Posted by Teasa/NY on 3/10/05 7:44am
Msg #24687

Stupid Email Question

I am taking a few days off next week and will have an automatically generated out of office reply for email for messages that come in. I want to shut the computer completely off when I go. If I do so will the auto message still be generated for incoming emails? Paul/FL is this one for you?

Reply by HL in PA on 3/10/05 8:07am
Msg #24695

Hi Teasa,

We do that in our office place and yes, you can completely power your computer down and anyone who sends you a message in your absence will receive an out of office reply.

Reply by Stephen/VA on 3/10/05 8:11am
Msg #24696

That only works if you're running on Exchange Server. If you're using Outlook at home, the machine must be on and Outlook must be running.

Reply by Teasa/NY on 3/10/05 9:10am
Msg #24713

OK. Let's see if I have this right. If I am a stand alone home office computer, with windows xp and outlook express email, I CAN'T power down to have the out of office reply go out. Thanks all for help.

Reply by PAW_Fl on 3/10/05 8:38am
Msg #24702

Depends on how your email is processed. If your email server (usually hosted by your ISP, or Yahoo, or MSN or whoever hosts your email post office) has the "autoresponder" ability, then the emails will simply pile up on the server and the server will respond. Then you can shut your PC off.

However, if you have set up your email *client* (Outlook, Outlook express, Eudora, etc.) that resides on YOUR PC to do the responding, then obviously it must be available to respond. So you must leave your PC on.

Reply by Teasa/NY on 3/10/05 9:14am
Msg #24715

Again, please excuse my ignorance. I have Time Warner Road Runner internet access through which I have set up the out of office reply through web mail, but I have outlook express email???

Reply by Dave_CA on 3/10/05 9:42am
Msg #24716

I have RR for my ISP but don't use web mail so I can't answer you directly but, you should be able to test easily. Set up you out of office scenario, shut down you PC and have a friend send you an e-mail. That way, with a couple of phone calls, you will know exactly what people will see while you are away.

Reply by LauraR_NY on 3/10/05 9:55am
Msg #24720

Teasa,
I have RR as well.
If you have set up your responder on the web mail site you will be able to shut down you computer. When you come back turn off the auto responder & pick up your mail as usual.
If you want to be absolutely sure, give tech support a call or check their FAQ page @ RR.

Reply by CarolynCO on 3/10/05 9:56am
Msg #24722

I think Dave's sure fire test is the ONLY way to be sure.

Reply by Teasa/NY on 3/10/05 9:59am
Msg #24724

You are right, I will test. Should have thought of that myself. Will let you know outcome. I just want the added protection of the computer being shut down while away, but of course want to respond to business emails.

Reply by Teasa/NY on 3/10/05 12:03pm
Msg #24750

Changed the out of office date to today through road runner web mail. Shut the computer all the way off. Received 3 emails, those people state they did not receive an out of office response, so looks like I can't have my cake and eat it too.

Reply by PAW_Fl on 3/10/05 1:05pm
Msg #24760

But did you go to RR Webmail and set the out-of-office response there? (I'm guessing the RR allows you to do this. I have Verizon and I can do it there. And my domain mail post office at the web host allows me to set things there as well.)

Reply by PAW_Fl on 3/10/05 1:14pm
Msg #24763

I just re-read your post and see that you did in fact set the out of office dates. But did you set a response to be provided? Or don't they have that option. Sorry, just shooting from the hip here as I don't have RR, but have worked with many different web, exchange and mail servers over the years.

Reply by Teasa/NY on 3/10/05 1:33pm
Msg #24768

That's ok. Yes, I set the out of office date for today in web mail in road runner (time warner cable) and had a out of office message attached to that date. I shut down and turned my power strip off (everything off). I received 3 emails within the shutdown hour and those folks all said they did not receive an out of office reply from me. I am lucky I can plug something in but it kind of makes sense to me that if everything is off, modem to cable etc, what wire or line or whatever is that out of office message supposed to go out of. Let me know if you know anything different.

Reply by Teasa/NY on 3/10/05 1:38pm
Msg #24774

I told you it was "stupid". Forget my last thread. I say how could out of office messege get out, but, DUH!!! 3 got in. So my logic is all off. I have no electronic logic.

Reply by LauraR_NY on 3/11/05 1:35am
Msg #24887

You will still receive email in your inbox with the auto responder on.

The question is, "Did the inbound email get an "out of office" response to the email that was sent?

Reply by Teasa/NY on 3/11/05 5:05am
Msg #24889

See prior thread. With the computer turned off the outgoing out of office message did NOT get sent out.

Reply by PAW_Fl on 3/11/05 7:58am
Msg #24904

If the out-of-office message and times are being set on the server, not your PC email client, then it would make no difference if your PC is on or off.

Rather than tie up everyone here with getting this resolved, simply email ([e-mail address]) me and we'll see if we can work this out together.