Once again I have found a dislike for SQL Mail. I’m still using 2000 on all but my DW servers and I still have to deal with SQLMail. I know I could move all my stored procs and everything else to another SMTP mail but I choose not to. So Why am I complaining about it now! Because I have to stop and start my service just to clear out some email issues because outlook is trying to pop up a box to a service.
This is out of this Kb Article
Q12: Why does SQL Mail stop responding (hang)?
A12: If SQL Mail hangs periodically, the most likely cause is the loss of a connection to the mail server. Experience shows that SQL Mail is more likely to stop responding when you use an Internet mail (POP3/SMTP) server, but it can also stop responding if a connection to an Exchange server fails.
What happens is that the mail client attempts to connect to the mail server. If the connection fails, a message from the mail client appears that requests user action as to whether to continue or cancel. The message does not appear on the server because SQL Mail is run from the SQL Server service. Because a message does not appear, no user action can occur and SQL Mail waits indefinitely. Even if you re-establish the network connection, SQL Mail does not automatically reset and retry. You must stop and restart the SQL Server service before you can begin sending messages again.
Another possible reason for SQL Mail to stop responding is a new Outlook security feature that warns when a non-Outlook application is sending e-mail. SQL Mail for SQL Server 6.5 and SQL Server 7.0 are such non-Outlook applications. If a security dialog box window appears when SQL Mail is sent, this has the same effect of making SQL Mail stop responding as if the connection to the mail server were lost.
So I guess I should just stop complaining and get on with it. I needed to reboot my server tonight anyways right. J
Pat