Mail Messages Downloaded Multiple Times in Outlook Express

• Microsoft Outlook Express version 4.0 for Macintosh

SYMPTOMS

When you use the "Do not download previously received mail" feature in Outlook Express, mail messages may still be downloaded multiple times.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if you click the "Leave a copy of messages on server" and "Do not download previously received mail" check boxes to select them in Outlook Express, and the mail server from which you receive mail messages does not support the "Do not download previously received mail" feature.

RESOLUTION

To work around this issue, view mail messages on the server instead of downloading them. To do so, follow these steps:

1. In Outlook Express, click Preferences on the Edit menu.

2. Under Accounts, click E-mail.

3. In the Mail Accounts box, click the account you want to configure.

4. Click Advanced, and then click the Allow Online Access check box to select it.

5. Click OK, and then click OK.

6. On the View menu, click Preview Pane, and then click OK to disable the Preview Pane.

   NOTE: If the Preview Pane is enabled, mail messages you click to read on the server are downloaded to your computer.

7. In the Folder List pane, click the server on which your mail messages are stored.

8. To read a message, click the message in the list.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Outlook Express version 4.0 for Macintosh. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

Outlook Express uses the message header status "r" as an indication that a message has been read. Although this status is used by almost all Internet service providers (ISPs), some mail servers, such as Microsoft Exchange Server, do not add headers to messages. The Outlook Express "Do not download previously received mail" feature does not work when headers are not added to messages.