PC Win: Err Msg: ...MAILSPL Caused a GPF in Module MAILSPL.EXE

• Microsoft Mail for Windows, versions 3.0b, 3.2, and 3.2a

SYMPTOMS

When you use version 3.0b, 3.2, or 3.2a of Microsoft Mail for Windows, and you double-click the Microsoft Mail icon from Windows and enter a mailbox id and password, the following error message, or a similar General Protection Fault (GP-Fault) message, may occur:

   Application error: MAILSPL caused a GPF in module MAILSPL.EXE
   at XXXX:XXXX."

CAUSE

In most cases, the problem is a corrupt MMF (Mail Message File) that is located on the Mail database under the MMF subdirectory (HEX-ID.MMF) or on the local hard drive (USERNAME.MMF).

RESOLUTION

To check and see if the MMF is corrupt, log out of mail, rename the MMF file on the server (or local drive), and log back in to Mail; this will create a new MMF file. If you can get into Mail successfully, then the corruption is in the MMF file.

If the MMF is corrupt, you can not usually export messages. As a result, you should use the CheckMMF utility. To start the CheckMMF utility, hold the SHIFT and ENTER keys while you are logging into Mail.

You can also restore the MMF from backup. You can use the Listuser utility to identify the correct HEX-ID.MMF. You can also use a personal backup of the MMF file.

If a backup is not available or for additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q126925
   TITLE     : PC Win: How to Create a New MMF (Stored Locally)

MORE INFORMATION

Corrupt MMFs are more likely to happen on the file server rather than the local drive because of the increased number of variables that can cause file corruption.

The following are several reasons why MMFs can have corruption:

Hardware reasons:

• Faulty network interface cards
• Pinched or frayed network cables
• Bad sectors on hard drive platters
• Server going down while writing file to disk
• Bad RAM chips because files are cached in RAM
• Bad system boards in servers

• Running out of disk space on the server (causing both a GP-Fault and potentially corrupt the MMF
• Abnormal termination of the spooler (reboot, loss of power, etc.)
• Network drivers
• Upper Memory Block providers
• TSRs
• Viruses
• Memory corruption as a result of GPF of third party software