KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q148707: PC DB: Troubleshooting Mail When Messages Are Not Moving

Article: Q148707
Product(s): Microsoft Mail For PC Networks
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 28-OCT-1999

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Mail for PC Networks, version 3.5 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMailSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbMailPCN350
Version           : WINDOWS:3.5

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.