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server error "failed to send FETCH command, when trying to load emails to inbox

james69
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Posts: 3
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Registered: ‎29-10-2018

server error "failed to send FETCH command, when trying to load emails to inbox

cannot load emails due to this message started occasionally now most of the time.

Can get through sometimes after several attempts.

Did not seem affect laptop but now it does.

8 REPLIES 8
jab1
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Registered: ‎24-02-2012

Re: server error "failed to send FETCH command, when trying to load emails to inbox

@james69 It will be denied, but this IS a Plusnet mail server problem - I don't normally use webmail as I have an email client on my usual machine, but had to use it on my second machine (no client configured at present) and Sunday afternoon into Monday morning, only one attempt out of around 30 succeeded in loading one mailbox,

As soon as my main machine was back in service, normal operation returned. I'm no expert, but I think the IMAP service is borked - note I use POP3 under normal service.

John
dvorak
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Re: server error "failed to send FETCH command, when trying to load emails to inbox


Moderators Note


This topic has been moved from Tech Help to Email

Customer / Moderator
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If it fixed it click 'This fixed my problem'
jab1
Legend
Posts: 16,817
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Registered: ‎24-02-2012

Re: server error "failed to send FETCH command, when trying to load emails to inbox

Just in case any of the email savvy customers on here (or even a PN staffer), ask the question, this happens on Squirrelmail and Roundcube, and was only attempting to pick a maximum of 8 small messages.

John
pvmb
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Registered: ‎12-02-2014

Re: server error "failed to send FETCH command, when trying to load emails to inbox


@james69 wrote:

cannot load emails due to this message started occasionally now most of the time.

Can get through sometimes after several attempts.

Did not seem affect laptop but now it does.


The fix for this is known and works. See other thread:

Webmail Server Error Failed to send FETCH Command

https://community.plus.net/t5/Email/Webmail-Server-Error-Failed-to-send-FETCH-Command/m-p/1783475#M3...

Townman
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Re: server error "failed to send FETCH command, when trying to load emails to inbox


@jab1 wrote:

@james69 It will be denied, but this IS a Plusnet mail server problem

I'm no expert, but I think the IMAP service is borked - note I use POP3 under normal service.


Hi John,

I do not believe that there is any denial that there is a problem somewhere, but I suggest that it is a bit presumptuous to suggest that it is the email SERVER which has the problem, rather than the third party webmail interfaces or possibly other infrastructure.  Generally we do not see issues using the IMAP server via a PC based client.  Personally I see more server connection issues to my OUTLOOK.COM email server than I ever see to my Plusnet mailboxes.

POP3 is a very different kettle of fish, where each FETCH action is only concerned with new mail items, not the entire mailbox contents.

Trust me ... I have this on constant review within the SU discussion space ... there is an active issue open ... and it really does not look like a server issue.  If it were that black and white, it would not be such an issue to resolve.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

jab1
Legend
Posts: 16,817
Thanks: 5,339
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Registered: ‎24-02-2012

Re: server error "failed to send FETCH command, when trying to load emails to inbox

@Townman I bow to your greater knowledge. Smiley I very rarely use webmail, usually only to report the odd spam item, but I've had need to do this three times recently, and each time it has been a battle to get the inbox to open, select the offending item, and persuade it to move to the spam folder. This is on mailboxes which are virtually empty, so it isn't a size issue.

I do trust you, and accept your comments, but if I was relying on webmail, I'd be pretty hacked off by now, but I will try and stay away from discussions on this subject.

John
lorrymore
Newbie
Posts: 1
Registered: ‎28-01-2021

Re: server error "failed to send FETCH command, when trying to load emails to inbox

I have this problem and can rarely now open my plusnet email account unless I use the Basic webmail option, When using Basic webmail I am also regularly getting error messages when trying to move pages, delete or open emails. Can a solution be provided for me. Error message now getting regularly in Basic webmail is -

ERROR: Connection dropped by IMAP server Query.....

Townman
Superuser
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Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: server error "failed to send FETCH command, when trying to load emails to inbox

Hi @lorrymore 

A warm welcome to the forums.

There are no immediate solutions, but there are a couple of mitigations you can try.

Slow webmail

There is a known gremlin in the third party Round Cube webmail program which can cause delays in listing emails - see the end user mitigation post at the top of the Email board here. It somewhat appears that any sorting or filtering on a large mailbox cripples the performance of RC webmail, where as the 'basic' webmail program (Squirrel Mail) is not affected. Using Squirrel Mail can be an effective way of accessing a mail box which is running slow with RC.

There is no necessity to restrict your access to your Plusnet email via the Plusnet Webmail interface. Virtually every IT device comes with an in-built email program which can be configured to access your Plusnet email service. See the setting up an email client guide.

Some have found logging into their mailbox using this third party webmail client - https://mail2web.com helpful in clearing out clutter from their mailboxes.

 

Culling mailbox contents

If you need to clean out your mailbox, may be because it is over quota, then as well as tidying up the inbox, you need to also look at the SENT ITEMS folder and then afterwards clear out the TRASH folder. However some times webmail performance can make this process very tedious, particularly if the delete action (actually a move to the trash folder) fails.

If you primarily want to delete emails, you can mitigate delete performance issues by doing an "immediate" delete (rather than a move to trash for deletion later) by holding down the SHIFT key when pressing the DEL key. This works in both webmail and most PC based email clients. WARNING SHIFT+DEL is not recoverable so be certain absolutely, that you do not need the email before pressing the buttons!

Alternatively, in webmail (Round Cube) Settings -> Server Settings there are some options worth exploring controlling how deletes are performed...

  1. Flag the message for deletion instead of delete
  2. If moving messages to "Deleted Items" fails, permanently delete them
  3. Compact Inbox on logout

Setting these options and using them together will avoid the over heads of moving items to the trash folder when you wish to delete them. They will simply be greyed out and remain in the inbox list. After logging out of webmail, they will then be removed from the mailbox.

Whilst this might be highly proficient, it needs to be used with care, for when they are gone, they are gone. Note also that Plusnet house-keeping clears out the trash folder weekly.

 

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.