# Socket Error 10061



## Tristaan (Aug 1, 2003)

Apologies if someone has already answered this but I have a problem that started recently.

I have Norton Internet Security 2006 installed on a Windows XP Home SP 2 PC. I'm using Outlook Express to read e-mail.

Until recently, no problems.

However, these days, when I open OE, I get a socket error 10061 trying to access my POP3 mail server. If I reboot the machine and re-log into windows, the error goes away. as soon as I log off and then log back in, the error is back.

I've restarted my machine in safe mode with networking and have not been able to reproduce the problem under those conditions.

At this point in time, I suspect something with Norton. I did do a recent LiveUpdate session in which a number of Norton items were updated. 

Does anyone have any input on this? What can I do to resolve this (Norton Support portal on their website was no help)?


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## Tristaan (Aug 1, 2003)

Bump...

Before I make any serious configuration changes on my PC, I'd like a response to this. I have a few ideas I've garnered from elsewhere but I trust the experts here implicitly so...

Anyone? Anyone? Beuler?


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## gurutech (Apr 23, 2004)

You can disable the email scanning feature of Norton to see if that is causing your problems. If you still have the problem with that disabled, then you can reenable it.


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## Tristaan (Aug 1, 2003)

I thought I had done that last night... I'll give it a shot again but, when I tried that, it didn't work.

Any other thoughts?


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## Tristaan (Aug 1, 2003)

I've done everything I can think of within my own machine configuration and the problem described in the opening post is still occurring. The ISP has verified that there isn't a problem on their end. Norton's Self-Repair utiltiies and other suggestions have also panned out as showing that my Norton applications are not the problem.

Anyone else give me something else to look for?


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## genec (May 4, 2007)

Sorry I don't have an answer, but wanted to throw in that I have the same exact issue. All is well after logging in for the first time, but all logins after that, I can not receive email and get this error. Reboot starts cycle all over again. No help on ms support, none on norton, and none from ISP (comcast.net).


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## Tristaan (Aug 1, 2003)

When I next get a chance, I'm going to make sure Norton is up to date, reboot into safe mode, and run a scan. I have a sneaking suspicion there is a bot of some sort on my box, hiding around out there, commandeering the mail port. I don't see any signs of mail going in and out of my machine, but stranger things have happened. 

We'll see what a virus scan and/or a spyware scan finds.


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## genec (May 4, 2007)

Thank you. Comcast's last support message told me I had something on my system, but I figured they were reaching. 

I ran both Norton scan and Spybot but not in safe mode. I won't be able to get back to it for a while, but will try it when I get back. Good luck. I look forward to your results.


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## Tristaan (Aug 1, 2003)

I'll let ya know, probably after tonight. I hope to be able to run this scan late this evening sometime.


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## John Deere Guy (May 6, 2007)

I have the exact same problem. It started when I did an update in Norton SystemWorks a couple months ago. I have to reboot after my daughter logs me off and logs into her account. I have contacted my ISP and Symantec with no help. I even uninstalled Norton. Restarted and reinstalled it. Same result. Could it be IE 7?


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## biagrin (Jan 1, 2006)

have you tried this?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/191687


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## Tristaan (Aug 1, 2003)

John Deere Guy said:


> I have the exact same problem. It started when I did an update in Norton SystemWorks a couple months ago. I have to reboot after my daughter logs me off and logs into her account. I have contacted my ISP and Symantec with no help. I even uninstalled Norton. Restarted and reinstalled it. Same result. Could it be IE 7?


Dude, that is EXACTLY the sequence of events that happened to me.. updated Norton and wham!

It's not IE 7 because my IE 7 update happened BEFORE my Norton update.

Something is DEFINITELY fishy... I'm expecting that Norton is not playing right with something in a recent windows patch.


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## Tristaan (Aug 1, 2003)

biagrin said:


> have you tried this?
> 
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/191687


Would be a possibility if I had access to the exchange server.  I'm just a lowly little client of a broadband ISP. Not like I can have them do this. 

Since there are now three folks with similar problems, all using Norton, all with the same general effect, my guess is the problem is in Norton somewhere. I'll have to get back in touch with symantec.


