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Q148707: PC DB: Troubleshooting Mail When Messages Are Not Moving |
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Article: Q148707
Product(s): Microsoft Mail For PC Networks
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.5
Operating System(s):
Keyword(s):
Last Modified: 28-OCT-1999
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The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Mail for PC Networks, version 3.5
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SUMMARY
=======
Occasionally, due to file corruption, mail will stop moving between postoffices.
This article provides guidance for isolating and solving the problem. Please
read this entire article before attempting any of the recommended
troubleshooting steps. Further assistance is available by placing a support call
to Microsoft Product Support.
MORE INFORMATION
================
Determine which direction mail is not moving. This step is critical. The MSMail
for PC Networks version 3.x system uses separate postoffice mailbags to hold
outbound mail destined to externally defined postoffices and a global mailbag
for all inbound mail from externally defined postoffices. You will not be able
to do any further troubleshooting if you cannot determine which way mail is not
moving.
Below are suggestions for isolating the problem:
1. Send a message from the Admin Mail account on one postoffice to the Admin
Mail account on another postoffice.
2. Verify the message is placed in the outbound queue by running ADMIN.EXE,
QUEUE and selecting the network name and postoffice name of the destination
postoffice.
3. Allow the EXTERNAL.EXE program to run twice.
4. Check the QUEUE to verify the status of the message. If the message is still
present, mail is not moving out.
5. If the message has left the QUEUE, login to the Admin Mail account at the
destination postoffice and verify the message has arrived. If it is not
present, mail is not moving in. If this is the case, send a message from a
different postoffice to the same admin account to confirm the analysis.
Additional troubleshooting steps once the problem has been isolated:
1. Restart the External program servicing the problem postoffices. Wait for two
cycles and see if that clears up the problem. Watch the external screen for
the Sending Mail message to see if this starts the mail moving.
2. At the postoffice from which mail is not moving (in or out), check the P1
subdirectory for files older than the time specified for the External program
to poll the postoffices. This time setting can be verified by checking the
-Nx (x in minutes) switch in the External command line string or the
INTERVALREGULAR=x (x in minutes) in the EXTERNAL.INI file. If there is no
entry, the default is 5 minutes.
If there are messages older than the time specified, run a single instance of
external against this postoffice. This will clear out any active P1 files.
An alternative method of resolving the problem of stranded P1s is to move all
old P1 files to a temporary directory and wait for another cycle of External.
The problem with this method is that if any of the P1s are still current
(there are headers associated with these P1 files in the INQUEUE3.MBG), then
these messages will spawn NDRs and the mail will not be recoverable.
Once mail is moving again satisfactorily it is safe to move out any old P1
files.
3. Check the MTAs user account (the account which the External computer is using
to log into the postoffice with) rights on this directory. The MTA user
account must have full rights to the P1 subdirectory.
4. Ensure files in the P1 subdirectory are not ownerless (Novell Servers Only).
Specific guidance if mail is not moving *out* of a specific postoffice:
a. Determine how much mail is in the outbound Queue by running ADMIN.EXE, QUEUE
and selecting the network name and postoffice name of the destination
postoffice.
b. Determine the oldest message in any queue. If there are messages older than
today, delete or return the message(s).
c. If there are many old messages in the queue, consider returning all the mail.
Send one message, verify that the message is in the queue, and run the
External program to deliver the message.
If the message leaves the queue, then there probably was a corrupted message
in the queue. If the message does not leave the queue, then there probably is
a corrupt outbound mailbag for the destination postoffice. You can reset
these .KEY and .MBG files using MAILQ16.EXE that comes with the MSMail
Resource Kit.
You may want to contact Product Support Services for assistance and
confirmation of your analysis.
Specific guidance if mail is not moving *into* a specific postoffice:
All inbound mail from externally defined postoffices (version 3.0 or later) is
deposited into the INQUEUE3.KEY and INQUEUE3.MBG.
a. Determine the size of the INQUEUE3.KEY and INQUEUE3.MBG. Divide the
INQUEUE3.MBG by 116. This *may* tell you the number of undelivered messages.
(The most accurate way to determine the number of undelivered messages in the
INQUEUE3 is to have all users logout from the postoffice, run ADMIN.EXE,
Local-Admin, Storage, Compress, then divide the INQUEUE3.MBG by 116 or run
MAILQ16.EXE that comes with the MSMail Resource Kit).
b. Determine the time and date stamp on INQUEUE3.KEY and INQUEUE3.MBG. If it is
recent, the External program is writing to these files. If it is not recent,
check the externals to make sure there is an instance accessing this
postoffice. If the time is current, run a separate instance of the External
program against this postoffice to determine if it can deliver messages to
the recipients' mailbags. If the separate instance of External is successful
in moving messages (this can be reliably verified by logging into mail as the
recipient, because the size of the INQUEUE3 will not necessarily reflect a
change), then the MailerDisable option may be enabled on the original
external program that is servicing this postoffice.
MailerDisable is disabled by default. To verify the state of this switch, look
for "/MailerDisable" on the command line string or "MailerDisable" in the
EXTERNAL.INI file. If this entry is present, MailerDisable is enabled.
c. If messages are still not being delivered from the INQUEUE3.MBG and
INQUEUE3.KEY, reset these files. These files can be reset using the MAILQ16
utility. This utility is available with the Mail Resource Kit. Once these
files are reset, send another test message. If mail transfer is successful,
there was corruption in the INQUEUE3 files.
In all cases of mail not moving if you are unsure of the steps to take please
don't hesitate to place a support call.
Additional query words: 3.50 tshoot mailflow mail not moving pcmailfaq
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Keywords :
Technology : kbMailSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbMailPCN350
Version : WINDOWS:3.5
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