xp_sendmail lockup

  • I have a very strange problem regarding xp_sendmail. I run the following in query analzyzer:

    xp_sendmail 'someone@overthere.com', 'TEST'

    and it works the first and maybe even the second time I try it. That is, I receive the sent email. After that, running it causes the program to go into a state of "executing job" and it never comes out of that state.

    Alternatively, I tried running the same line in a T-SQL job I set up. Again, it works the first time, but then I don't get any emails on the next executions of the job. However, the job seems to function normally other than the fact that the emails don't get delivered. Once I reboot the server (and not just stop and restart SQL Server) all the mail gets delivered. The SMTP gateway I use to send out the mail is operational from other clients the whole time and resides on the same machine as SQL Server.

    Mail tests from the "Operators" dialogs work fine during this time as well.

    It appears that there's a lock somewhere, but I'm not sure where. I tried setting @@LOCK_TIMEOUT to five seconds, but it doesn't help.

    I am running SQL Server 2000 SP2 on Windows 2000 Advanced Server.

    Any suggestions?

    Thanks!

    Rob

  • WHat mail client are you using? When you have this issue check your client to see if the mails show sent or still in the outbox.

    "Don't roll your eyes at me. I will tape them in place." (Teacher on Boston Public)

  • Thanks for your suggestion...

    I am using Microsoft Outlook. When the mail got stuck, I went into Outlook and saw the messages--not in the outbox, not in the sent items folder--but in the inbox! This makes no sense to me. (They are not returned mail and have no received date associated with them.)

    I am completely confused.

    Thanks

  • From Microsoft KB Article Q315886:

    Q5: Why is my outgoing mail stuck in the Inbox?

    A5: This problem is more likely to occur with Outlook 2002. To improve Internet e-mail performance, the Office development team moved the mail spooler for non-Exchange mail into the Outlook process space. You must have the Outlook client open to send outgoing e-mail. This problem does not affect the e-mail that Outlooks sends to the Exchange server.

    You may also encounter this problem when you use Outlook 2000. In this case, the most likely cause is that you did not provide a working POP3 server as the incoming mail server in the mail profile.

  • Thank you both for your help. Problem solved! It was the POP3 server.

    I really appreciate it.

    Rob

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