Weird Optusnet email issue

[SGB]

OK, I had a very weird Optusnet email issue this morning ...

An email from Artstore (http://www.artstore.net.au) dated July 7 landed in my Optusnet email inbox this morning with the subject heading "Out of stock items". I figure this was just an oddly delayed email regarding an order I placed with them on July 5 in which the ordered items turned out to be out of stock (I've since received the order).

However, when I opened the email, the message was an automated eBay reminder reminding me to pay for an auction I really did win a couple of days ago! :eek:

It's as if Optus' mail servers somehow merged two separate emails into one email. Anyone know if this is even technically possible? If possible, what could have caused it? Am quite stumped on this one.

[jaydisc]

Sounds like you're email database is just a bit corrupted. What mail program? What platform?

[SGB]

What mail program?
Windows Mail.

[SGB]

I think I found out what the problem is regarding the Optus email issue I had earlier. Wrote a post on Whirlpool about it:

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1533846#r1

Have no idea what could have caused the problem though. I suspect it may be an issue on Optus' end.

[jaydisc]

I would recommend rebuilding the Windows Mail database. This MS support article details how to do it, but as a solution to a different problem.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/941090

Section entitled: Method 1: Rebuild the message store of Windows Mail

[SGB]

Is there any way to find out if the Windows Mail database is fuxxored before undertaking any repair/rebuilding attempts?

[jaydisc]

I think when one message's headers are tied to another message's content, it's a pretty good indication. As a veteran mail server administrator, there's infinitely more chances that that is the cause, rather than something occurring at the mail server level (at optus).

What type of mail account is it? IMAP or POP?

[SGB]

What type of mail account is it? IMAP or POP?
POP, I think.

[jaydisc]

OK, well that likely means that's it's no longer on Optus's servers, so you can't download a fresh copy (a common IMAP solution). Not much else I can offer. Best of luck.

[SGB]

So is there no way or method of determining if the Windows Mail database is corrupted?

[jaydisc]

There could be a surefire way of knowing, but I don't know it. While I consider myself an expert on mail servers, I'm not intimately familiar with Windows Mail.

You should backup the database before doing any troubleshooting (including a rebuild) anyway. Then you have the flexibility to try different solutions as you can always revert.