We often get calls from users who have a
large file blocking their mailbox, and ask if we can remove it for them so
their mail will flow normally.
Yes, we can do this - but so can you!
There are a number of programs
which enable you to look at the headers in your mailbox, and then select
one or more for deletion from the server so that you do not have to
download it.
The easiest to use is WebMail. This
program is already set up for you on Melb PC and can be used with the most
common browser programs (IE and Netscape) from Melb PC dial-ups or from
any other ISP. When you access WebMail, only your
user name and password is required.
Programs which you can run on your own PC include a small program
called Mailcall, which keeps you aware of incoming mail and enables
you to delete unwanted mail before downloading. Its instructions are a
little difficult to understand. The key is to ensure that you load the
configuration file. Take the trouble to persevere with this step and be
sure to set it up before you have a full mailbox and are in a panic.
Mailcall is available for download from this
link.
An easier to use, and more sophisticated program to
use is ScanMail (shown
below) which also enables users to access several accounts at different
ISPs, delete unwanted files and other tasks before downloading using your
mailer program. To use ScanMail you will need to obtain the file VB40032.DLL and
copy it in your C:\Windows\System folder. Note: Due to a
failure of Netscape to be able to download DLL files, you may need to
obtain this VB40032.DLL file from elsewhere.
Note: Both Mailcall and ScanMail are provided in ZIP or
compressed format which will necessitate the use of Winzip or
similar program during installation. Winzip is available from http://www.winzip.com/, a local mirror
download site or a CD from the cover of computer magazines.
Configuration of ScanMail is very simple - use File
| Configure | Accounts to add a new
Account, with the POP3 Server as popa.melbpc.org.au, your Login
Name eg stanj, and your Password where indicated. For each
account your required settings can be set using
Connection | Account Options and the Mail
List tab for selecting which information you wish provided.
|
Sample ScanMail display showing tabs enabling access
to multiple
accounts
|
It is important to remember that only one program can access your
mailbox at any one time. To download normally ensure that all other
programs such as ScanMail are closed.
Mailbox "lock" in
place
When your mailbox is accessed using a mailer program or one of these
mailbox management programs, the mailbox is "locked" by the system and you
may receive a message to this effect. The locking of the mailbox delays
any further incoming messages until the mailbox has been freed by the
accessing program.
However unless the mailbox has been successfully freed which may occur
due to an interrupted download, the mailbox will remain "locked" until the
system detects the problem and then resets the mailbox ready for access or
to accept messages which may have been held back. This could take up to
ten minutes, but all should be normal after that time
Removing downloaded
mail from the server.
The default setting for all mailer programs
is to delete all downloaded mail from your mailbox after it has been
successfully downloaded. This is done by your mailer program advising the
server that the mail has been downloaded, and thus can be deleted from the
system.
It is possible to retain downloaded mail on the server by removing the
default switch in your mailer program, however this is unwise as each time
your mailer program has to sort through all messages in your mailbox and
decide which to download. In the meantime the mailbox continues to
accumulate mail, and can become overfull and having reached this stage,
messages will be returned to the sender with appropriate notification.
Mailbox size and
capacity.
Subscribers' mailboxes have a capacity of 10
MB which is about the practical limit of what can be downloaded during a
normal day's access. New mail will continue to be received provided
that limit has not been reached prior to the latest message; however once
the limit has been reached no further mail will be accepted although the
sender will be advised of this and the explanation of the mailbox problem
similar to the following:
----- The following
addresses had permanent fatal errors
-----
<stanj@melbpc.org.au>
----- Transcript of
session follows -----
stanj has exceeded their disk quota allocation
and
incoming mail
for them is being returned to the sender.
Postmaster will not notify
stanj for you.
554
<stanj@melbpc.org.au>... Service unavailable
