If, like many people, you choose to use Microsoft Outlook Express as your client for sending and receiving mail, you may have come across a 0×800cccod error at some point.

This error usually restricts a user from sending email, despite still being able to receive new mail from the POP server. You may receive an error that mentions invalid passwords, or invalid usernames. In some cases, receiving mail is also disabled and the user may have difficulty in connecting to the ISP’s mail servers.

The first step to take should be to evaluate whether the problem still exists with a firewall disabled. Many anti-Virus suites, for example, will try to scan new mail and they may alter the username and password leading to an error when it gets sent to the server. This is a simple problem to troubleshoot.

Temporarily disable the protection, try to send your message, and if it goes through successfully, you know that the anti-Virus software is causing a collision. It’s possible to disable the firewall for email services but that’s a drastic measure to take. Especially given that many viruses are spread through email communications.

You can breathe a sigh of relief though because even when you do download a virus via email attachment, most anti-Virus programmes will spot the file when you try to copy it across to the hard drive. It has to be downloaded, remember.

Most firewalls are easily accessible through the control panel of your anti-Virus software. There should be an option for “email scanning”. Turn this off and you will notice that sending and receiving mail becomes a lot quicker, not just in connecting but in downloading files too.

Another possibility, and probably more likely scenario, is that you’ve already been affected by a virus. There are many malicious applications which mess with the outgoing email, preventing a user from sending and in some cases, receiving too. Some viruses are easy to spot, while others are much more discrete. It’s not always viruses that cause the problems either.

A 0×800cccod error can even be triggered by spyware and adware. To prevent this kind of corruption, you should run a regular scan of your system. There are many free scanning utilities available on the web, and it’ll reduce the likelihood of an email problem if you have a clean hard drive.

If a system clean-up isn’t enough to solve the 0×800cccod error, you may want to re-enter your account details for the email client. This can sometimes reset the connection so that you can send to the SMTP server, and receive with POP.

Ensure that the details of the mail server settings are correct. If you are unsure of this, you will have to contact your ISP and retrieve the correct information. It’s possible, but wholly unlikely, that the ISP might change your log-in details without informing you. While we’d be surprised if this is the case, it would certainly explain why you can’t connect to send or receive mail! Such problems will usually be marked with an Invalid Username / Password message.

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The error, 0×800ccc79, is generally associated with problems sending and receiving email from a server. It could be down to the authentication levels, or it could simply be a configuration issue in Outlook Express.

If you’re receiving this message, it’s unlikely that you’re capable of using mail in your standard client. In some instances, the error has been known to occur without affecting the delivery of the mail, but in most, this is not the case.

So how can we fix it?

Firstly, let’s take a look at a couple of the error variants that you might find.

‘The server does not support a SSL connection. Account; pop.xxx.com Server smtp.xxx.com.’ Protocol SMTP, server response ‘250 HELP’ Port; 25, Secure (SSL) Yes, Server Error 250, error number 0×800CCC7D.’

The message could not be sent because one of the recipients was rejected by the server. The rejected e-mail address was ‘recipient@address.com’ . Subject ‘My Subject’, Account: ‘My Account’, Server: ’smtp.xxx.xxx’, Protocol: SMTP, Server Response: ‘550 relaying to prohibited by administrator’, Port: 25, Secure(SSL): No, Server Error: 550, Error Number: 0×800CCC79

Both of these errors are due to the email client being configured to use SSL, Secure Socket Layer, when it is not needed.

If you’re using Microsoft’s Outlook Express, you will need to adjust the settings to bypass the SSL.

To do this, follow the steps below.

• Go to Tools.
• From the new dialogue, click Accounts.
• Select the account which applies to the email that you are trying to send or receive. Go to Properties.
• Go to Advanced Settings
• Locate; “This server requires a secure connection” for “Outgoing mail (SMTP)” and “Incoming mail (POP3)”.
• Remove the checks from the two boxes.
• Save the settings and exit
• Reload Outlook Express.

This should allow you to send and receive your mail.

Another problem commonly associated with Outlook Express involves just the sending of mail, while it’s still possible to receive them without errors.

You may be receiving a 0×800ccc79 error if your account provider has stipulated that you must already be logged on to the SMTP server in order to send new mail. This can be quite confusing because if you opt to receive mail first, you’ll usually connect and the gateway will be opened for mail to be sent.

This is down to what’s known as the “POP before SMTP” rule.

Either way, it’s possible to log straight on to the SMTP server by supplying a username and password to be automatically authenticated when you open Outlook Express. To do this, follow the next step of steps.

• Go to Extras.
• Click on Accounts
• Select the account which applies to the email that you are trying to send. Go to Properties.
• When the window opens, click on Server.
• Check the box under Outgoing Mail Server which says “My server requires authentication.”
• Save your settings and exit.

It’s then a simple matter of entering your designated username and password at the relevant screen. This will be passed on to the SMTP server and you should be able to send new mail without the frustration of a 0×800ccc79 error.

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As the world’s most popular web browser, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer is used by over 80% of users on the Internet. This puts it way out in front of every other browser, but it also means that the software is required to reach out to the newest and obscurest of technologies.

