POP Lock Busy

Issue:

Eudora displays the following error when I try to check mail:

"-ERR Maildrop Lock Busy. Is another session running?"

Solution:

POP3 mail servers will only allow one connection per user at a time. You cannot simultaneously check your mail for the same account from two different client machines. When you check mail, the server creates a pop lock file. If you are currently checking mail and try to open another session to the POP server, the server will return a "POP Lock busy" error message and deny you access.

Double-check your personalities to make sure you aren't attempting to connect to the same POP account with different personalities. If you have multiple personalities for the same POP account (perhaps to make use of aliases for different return addresses) you want only one of those personalities to be set up to check mail. Right click on the personality and select Properties. On the General tab, there is a checkbox for "check mail." If multiple personalities point to the same POP account, this box should be checked for only one of those personalities.

Sometimes, if you disconnect from the server without sending the proper QUIT commands, the lock file will be left behind even though you aren't really still connected. Most servers will have an idle time-out settings and will remove the lock file after a while of no activity, but if this error does not go away by itself for you, you will need to contact your mail server administrator to unlock your POP account and allow you to connect to it again.

Keywords: EPWIN