PC DB: Keeping NTFS Security Intact When Moving a PO

 Last reviewed: March 23, 1995
Article ID: Q127954
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Mail for PC Networks, versions 3.0, 3.2, and 3.2a, running with Microsoft Windows NT versions 3.1 and 3.5

SUMMARY

When you copy or move the MAILDATA directory structure and files from one Microsoft Windows NT file system (NTFS) volume to another NTFS volume, you may want to ensure the Windows NT security permissions stay intact. The most efficient and reliable way is to use the SCOPY.EXE utility, included in versions 3.1 and 3.5 Microsoft Windows NT Resource Kits.

MORE INFORMATION

NTFS volumes allow Administrators to use additional security features from a directory down to a single file. Permissions and ownerships are established by the NT Server Administrator and/or File Creators. These permissions can be lost if MAILDATA is copied or moved via File Manager or the MS-DOS copy utilities.

The SCOPY.EXE utility is designed to retain NTFS security attributes when you copy or move data from one NTFS volume to another. SCOPY will work between the same and mixed versions of NT.

However, if you use SCOPY.EXE to move a postoffice, it will generate two errors for each read-only file it encounters. For example, 

   N:\ATT\POPULATE.MSM --> M:\ATT\POPULATE.MSM
   File copied failed
   Access is denied
Regardless of the errors, SCOPY will succeed in copying the file with security permissions and file attributes intact. At the end of the process, you will see an inaccurate count of file(s) copied. This is the result of SCOPY not counting the files that generated the above errors.

Here is a list of the files that are read-only by default in MAILDATA (expect to see errors on each file):

In every sub-directory under MAILDATA:

  • POPULATE.MSM

MAILDATA\TPL:
  • all *.TPL files

MAILDATA\GLB:
  • ANSISORT.GLB
  • C850SORT.GLB
  • DS_MSG.GLB
  • ENGMAI.GLB
  • ENGMON.GLB
  • ERRORADM.GLB
  • ERRORDYN.GLB
  • TRANSFIL.GLB
  • WELCOME.GLB
  • all *.SCR files
  • all *.MDM files

MAILDATA\HLP:
  • all *.HLP files

The SCOPY command-line syntax is as follows: 

   SCOPY source destination [/o] [/a] [/s]

source         Specifies files to copy.
destination    Where to copy files to.
/o             Copies owner security information.
/a             Copies auditing information. Requires that you have
               the Manage Auditing User Right on both the source and
               destination computers.
/s             Copies all files in subdirectories.

Additional reference words: 3.00 3.20 3.20a WINNT security move
KBCategory: kbenv kbusage
KBSubcategory: MailPCDB

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Last reviewed: March 23, 1995
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