E-mail Downloaded to Handheld PC or Palm-size PC with a POP3 E-mail Service Has Incorrect Received Date (249271)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows CE 3.0 Professional Edition for the Handheld PC
  • Microsoft Windows CE 2.0 for the Handheld PC
  • Microsoft Windows CE for the Palm-size PC, Versions 2.11
  • Microsoft Windows CE for the Palm-size PC, Versions 2.0
This article was previously published under Q249271

SYMPTOMS

If both of the following conditions exist, e-mail downloaded to a Microsoft Windows CE version 2.0 or 2.11 Palm-size PC or a Microsoft Windows CE version 2.x or 3.0 Professional Edition Handheld PC by using a POP3 service may have a received date with an incorrect century (1999 listed as 1899, 2002 listed as 1902, and so on):
  • The mail server is in a time zone that is earlier than the time zone your device is currently set to use. For example, Eastern Standard Time (EST) is "earlier" than Pacific Standard Time (PST).
  • The device year is currently set to any year earlier than the server year.
Also, if your device is set to show all messages and you sort these messages by date, the message appears on the device in the incorrect order as it is incorrectly identified as the oldest message instead of the most recent. If your Microsoft Windows CE version 3.0 Professional Edition Handheld PC is set to display only messages received within the number of days you previously specified, the message is not viewable during the affected time period.

CAUSE

This problem can occur if both of the following conditions exist:
  • You download this e-mail during the 24 hour period of a year change.
  • Your device is in a time zone and year that is "behind" the time zone and year of the e-mail server. For example, if your device is using EST and is currently displaying the year 1998, and your server is using PST and is currently displaying the year 1999. Note that this problem does not occur if your device is using a time zone that is later than the time zone for the server.

RESOLUTION

To work around this problem if your Microsoft Windows CE version 3.0 Professional Edition Handheld PC is set to display only messages received within the number of days you previously specified, configure your device to display all messages:

NOTE: This makes your messages visible, but does not alter the incorrect date information. Also, Palm-size PCs always display all messages, so the following procedure is not necessary with these devices.
  1. Open the Inbox, and then tap Options on the Services menu.
  2. Open the POP3 e-mail service properties, click to clear the Only display messages from the last number days check box, where number is a number of days.
  3. Click OK.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

If possible, do not download e-mail by using a POP3 service during the 24 hour period of a year change. Specifically, do not download e-mail on December 31st of any year during the time the server time changes to January 1st of the following year, and while your device is still set to December 31st. Note that this is a maximum period of 24 hours.

To restore the correct ordering of messages downloaded to the device:
  1. Wait until the device displays January 1st, open the Inbox, tap Clear All on the Services menu.
  2. On the Services menu, tap Send/Receive Mail to refresh messages on the device in the correct order.
NOTE: If you are using a Microsoft Windows CE version 3.0 Professional Edition Handheld PC and the Only display messages from the last number days feature is enabled on December 31st, downloading messages again after the device displays January 1st will retrieve messages sent during the transition period correctly.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/26/2003
Keywords:kbprb kbui KB249271
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.