This article describes what Outlook Express error 0x8000CCC90 is and how it can be fixed to get your Outlook Express working again. The instructions provided here are reliable and correct to date. However, it is recommended that you follow them carefully to avoid problems with Outlook Express.
“There was a problem logging into your mail server. Your username was rejected. Account: ‘pop3.example.com’, Server: ‘pop3.example.com’, Protocol: POP3, Server Response: ‘- ERR’, Port : 110, Secure (SSL): No, Server Error: 0x800CCC90”. This error message occurs when you try to log in to your email account but the POP3 mail server rejects your username or password due to a typing error or lack of verification, among other reasons. To correct this error message, you must modify the properties of your email profile in Outlook Express. Here’s how you can do this with this free Outlook Express support guide.
Instructions:
Open Outlook Express by double clicking the shortcut icon on the desktop. If there is no desktop shortcut, click the Start menu and go to All Programs, Outlook Express. When you’re in the Outlook Express window, click the Tools menu at the top and choose Accounts. You will see the Internet Accounts dialog. Click the Mail tab (if it’s not already highlighted), click to select your email account, and then click the Properties button (on the right side).
When you are in the Properties window, click the Server tab and check the incoming (POP3) and outgoing (SMTP) mail server settings. For example, you are using a Gmail account; the incoming mail server will be ‘pop3.gmail.com’ while the outgoing mail server will be ‘smtp.gmail.com’. Check the account name and password. Your account name is your full email address. Make sure it is spelled correctly. Check your password, delete it and retype it without making any typos. If you recently changed your password, update it here in the Password box and check the Remember password box. An incorrect password entry can cause this Outlook Express error message.
If the Sign in with strong password authentication box is checked, uncheck it. Under the Outgoing Mail Server heading, check the My server requires authentication box. Now click on the Advanced tab and check the server port numbers for the incoming and outgoing mail servers. They must be the ones provided by your ISP (Internet Service Provider). Verify that the correct port numbers have been entered. You can also update them by deleting and re-entering them. Check server timeouts. When you have finished making the necessary changes to your settings, press the Apply button to save them and then the OK button to exit the Properties window.
Close Outlook Express and reopen it. It will update the changes and the Outlook Express error will be gone. If the problem persists, use this method. Open Command Prompt from the Start menu > All Programs > Accessories. You can also use the Run utility to open the command prompt. When you are in the command prompt window, type ‘netsh int ip reset c:resetlog.txt’ (without quotes and as is) and press the Enter key. Please wait while the command is executed. When you’re done, close Command Prompt by clicking the X button in the upper-right corner of the window.
Additional Information:
Often a virus or malware infection like Trojans or spyware etc. hidden in an email can also cause error 0x8000CCC90 in Outlook Express. So don’t forget to run a full virus scan from your antivirus program. You can also run a free online virus scan from a reputable website like Trend Micro. When the scan is complete, delete any infected files. Don’t forget to empty the Recycle Bin.