Timeout Settings for Outlook when accessing MAPI server

Question

I am trying to diagnose Outlook timeouts with my ISP's MAPI server and wonder whether anyone in the Forum can clue me in to methods (e.g., Registry settings) for manipulating the timeout settings in Outlook's start-up--when it tries to download inbound mail and synchronize folders?

Details follow...

I have run Outlook against my ISP's e-mail system via MAPI/SMTP for several years without any significant issues. But in the last couple weeks, Outlook has more and more frequently been unable to connect via MAPI at startup to get inbound mail and synchronize its folders. Note that it has not had issues with connecting to SMTP for outbound mail. The Outlook logs for the inbound processing indicate that the socket connection times out (WSAGETSELECTERROR = 10060).

I thought at first that the issue was with my ISP, but I commenced running the Windows Mail app on the same workstation against the same MAPI/SMTP servers and that app has been operating without any issue during this timeframe. Also, I built a PowerShell script that performs the sockets connection to the ISP servers and the MAPI login/logoff dialog. I've been running that script every 5 minutes (via Task Scheduler) for a while now and it has not encountered any timeout issues. So the evidence leads me back to the Outlook app.

I want to try different timeout tolerances for the app's sockets connection and MAPI login, but have not found any settings for that. I am hoping that Microsoft has made those adjustable and that someone in the Forum knows how to do that. The only adjustment I have found to date is "Server Timeouts" in the Internet Email Settings/Advanced menu for Outlook. I am unsure what that affects specifically, but adjusting it did not help me resolve this issue.

Logs:

When I run [Test Account Settings] in "POP and IMAP Account Settings" window, a log gets generated in ...\Temp\Outlook Logging. As seen in the excerpt below, it shows a timeout about 20 seconds after the connection attempt

IMAP: 10:03:19 [db] Connecting to 'imap.comcast.net' on port 993.
IMAP: 10:03:19 [db] OnNotify: asOld = 0, asNew = 2, ae = 0
IMAP: 10:03:19 [db] srv_name = "imap.comcast.net" srv_addr = [2001:558:fc18:1:f816:3eff:feee:56a7]:993
IMAP: 10:03:19 [db] OnNotify: asOld = 2, asNew = 3, ae = 1
IMAP: 10:03:19 [db] OnNotify: asOld = 3, asNew = 4, ae = 0
IMAP: 10:03:40 [db] err: WSAGETSELECTEVENT = 0x10, WSAGETSELECTERROR = 10060
IMAP: 10:03:40 [db] Connection to 'imap.comcast.net' closed.

It then repeats the attempt about 15 times and finally ends with this notice.

IMAP: 10:08:56 [db] ERROR: "The connection to the server failed.", hr=2148322318
IMAP: 10:08:56 [db] Connection to 'imap.comcast.net' closed.

When launching Outlook--with logging enabled--the app generates an OPMLog.log in ...\Temp\Outlook Logging. As seen in the excerpt below, the app gives up after about 6 minutes.

2021.02.04 10:45:54 <<<< Logging Started (level is LTF_TRACE) >>>>
2021.02.04 10:45:54 xxxxx@comcast.net: Synch operation started (flags = 00000001)
2021.02.04 10:45:54 xxxxx@comcast.net: UploadItems: 0 messages to send
2021.02.04 10:45:54 xxxxx@comcast.net: Synch operation completed
2021.02.04 11:02:09 Resource manager terminated

The app produces a more public error message as follows at that time:

Task 'Synchronizing subscribed folders for xxxxxx@comcast.net.' reported error (0x800CCC0E) : 'Outlook cannot synchronize subscribed folders for xxxxxx@comcast.net. Error: Cannot connect to the server. If you continue to receive this message, contact your server administrator or Internet service provider (ISP).'

My Configuration:

• Windows OS = Windows 10 Home, Version 20H2, Build 19042.746
• Office = Microsoft 365 Subscription
• Outlook = Microsoft 365 MSO (16.0.13628.20128) 32-bit
• Windows Mail = Version 16005.13426.20566.0
• ISP = Xfinity
• Mail servers = mapi.comcast.net & smtp.comcast.net
• Mail setup = email-client-programs-with-xfinity-email+

Answer 1

Hi @Felix1058 ,

Welcome!

Seems you have already found the "Server Timeouts" option, in Outlook desktop client, we do usually use this option to increase the server time-out setting. And as I know, there is no other Timeout Settings in Outlook desktop client.

By the way, I did some more search about your error and found more related information. There are many more factors which might cause issues like yours, please check the suggestions in this article: Error occurs when you send or receive an email message in Outlook to see if your issue could be resolved.

Any update, please feel free to post back.

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Answer 2

Thank you @JeffYang-MSFT for the response and the suggested article. The article has some good suggestions; although, none of the problems cited are exactly the same as mine. I will keep the article in mind if I encounter any of those problems.

I have actually developed a new theory as to why I am having the problem--that is, I don't think that I need to alter the timeout settings. I have posted a new question to the forum at outlook-fails-to-connect-to-ipv6-addressed-mapi-se.html, regarding this theory.