Level 2

179 points

Mail service on, SMTP on, but clients can't connect -- please help a novice

Hi all,

We use 10.4 Server on a G5 Xserve. A few days ago we had a problem with our server being used for spam. That was fixed quickly enough, but the problem is: while being fixed, the mail queue accumulated more and more mail, and it wasn't going out. The "retry" button didn't work. Repairing the database didn't work.

To make a long story shorter, after reading different things here and on the web, I managed to delete all the messages in the queue. All the users are still there. But now, when I turn the mail service back on, everyone gets a "can't connect" error.

I've used the terminal before, but I've always been following directions; I don't know what to type or why. But if someone with patience can help, I can follow directions, and would really appreciate the help. Right now I'm dead in the water.

Black MacBook 2.16GHz C2D, 2GB RAM, Mac OS X (10.5.5), "Oh I get by with a little help from my friends..."

Posted on Oct 23, 2008 10:15 AM

66 replies

Brenton Bills Author

Level 2

179 points

Oct 27, 2008 7:05 AM in response to pterobyte

Last login: Mon Oct 27 07:59:10 on ttyp0
Welcome to Darwin!
mail:~ root# cd /var/spool/imap/stage.
mail:/var/spool/imap/stage. root# sudo rm *
rm: *: No such file or directory
mail:/var/spool/imap/stage. root#

pterobyte

Level 6

11,104 points

Oct 27, 2008 7:08 AM in response to Brenton Bills

Start mail services.
Send yourself a message.
See what happens and if needed post relevant log bit from mail.log and mailaccess.log
Do not do anything else.

Brenton Bills Author

Level 2

179 points

Oct 27, 2008 7:17 AM in response to pterobyte

Nothing changed in mail.log

mailaccess.log:

Oct 27 09:13:28 mail lmtpunix[15383]: couldn't create stage directory: /var/spool/imap/stage./: File exists
Oct 27 09:13:28 mail lmtpunix[15383]: IOERROR: creating message file /var/spool/imap/stage./15383-1225116808-0: File exists

pterobyte

Level 6

11,104 points

Oct 27, 2008 7:21 AM in response to Brenton Bills

What about mail.log?

You really need to post information. No offense meant, but it is already difficult enough to help you.

Brenton Bills Author

Level 2

179 points

Oct 27, 2008 7:29 AM in response to pterobyte

There is no entry from today in mail.log on the server. The last entry is from yesterday.

pterobyte

Level 6

11,104 points

Oct 27, 2008 7:29 AM in response to Brenton Bills

Did you try to send yourself mail as suggested in my previous post? If not, please do. If yes, do again and make sure logging level for SMTP is at "Information"

Brenton Bills Author

Level 2

179 points

Oct 27, 2008 7:40 AM in response to pterobyte

That was it--I didn't know about the need to change the logging level; I apologize.

Here's mail.log:

Oct 27 09:31:32 mail postfix/postfix-script: stopping the Postfix mail system
Oct 27 09:31:32 mail postfix/master[16004]: terminating on signal 15
Oct 27 09:31:32 mail postfix/master[16041]: daemon started -- version 2.1.5
Oct 27 09:31:32 mail postfix/qmgr[16044]: E848F20A49B7: from=<bbills@abcde.org>, size=592, nrcpt=1 (queue active)
Oct 27 09:31:32 mail postfix/pipe[16047]: E848F20A49B7: to=<bbills@abcde.org>, relay=cyrus, delay=1085, status=deferred (temporary failure. Command output: couldn't connect to lmtpd: Connection refused_ 421 4.3.0 deliver: couldn't connect to lmtpd_ )
Oct 27 09:32:01 mail postfix/smtpd[16072]: connect from unknown[10.10.10.193]
Oct 27 09:32:01 mail postfix/smtpd[16072]: A042D20A4AE8: client=unknown[10.10.10.193], sasl_method=PLAIN, sasl_username=bbills
Oct 27 09:32:01 mail postfix/cleanup[16074]: A042D20A4AE8: message-id=<35ABA235-4575-431D-80BF-BD442AB39DA9@abcde.org>
Oct 27 09:32:01 mail postfix/qmgr[16044]: A042D20A4AE8: from=<bbills@abcde.org>, size=610, nrcpt=1 (queue active)
Oct 27 09:32:01 mail postfix/pipe[16047]: A042D20A4AE8: to=<bbills@abcde.org>, relay=cyrus, delay=0, status=deferred (temporary failure)
Oct 27 09:33:01 mail postfix/smtpd[16072]: disconnect from unknown[10.10.10.193]

pterobyte

Level 6

11,104 points

Oct 27, 2008 8:06 AM in response to Brenton Bills

OK. Looks like Postfix (SMTP) is working correctly now, so we can concentrate on Cyrus IMAP.

Please issue (and post output of):
sudo ls -l /var/spool/imap
ps U cyrusimap

Brenton Bills Author

Level 2

179 points

Oct 27, 2008 8:08 AM in response to pterobyte

mail:~ root# sudo ls -l /var/spool/imap
total 0
drwx------ 2 root wheel 68 Oct 23 02:00 stage.
drwx------ 78 cyrusima mail 2652 Oct 25 13:46 user
mail:~ root# ps U cyrusimap
PID TT STAT TIME COMMAND
mail:~ root#

pterobyte

Level 6

11,104 points

Oct 27, 2008 8:20 AM in response to Brenton Bills

Issue:
sudo chown -R cyrusimap:mail /var/spool/imap
(can take a moment)
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/spool/imap/stage.
(including the final dot)

Then issue (and post output of):
sudo ls -l /var/spool/imap
sudo ls -l /var/spool/imap/user

Brenton Bills Author

Level 2

179 points

Oct 27, 2008 8:32 AM in response to pterobyte

mail:~ root# sudo ls -l /var/spool/imap
total 0
drwxr-xr-x 2 cyrusima mail 68 Oct 23 02:00 stage.
drwx------ 78 cyrusima mail 2652 Oct 25 13:46 user

Message was edited by: Brenton Bills

pterobyte

Level 6

11,104 points

Oct 27, 2008 8:30 AM in response to Brenton Bills

If you still can, feel free to edit and delete the output of sudo ls -l /var/spool/imap/user in your previous post. Looks all OK and it's a long output.

