Microsoft KB Archive/99204

Knowledge Base

PC Adm: Doc Err: Setting Attributes for High Traffic Network

Article ID: 99204

Article Last Modified on 10/30/2006

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Mail for PC Networks 3.2
• Microsoft Mail for PC Networks 3.5

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This article was previously published under Q99204

SUMMARY

On page 25 of versions 3.2 and 3.5 of Microsoft Mail for PC Networks "Administrator's Guide," under the section heading "Setting File Attributes for High-Traffic Networks," the following incorrect statement appears:

...we recommend that you take the time to add a shareable attribute to all .KEY files and to .GLB files that are Read/Write.

NOTE: The section, "Setting File Attributes for High-Traffic Networks," has been removed in later versions of the Microsoft Mail for PC Networks version 3.2 "Administrator's Guide" (printed after October 1993).

Please refer to page 439 of the version 3.2 and page 443 of the version 3.5 Microsoft Mail for PC Networks "Administrator's Guide" for the correct information for setting file attributes.

If Shareable attributes are set to the CONTROL.GLB file, message corruption is possible. The CONTROL.GLB file contains two long integers, which are used for generating new and unique filenames. One integer is for generating names and the other is for mail and attachment filenames.

Corruption is possible if two processes try to create messages at exactly the same time. These processes can be anything that creates mail, such as the Mail clients, Admin program, Gateways, and External and Dir-Sync processes. Although this is unlikely, it is possible two processes grab the CONTROL.GLB and allocate the same .MAI file name.

MORE INFORMATION

If the same .MAI file name is allocated, External will display the following errors:

05-14-93 11:32 Sending mail (1)
05-14-93 11:32 From: TELECOM/NTNETCU1
05-14-93 11:32 To: TELECOM/NITGHUB1
05-14-93 11:32 Transferring mail: mail file is: I:MAI\MA3\0000D213.MAI.
05-14-93 11:32 Sending P2...
05-14-93 11:32 Target file: M:MAI\MA7\0005CC17.MAI
05-14-93 11:32 Sending P1...
05-14-93 11:32 Target file: M:P1\0005CC17.P1
05-14-93 11:32 P1 file successfully sent.
05-14-93 11:32 Delivering new mail to TELECOM/NITGHUB1.
05-14-93 11:32 Processing received mail queue at: M:TELECOM/NITGHUB1.
05-14-93 11:32 M:MAI\MA7\0005CC17.MAI was not found.
05-14-93 11:32 Notice in LOG\SYSTEM.LOG on: M: TELECOM/NITGHUB1
05-14-93 11:32 Error opening FIPS file. Failure to open file.
05-14-93 11:32 Delivering of mail from INQUEUE3 is complete.
05-14-93 11:32 Delivering new mail to TELECOM/NITGHUB1.
05-14-93 11:32 Releasing dynamic drive I:.
05-14-93 11:32 Dynamically disconnecting from I:.
05-14-93 11:32 Successful.

Correspondingly the SYSTEM.LOG will have an error like this:

System log entry on: 05-14-93 11:32
External program has detected a mail problem.
Failure queuing diagnostic data back to sender due to:
    External program has detected a mail problem.

Message data:

  From: TELECOM/NTNETCU1/POSTMASTER
  Date: 05-14-93
  Time: 11:32
  Subject: Mail failure
[012] This corrupt message cannot be delivered. Contact your
administrator.

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System log entry on: 05-14-93 11:32
External program has detected a mail problem.
Failure queuing diagnostic data back to sender due to:
    External program has detected a mail problem.
Message data:
  From: TELECOM/NTNETCU1/POSTMASTER
  Date: 05-14-93
  Time: 11:32
  Subject: Mail failure
[016] Message was not sent due to missing message file.
Mail item was not delivered to:
  Mail Probe
                    

Additional query words: 3.20 admin

Keywords: KB99204

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