503 valid RCPT command must precede DATA

[Guus Ellenkamp]

I am using different hosting providers. One of them gives the following
error with my settings (and worked before). The other works fine. The error
seems to occur randomly and seems to depend on the Outlook or Outlook
Express version.

Task 'mail.xxx.com- Sending' reported error (0x800CCC65) :

'Your outgoing (SMTP) e-mail server has reported an internal error. If you
continue to receive this message, contact your server administrator or
Internet service provider (ISP). The server responded: 503 valid RCPT
command must precede DATA'

I need this one to work with this hosting provider. The hosting provider
insists everything is fine on their side.

 

[F.H. Muffman]

I am using different hosting providers. One of them gives the
following error with my settings (and worked before). The other works
fine. The error seems to occur randomly and seems to depend on the
Outlook or Outlook Express version.

Task 'mail.xxx.com- Sending' reported error (0x800CCC65) :

'Your outgoing (SMTP) e-mail server has reported an internal error.
If you continue to receive this message, contact your server
administrator or Internet service provider (ISP). The server
responded: 503 valid RCPT command must precede DATA'

I need this one to work with this hosting provider. The hosting
provider insists everything is fine on their side.

Has it always given this?
If OE and Outlook *both* see the problem, it isn't an Outlook problem.
Search through the message failures. Is it always to the same person?

Personally, I would crank up the logging (which varies depending upon
version of Outlook) and next time you get the error, crack open the log,
verify that it successfully sent an RCPT TO: command before the DATA command
and take that to the ISP.

However, this also may be caused by your mail client needing to check POP3
mail *before* sending. Assuming Outlook 2003, pull up the properties of
that particular POP account, go to More Settings - Outgoing Server, check
the checkbox and select Log on to incoming mail server before sending mail.