# Is Yahoo! Mail Down?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yahoo-mail-down/328777
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 31, 2005, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yahoo-mail-down/328777 "2005-10-31T20:32:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)
#### Post date: [October 31, 2005, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yahoo-mail-down/328777/1 "2005-10-31T20:32:24Z")
Just a silly question. I have been unable to get to Yahoo! Mail for the last two days. When I log on on I get some sort of Error 999.
Is it just me or what?
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### Author:  [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)
#### Post date: [October 31, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yahoo-mail-down/328777/2 "2005-10-31T20:51:13Z")
Just tried it, no problem for me. Do you go to [mail.yahoo.com](http://mail.yahoo.com), or is it a different URL from Saudi?
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### Author:  [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)
#### Post date: [October 31, 2005, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yahoo-mail-down/328777/3 "2005-10-31T20:52:13Z")
Seems OK here too.
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### Author:  [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)
#### Post date: [October 31, 2005, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yahoo-mail-down/328777/4 "2005-10-31T20:52:25Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#):
>
> Just a silly question. I have been unable to get to Yahoo! Mail for the last two days. When I log on on I get some sort of Error 999.
>
> Is it just me or what?
Just you. Works for me in the USA.
Do you have a gmail account? Just in case, you know, the Saudis put a crimp on Yahoo email. Would they?
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### Author:  [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)
#### Post date: [October 31, 2005, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yahoo-mail-down/328777/5 "2005-10-31T20:54:03Z")
Google “Error 999” you will come up with a ton of hits regarding Yahoo mail.
Here’s a hint:
[http://error999.windowsreinstall.com/](http://error999.windowsreinstall.com/)
That suggests logging in from a different Yahoo site, like the uk server. Not sure how it is handled through Saudi Arabia tho.
I hope they didn’t ban your IP because of your location! ☹
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### Author:  [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)
#### Post date: [October 31, 2005, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yahoo-mail-down/328777/6 "2005-10-31T21:00:20Z")
I go to _[http://mail.yahoo.com/](http://mail.yahoo.com/)_ I have to enter my name and password as some Filipinos were using my Mac to check their e-mail.
I hit return. I get:
\*\*Sorry, Unable to process request at this time – error 999.
Unfortunately we are unable to process your request at this time. This error is usually temporary. Please try again later.
If you continue to experience this error, it may be caused by one of the following:
You may want to scan your system for spyware and viruses, as they may interfere with your ability to connect to Yahoo!. For detailed information on spyware and virus protection, please visit the Yahoo! Security Center.
This problem may be due to unusual network activity coming from your Internet Service Provider. We recommend that you report this problem to them.
While this error is usually temporary, if it continues and the above solutions don’t resolve your problem, please let us know.\*\*
I have no spyware. I am using a Mac. There is no Mac spyware. I presume the Filipinos somehow screwed up my (something technical). Any ideas how to fix it?
It is midnight here. I will try again in the morning.
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### Author:  [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)
#### Post date: [October 31, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yahoo-mail-down/328777/7 "2005-10-31T21:04:19Z")
OK, I sent a cry for help to Hotmail. I will see what they say in the morning. Good night.
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### Author:  [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)
#### Post date: [October 31, 2005, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yahoo-mail-down/328777/8 "2005-10-31T21:26:54Z")
I doubt Hotmail will help you much with Yahoo… 😉
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### Author:  [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2005, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yahoo-mail-down/328777/9 "2005-11-01T05:28:41Z")
Even Yahoo! was not much help with Yahoo! They sent me an auto-note telling me it was my ISP’s fault. Now I have to wait until Eid is over and try to explain that they are having a connectivity problem with Yahoo!
They will then tell me to restart my machine and change my proxy settings. That is their solution to everything.
Thank goodness I use Hotmail for my more public address.
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### Author:  [@Sevastopol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevastopol)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2005, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yahoo-mail-down/328777/10 "2005-11-01T11:18:02Z")
Yes, I’m having Yahoo problems too.
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### Author:  [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2005, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yahoo-mail-down/328777/11 "2005-11-01T14:51:32Z")
It is working now. It seems my ISP was routing me through the official Saudi (and so censored) server. Now I am back up on satellite and everything seems to be working again.
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### Author:  [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2005, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yahoo-mail-down/328777/12 "2005-11-01T14:56:08Z")
They block all of Yahoo, or just mail?
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### Author:  [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2005, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yahoo-mail-down/328777/13 "2005-11-01T15:38:48Z")
Well, the Saudi server gives you a scary NOT ALLOWED screen, but when I went to Yahoo! I got an error screen from them, not the Saudis.
T’is a puzzlement.