1. This is usually from a corrupted header in an email that was sent to you. To fix this see the following:
Please see the User Support page (www.hal-pc.org/support) and see "When You Receive Multiple Repeat Emails". This is usually caused by a "corrupt" email that was sent to you. You will need to log-in to the HALNet Web Based Email program and delete the problem email: Go to: webmail.hal-pc.org (or the HAL-PC home page and click on the HALNet Web Based Email program).

Put in your email address (in small letters) and your password then click "Enter."

In the Web Based Email program you can see all your mail residing on the server. If you see the offending email or an "odd looking email" delete it. You may want to delete ALL the emails you possibly can to make sure you get the one that's causing the problem and any email you do not want while you are there.

Once done, log out of the Web Based email program, and then check your mail with your email program. If it retrieves your mail properly, then you fixed it. If not, then you still may have a corrupted email residing on the server. You will have to go back and continue deleting emails and testing with your email program until you remove the problem email.

Many of these problems occur from HTML/JAVA emails. You might want to use "Plain Text" and have your friends do the same. See: "What is wrong with sending HTML or MIME messages?" www.expita.com/nomime.html

Also NOTE, Norton AntiVirus can sometimes cause a connection to fail. See: support.microsoft.com/?kbid=813514

Please note there may still be issues that need "hands on" repair. If the above does not help, you may need to make an appointment for the PC Troubleshooting Group, which meets on Friday Mornings. Call HAL-PC at 713-993-3300 for help or information.

The following links address MANY troubles we are getting from Norton Antivirus (some are already posted in our User Support area under Outlook Issues).

Error 0x800ccc0d or 0x800ccc0f When Receiving and Sending E-Mail support.microsoft.com/?kbid=813514 Norton antivirus
OL2000: Time-Out Error 0x8004210a or 0x800ccc19 When Checking POP3 E-Mail Account support.microsoft.com/?kbid=813518
If you have the Norton antivirus e-mail feature enabled, you may have to do additional configuration to use Outlook or Outlook Express with the Norton antivirus e-mail feature.
OL: Error Message: 0x80042108 Outlook Is Unable to Connect to Your Incoming POP3 E-mail Server support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=http://support.microsoft.com:80/support/kb/articles/q318/7/90.asp&NoWebContent=1
OLEXP: Norton Antivirus Causes Outlook Express 6 to Stop Responding support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=http://support.microsoft.com:80/support/kb/articles/q309/6/76.asp&NoWebContent=1
How to enable or disable email scanning in Norton AntiVirus 2002/2003/2004 service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nav.nsf/docid/2001082921552806?
Open&src=&docid=2001060516275506&nsf=nav.nsf&view=docid&dtype=&prod=&ver=&osv=&osv_lvl=

Subject: Is it legal to sell an activation-free full version of Window XP Pro? I received an E-mail and somebody is trying to sell me a (decoded) activation free version. I don't want to purchase this item if I will get in to legal trouble. Thank you for your time and sorry for bothering you.

Editor: All legal copies of Windows XP require activation. The so-called activation-free version is not legal, and you will be unable to get updates and patches for it. That would be a very big problem in view of all the worms and viruses that take advantage of security holes in Windows, because patches are being issued frequently by Microsoft to correct them. The last version of Windows that was activation-free was Windows 2000.