# fetchmail: socket error while fetching from... [SOLVED]

## buzzin

Hello,

Fetchmail and postfix have been happy as larry on one of our servers picking up mail via pop3. This was until the other day when mails stopped appearing in our inbox. No changes have been made to our server between the time when it was working and when it stopped. Postfix is still working fine and relaying any smtp mail. I can also telnet into the pop3 server and copy and paste all the below  commands and the emails get shown.

Any help or advise would be most welcome, Thanks in advance.

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Running fetchmail with -v -v produces the following output;

```

fetchmail: 6.3.4 querying pop3.gotadsl.co.uk (protocol POP3) at Wed Jul 12 20:04:16 2006: poll started

fetchmail: POP3< +OK <39733.1152731056@redir002.apm-internet.net>

fetchmail: POP3> CAPA

fetchmail: POP3< -ERR authorization first

fetchmail: authorization first

fetchmail: Repoll immediately on <ourusername>@pop3.apm-internet.net

fetchmail: POP3< +OK <2564.1152731057@redir001.apm-internet.net>

fetchmail: POP3> USER <ourusername>

fetchmail: POP3< +OK

fetchmail: POP3> PASS *

fetchmail: POP3< +OK

fetchmail: selecting or re-polling default folder

fetchmail: POP3> STAT

fetchmail: POP3< +OK 53 11253981

53 messages for <ourusername> at pop3.gotadsl.co.uk (11253981 octets).

fetchmail: POP3> LIST 1

fetchmail: POP3< +OK 1 338394

fetchmail: POP3> RETR 1

fetchmail: POP3< +OK

reading message <ourusername>@pop3.apm-internet.net:1 of 53 (338394 octets)

About to rewrite Return-Path: <mailer@bmiemail.com>

Rewritten version is Return-Path: <mailer@bmiemail.com>

About to rewrite From: bmi admin <mailer@bmiemail.com>

Rewritten version is From: bmi admin <mailer@bmiemail.com>

About to rewrite Return-Path: mailer@bmiemail.com

Rewritten version is Return-Path: mailer@bmiemail.com

fetchmail: SMTP< 220 <ourserver> ESMTP Postfix

fetchmail: SMTP> EHLO  <ourusername>

fetchmail: SMTP< 250-<ourserver> 

fetchmail: SMTP< 250-PIPELINING

fetchmail: SMTP< 250-SIZE 10240000

fetchmail: SMTP< 250-VRFY

fetchmail: SMTP< 250-ETRN

fetchmail: SMTP< 250 8BITMIME

fetchmail: forwarding to localhost

fetchmail: SMTP> MAIL FROM:<mailer@bmiemail.com> SIZE=338394

fetchmail: SMTP< 250 Ok

fetchmail: SMTP> RCPT TO:<ternlead@localhost>

fetchmail: SMTP< 250 Ok

fetchmail: SMTP> DATA

fetchmail: SMTP< 354 End data with <CR><LF>.<CR><LF>

#*****************.***************.****fetchmail: socket error while fetching from   <ourusername>@pop3.gotadsl.co.uk

fetchmail: 6.3.4 querying pop3.gotadsl.co.uk (protocol POP3) at Wed Jul 12 20:04:17 2006: poll completed

fetchmail: Query status=2 (SOCKET)

fetchmail: Deleting fetchids file.

fetchmail: normal termination, status 2

fetchmail: Deleting fetchids file.

```

Things ive tried

- turning off tcp timestamps

- different IP's for the same pop3 server aswell as the dns name

- rebooted

- Upgrading fetchmail to net-mail/fetchmail-6.3.4

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## buzzin

This issue turned out to be one *bad* email on the ISP's pop3 server... I called them and they deleted it and all is working sweet with emails flooding in again..

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