While Internet Explorer is certainly the most popular, it’s not always the most reliable browser on the market. Each browser is different, and we’re going to look at some of the problems you could face while using Microsoft’s popular interface.

The biggest issue, and the source of most criticism directed at Internet Explorer, involves the danger of infecting your system through spyware and adware. There is no absolute way of eliminating malicious content from the web, but Internet Explorer is somewhat exposed to the dangers, more so than its rivals. This is due to the way that the program is structured, making it easier for hackers to attack your system.

It’s quite common to find the browser lagging - or even not working at all, after enabling an ActiveX control which isn’t as it seems. Whenever you load an ActiveX control in Internet Explorer, you’ll be given a warning about the content. It could seem completely innocuous, but after accepting, it’s possible for a malicious user to execute a “drive-by download” and effectively spam your computer without you so much as batting an eyelid.

Yes, this is still possible using Mozilla Firefox or any other browser. The difference is that Microsoft’s product is much more discrete about letting you know that you have a problem. Sometimes it won’t even tell you at all. The only way you’ll know for sure is by running a scan of your computer, or by using good ol’ common sense when the browser freezes up or overflows in third party advertisements.

A good spyware removal utility should clear up any issues related to the third party corruption of your browser, and believe us, there can be many. If you’ve been browsing the Net for a month without sufficient anti-Virus protection, the chances are that you’re harbouring some kind of malicious content.

It’s also good practice to delete your temporary Internet files on a regular basis. Every time you visit a website, a cookie is downloaded on to your computer. As you allow these to mount up, they can clog the system and ruin what was once a fresh browsing experience. They’re also very important when it comes to maintaining privacy in the websites that you’ve accessed.

Sometimes you’ll access websites and click on links which fail to load. This isn’t usually a trait of Internet Explorer, but of a toolbar that’s attached to it. Check to ensure that you have pop-ups enabled, since some sites will use the target=”_blank” key to open a page in a new window.

Other problems such as failed applets and scripting malfunctions can often be a sign that you’re Internet Options have been adjusted. Try going to Tools then Internet Options and under the access permissions, make sure that the three scripting boxes are checked. If they’re not, JavaScript will not run in the browser. This, as you can probably imagine if you have a web background, can cause a lot of difficulties.

With the release of Microsoft Internet Explorer 7, many of the security issues have been taken care of. But that’s not to say we should neglect the likelihood of opportunist attacks on the web. Be sure to browse safely with anti-Virus protection and clean your system regularly.

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“A Runtime Error has occurred. Do you wish to Debug?”

If you have been receiving this message while browsing the Web, it’s likely that you’re suffering from scripting errors caused by configuration options or malicious malware.

Runtime errors can arise out of many things. Maybe you have a pop up blocker installed. When a window opens to execute a script, the pop-up blocker terminates the script before it can complete its command. This leads to what is known as a runtime error.

With every runtime error, you’ll have the chance to debug where the problem is in the code. Of course, as a casual web browser, this isn’t really any of our business. So instead we end up clicking through “OK” messages until the alerts disappear. As such, it can take several clicks to load a single page!

Another problem involves the configuration of anti-Virus software. While it’s certainly advisable to browse with protection, always make sure that you have the right permission levels within the application. If you switch off scripting, you’re likely to get quite a few runtime errors. It’s also important that your anti-Virus suite is configured NOT to scan the Temporary Internet Files. This can lead to all kinds of problems.

Some people find themselves flooded with annoying runtime errors, yet the website itself seems to function properly. To fix this, follow the steps below.

• Go to Tools and Internet Options in Microsoft Internet Exporer
• Click on the Advanced Settings.
• Disable script debugging.
• Disable the script error notification box.
• Save changes and relaunch your browser

This will prevent reports of errors being returned when you load a page. Note that it won’t prevent the actual collision. But you won’t have to click OK several times before a page actually loads.

It’s possible that runtime errors are the result of a spyware infestation. Many malicious users design software which sits under the browser and springs up pop-ups. Due to the rough cut nature of most malwares, they can lead to an unhealthy number of errors. Ultimately, they’re not designed with the end user in mind and in desperation to blitz your browser with third party ads; you’ll be fighting off many errors.

To deal with spyware, there are many excellent free system cleaning utilities available on the market. These will tear through your computer and eliminate the bad apples. They’ll also clean the registry and improve the overall performance of your computer. Most runtime errors are born from collisions with the code. If you’re getting them persistently on reputable websites, the problem is most likely spyware or a spreading virus.

It’s not out of the question, however, that the runtime error is the fault of the developer who created the page. Programming languages aren’t a walk in the park by any means and there is plenty of scope for errors. If the site is using bad code, there’s nothing you can do other than to find a different website. You can eliminate the error reporting however, as we mentioned above, and this is often enough to make a website usable.

You can usually tell when the problem is on the part of the developer. If the errors are occurring on innocuous websites designed for the masses, it’s likely a fault at your own end. Remember that most reputable businesses and organizations are forced to design tidy code that won’t clash with pop-up blockers and anti-Virus software. Still having problems? Remember the three most likely reasons;

• Spyware
• Pop-up blockers and anti-Virus software
• Script configuration settings in Internet Options

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