The error usually indicates temporary problem's on MSN/Hotmail's end.

That being said, Your current Identity may be damaged, especially if its the
default Main Identity. Try the account in a new Named Identity (File
Identities Add new identity). Assuming all is well, import messages from
the old Identity before deleting it (File Identities Manage Identities).

To avoid such corruption in futu

- Don't use Inbox or Sent Items to archive messages. Move them to local
folders created for this purpose.

- Empty Deleted Items folder daily.

- Disable Background Compacting [N/A in SP2] and frequently perform a manual
compact of all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com/files/maintain.htm.

- Do not attempt to close OE via Task Manager or shutdown your machine if
Automatic Compacting is taking place (WinXP SP2 only).

- Your anti-virus application's email scanning feature (POP3 mail only) can
also cause such corruption. Disable it. It provides no additional
protection.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE, Shell/User, Security), Aumha.org VSOP, DTS-L.org



Rick wrote:
Hello, I have recently been getting an intermittent error, usually after a
period of inactivity. When I open OE (I only use it for email, not
newsgroups), I immediatly get the following error:
Configuration
Protocol: HTTPMail
Port:0
Secure(SSL):0
Code:80004005
Sometimes when this error occurs, I am able to open OE many times although
getting this error each time, othertimes I am not able to open OE again,
getting a message saying that another instance of OE is already running.
This is when I reboot. Rebooting, and/or resetting windows does get OE to
function properly, until the next period of inactivity. My email account
is on hotmail, which has been working successfully for a long time now.
I am on DSL, which seems to be working just fine. I can relate that
this problem started shortly after a windows update a couple of weeks
ago. I am not sure what exactly was updated, as it is done automatically.