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The STAT command did not succeed. Error getting message number and sizes. etc

  • 5 replies
  • 0 have this problem
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  • Last reply by Matt

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I have several email accounts and all except one are still functioning quite fine. As of 10 December one of my accounts continually receives the following error message:

The STAT command did not succeed. Error getting message number and sizes. Mail server mail.bigpond.com responded: mail storage services unavailable, wait a few minutes and try again.

I am able to send messages via this account, but it cannot receive.

I would be grateful for any assistance to correct this please. Thanks.

I have several email accounts and all except one are still functioning quite fine. As of 10 December one of my accounts continually receives the following error message: '''''The STAT command did not succeed. Error getting message number and sizes. Mail server mail.bigpond.com responded: mail storage services unavailable, wait a few minutes and try again.''''' I am able to send messages via this account, but it cannot receive. I would be grateful for any assistance to correct this please. Thanks.

All Replies (5)

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That message seems to be originating with bigpond.com, your ISP. I would call their tech support and see if they can tell you what's wrong.

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Thanks for your reply Chazz. On researching this problem it would seem to be a Thunderbird problem, from what I understand. I did find answers to rectify the problem in GMail ... just not BigPond. I have several BigPond email addresses ... only the one has caused an error.

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The key to my mind is this: "Mail server mail.bigpond.com responded: " That is Thunderbird reporting what Bigpond has said. An ISP like bigpond may have a number of different mail servers, and accounts will be routed according to where the mailboxes actually are, so it's possible for one account to not work - because it alone, among your accounts on bigpond - is trying to talk to a failed server. At the very least, it's worth a call to see if there is a problem with the mail server or account you're trying to connect to, at their end.

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Thanks very much Chazz.

Weirdly, as suddenly as it stopped working, this morning it rectified itself and loads of emails came flooding through. I guess it was, as you suggested, a failed server. Bigpond must have rectified it and all is well again. I appreciate your assistance thanks .. and have a merry Christmas!

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yeah, Bigpond, or Telstra as it is now titled, is unfortunately not a very good provider of anything. Despite having been the incumbent telecommunications provider. When they have an issue it takes them days to stop blaming the user and actually get with fixing the problem. Last week they lied to me three times in three minutes about actions they claimed to have undertaken. Including having left a text message on my old T200 telstra landline phone. I have about decided to go with Starlink in the past few days. It is expensive, but fast and not involved with the troubled NBN or telstra. Living in a remote area choice is very limited.

I have had Telstra support staff assure me the issue is in Outlook, which was not even installed, and refuse to entertain it was not installed. Mysterious issues that just a mysteriously disappear are a feature of the Telstra experience, as are billing issues.