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## kimiko (May 9, 2007)

i have the same problem too! mine just started recently though (over this past weekend).

it only happens if i log off an account on the computer, then try to log back on. when i restart, the error goes away until the next time i log out of an account again.

anyone get any answers as to how to fix this?


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## Tristaan (Aug 1, 2003)

At the urging of my company's IT guy, when I presented the problem to him, he suggested using UPHClean to make sure my user hive is cleaned up after every log off.

This did not fix it.

so, as Edison used to say, this is not a failure. I've successfully found yet another method that doesn't work.


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## JayCee123 (May 13, 2007)

Had the same problem for some time now, and the clues point to Norton firewall deciding to block the default ports 110 and 25 for POP and SMTP mail. 
Haven't found a way to fix Norton yet (though tempted to switch back to the much superior Zonealarm) but my workaround was to set up a Gmail account (Googlemail in the UK), then follow Google's amazingly clear and straightforward instructions to 
1) fetch mail from your usual ISP mail account 
2) enable POP and SMTP access to Gmail from your usual email client (eg Outlook Express or Thunderbird )
It really doesn't take long and after setup is a pretty transparent solution as to the outside world your email address looks the same as before. It works because Gmail uses higher, non-standard port numbers that Norton hasn't decided to chop (yet).


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## Tristaan (Aug 1, 2003)

Hrm... I wonder if deliberately opening those ports will fix it. I know that the Outlook Express application is given access but it's possible that there might be an internal block somewhere that is taking over for that.

I might go the root of GMail and see if that corrects things.

Thanks for the tip.


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## JayCee123 (May 13, 2007)

Definitely some bug in Norton. A complete uninstall and reinstall of the Norton Security Suite has solved the root problem for me. It does take hours though, slowest uninstaller I've ever seen and repeated rebooting.


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## biofish (May 26, 2007)

Also having the same exact problem you guys are having.. I am Running VIsta and although i don't have norton, the problem started last week. I am however running Mcaffe, and belive it is also the cuase.. Probably will be uninstalling it copmletely until they can update it.


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## richsimps (Jun 11, 2007)

What a relief to find some others with the same problem!

Mine started a few weeks ago - suddenly pop/smtp stopped working. Took ages to find the solution (though now it is flagged on Tiscali's web site) I had to use different smtp server to send messages (through Tiscali) - fair enough I thought. 

Since then the problem is only that if I log off (to let kids do homework etc) I have to reboot to get mail back.

The conspiracy theorist in me thinks they want us on their web site seeing their ads instead of using pop!

Would love a solution


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## richsimps (Jun 11, 2007)

I upgraded to Norton Internet Security 2007 & problem seems to have gone away.


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## John Deere Guy (May 6, 2007)

I stumbled onto a cure. I downloaded Norton Internet Security 2007 Free Trial Version from Symantec's website and it fixed mine. I will shop around to find it cheaper as they want 69 bucks for it, but it works great now.


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## John Deere Guy (May 6, 2007)

Still working perfect. Found software on Buy.com cheap!!


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## SUEOHIO (Jan 30, 2007)

just a thought have you thought about getting rid of norton and mcafee. they cause more problems for more people. the free stuff i use has never caused one. i use avg and adaware. only buy if you really have to.


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## cgaboy (Jul 23, 2007)

The April Windows XP Security Updates broke Norton AV, or vice versa, if you downloaded the updates without disabling Norton. The solution is to disable (I had to remove) Norton AV, remove the April XP security updates, then reinstall the updates with Norton disabled/removed. I have replaced Norton with Avast (free for personal use), and I now have the added benefit of much better system performance overall.


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## ZIGOR (Sep 2, 2006)

I'm on Mcaffee also, and have had this problem since day one, has never relented. Win xp media edition 2005.


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## ZIGOR (Sep 2, 2006)

I have win xp, article supposedly doesn't apply to this.


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## Mooglytonkers (Sep 8, 2008)

Just do a winsock fix. 
(Vista)
NETSH WINSOCK RESET

NETSH INT IP RESET

(XP)
NETSH INT IP RESET RESET.LOG
NETSH WINSOCK RESET


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