XCON: Outlook and Outlook Express Cause a Time-Out Error and Cannot Retrieve POP3 Mail Messages

When you try to use Microsoft Outlook or Microsoft Outlook Express to retrieve POP3 mail, you may receive a time-out error, and nothing can be retrieved from the Exchange server.

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
To work around this problem, you must add a DWORD value to the registry on the Exchange server:

1. Click Start, click Run, type regedt32, and then click OK.
2. Click the following key:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\POP3SVC\Parameters
3. On the Edit menu, click Add Value.
4. In the Value Name box, type CheckPop3Tail.
5. In the Data Type box, click REG_DWORD, and then click OK.
6. In the Data box, type 1, and then click OK.
7. Quit Registry Editor.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a bug in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

For more information about Post Office Protocol version 3, (POP3), visit the following FAQs.org Web site: Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.