Mac Outlook Express 5.x Error -3215

This can prove to be quite a common error message when using Outlook Express 5.  The explanation provided on the error message (below) doesn't appear to be very informative, but it would look like Outlook Express is at fault in some way.  However, this is NOT the case, error -3215 is caused because you are not online when trying to send & receive mail.

Resolution

• 1)  Go to Apple > Control Panels > Remote Access

• 2)  Click Connect to see if Remote Access reports the error message below.

NOTE: Remember that if Remote Access is not able to access the modem port, there will be no dial attempt.  The most likely cause of this error is due to HotSync software taking control of the modem port and stopping anything else using that port.

• 3)  Launch the HotSync Manager.  There are two main ways of doing this...
•      3A) Go to Mac HD > Applications > Palm > HotSync Manager (icon below)

•      3B) Use the green menu icon below to select the Setup... option (note that this menu icon may not be present on all Macs using HotSync)

•      3C) Once the HotSync Manager has been launched, you should see the screen below.

• 4)  To stop HotSync from controlling the modem port, do the following...
  
  
       Click the Disabled radio button.
       Untick Enable HotSync software at system startup.
  
  
• 5)  The screen should now look like the one below.  Close all the windows that are still open and try to connect via Remote Access.  The modem should now dial out.   If it doesn't, there remains something else that is blocking Remote Access from using the modem.

Other components to check:

So far, we have assumed that HotSync is definitely causing the problem, but there are other reasons why the modem will refuse to dial out. 

AppleTalk

If AppleTalk is active, it can sometimes stop Remote Access having control over the modem. Unless you are definitely using AppleTalk (for example to communicate directly with other Macs or to share a printer) then the best option is to make AppleTalk inactive so that it cannot affect Remote Access.

• 1) Go to Apple > Control Panels > AppleTalk

• 2) Go to Edit > User Mode and select Advanced, then click OK.

• 3) The main AppleTalk window now displays more information than before.
• 4) Click Options...

• 5) Set AppleTalk to be Inactive and click OK.

• 6) Close the main AppleTalk window down and click Save when prompted to save the changes that were made.

Startup Items

Check the Startup Items folder for any kind of software which might want to control the modem port eg. fax or AOL components.  The pathway is Mac HD > System Folder > Startup Items.  Remember NOT to remove Serial Port Monitor directly from here, rather carry out the fix as detailed above.

NOTE: Do not attempt to resolve this issue by removing Serial Port Monitor from either the Startup Items folder or the Extensions Manager.  This will almost certainly cause the problem to resurface at some point.