Now issue (and post output of):
sudo serveradmin fullstatus mail

Brenton Bills Author

Level 2

179 points

Oct 27, 2008 8:33 AM in response to pterobyte

mail:~ root# sudo serveradmin fullstatus mail
mail:setStateVersion = 1
mail:postfixStartedTime = ""
mail:cyrusStartedTime = ""
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:0:kind = "INCOMING"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:0:status = "OFF"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:0:total = 0
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:0:active = 0
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:0:protocol = "SMTP"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:1:kind = "OUTGOING"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:1:status = "OFF"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:1:total = 0
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:1:active = 0
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:1:protocol = "SMTP"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:2:kind = "INCOMING"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:2:status = "OFF"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:2:total = 0
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:2:active = 0
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:2:protocol = "POP3"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:3:kind = "INCOMING"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:3:status = "OFF"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:3:total = 0
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:3:active = 0
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:3:protocol = "IMAP"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:4:kind = "INCOMING"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:4:status = "OFF"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:4:total = 0
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:4:active = 0
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:4:protocol = "LISTSERVER"
mail:state = "STOPPED"
mail:readWriteSettingsVersion = 1
mail:startedTime = ""
mail:logPaths:Lists qrunner = "/var/mailman/logs/qrunner"
mail:logPaths:Amavisd Log = "/var/log/amavis.log"
mail:logPaths:Lists post = "/var/mailman/logs/post"
mail:logPaths:Virus Log = "/var/log/clamav.log"
mail:logPaths:SMTP Log = "/var/log/mail.log"
mail:logPaths:Lists smtp = "/var/mailman/logs/smtp"
mail:logPaths:Lists subscribe = "/var/mailman/logs/subscribe"
mail:logPaths:Virus DB Log = "/var/log/freshclam.log"
mail:logPaths:POP Log = "/var/log/mailaccess.log "
mail:logPaths:Lists smtp-failure = "/var/mailman/logs/smtp-failure"
mail:logPaths:Lists error = "/var/mailman/logs/error"
mail:logPaths:IMAP Log = "/var/log/mailaccess.log "
mail:logPaths:Server Log = "/var/log/mailaccess.log "
mail:~ root#

pterobyte

Level 6

11,104 points

Oct 27, 2008 8:36 AM in response to pterobyte

Did you turn off mail services again? Please leave them on all time unless instructed otherwise.

Please issue:
sudo serveradmin start mail

sudo serveradmin fullstatus mail

Brenton Bills Author

Level 2

179 points

Oct 27, 2008 8:40 AM in response to pterobyte

Yes, I turned it off. Sorry.

mail:~ root# sudo serveradmin start mail
mail:state = "RUNNING"
mail:status = 0
mail:~ root# sudo serveradmin fullstatus mail
mail:setStateVersion = 1
mail:postfixStartedTime = "2008-10-27 10:39:19 -0500"
mail:cyrusStartedTime = "2008-10-27 10:38:23 -0500"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:0:kind = "INCOMING"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:0:status = "ON"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:0:total = 0
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:0:active = 0
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:0:protocol = "SMTP"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:1:kind = "OUTGOING"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:1:status = "ON"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:1:total = 0
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:1:active = 0
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:1:protocol = "SMTP"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:2:kind = "INCOMING"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:2:status = "ON"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:2:total = 0
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:2:active = 1
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:2:protocol = "POP3"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:3:kind = "INCOMING"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:3:status = "ON"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:3:total = 0
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:3:active = 0
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:3:protocol = "IMAP"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:4:kind = "INCOMING"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:4:status = "OFF"
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:4:total = 0
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:4:active = 0
mail:protocolsArray: arrayindex:4:protocol = "LISTSERVER"
mail:state = "RUNNING"
mail:readWriteSettingsVersion = 1
mail:startedTime = "2008-10-27 10:38:23 -0500"
mail:logPaths:Lists qrunner = "/var/mailman/logs/qrunner"
mail:logPaths:Amavisd Log = "/var/log/amavis.log"
mail:logPaths:Lists post = "/var/mailman/logs/post"
mail:logPaths:Virus Log = "/var/log/clamav.log"
mail:logPaths:SMTP Log = "/var/log/mail.log"
mail:logPaths:Lists smtp = "/var/mailman/logs/smtp"
mail:logPaths:Lists subscribe = "/var/mailman/logs/subscribe"
mail:logPaths:Virus DB Log = "/var/log/freshclam.log"
mail:logPaths:POP Log = "/var/log/mailaccess.log "
mail:logPaths:Lists smtp-failure = "/var/mailman/logs/smtp-failure"
mail:logPaths:Lists error = "/var/mailman/logs/error"
mail:logPaths:IMAP Log = "/var/log/mailaccess.log "
mail:logPaths:Server Log = "/var/log/mailaccess.log "
mail:~ root#

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Mail service on, SMTP on, but clients can't connect -- please help a novice