[Sgt_Walrus]

Hi Andy

I cannot speak for the other guys.

- Are both of you using the same operating system, or is one using say 64 bit windows 7?

I use XP SP2 as my OS.
Have done for all previous versions of Panthers since you went to windows versions.

other than someone having had a slip-up with the OOB at some point.

No chance, I never touch the OOBs...always played stock. It's the best plan for PBEM.

- Are you both using the same file compression utility to pass the files (WinRAR or WinZip or whatever).

I use winzip to send. Always have. Never any trouble with the tens of different PBEM players over the last 9 years.
I sometimes get .rar in the mail...they don't make any difference at my end. Never had any issues.
These file were all made via winzip as far as I can see.

- And just as a final thought - no player is trying to "share" a PBEM slot for several ongoing secure mode games?. That is a recipe for disaster.

Not at my end. I have multiple installs of the CD version, so no need for that. Not aware of Fred doing that for these tests.

So...I will continue to pass data, at least for one more test with a different player.
It is most perplexing as it is a rash of error messages since v4.0. Impossible for everyone to suddenly be screwing around with their normally solid set-ups and ways of doing PBEM.
As I am a moderator at Blitz SP, I am always watching the boards, and I have never noted as many reports of this sort of thing before.

BTW...all my (3) MBT v 4.5 games are behaving rock solid while all this has been going on...so if it were some computer based issue (compression utilities, OS etc.) surely I would be seeing issues there too.

OK...cheers
jason