PC Gen: Useful Novell Utilities For Administrators

• Microsoft Mail for PC Networks, versions 3.2, 3.2a, and 3.5

SUMMARY

When you maintain or troubleshoot a Microsoft Mail for PC Networks postoffice in a Novell NetWare environment, many Novell utilities can be useful, such as the following:

     CHKVOL.EXE  - Displays statistics on the current volume.

       FLAG.EXE  - Displays and allows modification to NetWare file
                   attributes.

    MONITOR.NLM  - Views open files and releases locked files (launched
                   from the server console only).

       NDIR.EXE  - Displays the size, date, time, and owner of each file in
                   a NetWare directory.

      PURGE.EXE  - Permanently deletes previously erased files in a
                   NetWare directory.

     RIGHTS.EXE  - Displays a user's access rights in the current
                   directory.

    SALVAGE.EXE  - Restores deleted files that are not yet purged.

     SYSCON.EXE  - For network administration (user accounts, server
                   error log, file server information, etc.).

   USERLIST.EXE  - Displays a list of all users currently logged onto the
                   server.

MORE INFORMATION

The following is detailed information about the utilities listed above:

CHKVOL.EXE

Usage: CHKVOL

Chkvol will report the following information on the current volume:

• Total volume space
• Space in use by files
• Space in use by deleted files
• Space available from deleted files
• Space remaining on volume
• Space available to <currentuser>

   (Space Remaining on Volume) minus (Space in Use by Deleted Files)
   equals (Actual Free Space)

FLAG.EXE

Usage:    FLAG [path [option | [+|-] attribute(s) ] [SUB]]

This will change all file attributes under MAILDATA and subdirectories to Read/Write. For high-traffic postoffices, you can also add the (S)hareable attribute to KEY files and GLB files (with the exception of CONTROL.GLB, TID.GLB, FLAG.GLB, and MASTER.GLB).

MONITOR.NLM

Usage: (from the file server console only) LOAD MONITOR. This is a menu driven utility useful for clearing locked files from stranded connections. It also provides viewing of file open/lock activity, file server resource utilization stats, connections, and disk information.

NOTE: In order to run this utility from a workstation, RSPX.NLM and REMOTE.NLM must be loaded on the file server, and Remote Console (RCONSOLE.EXE) must be launched at the workstation. RCONSOLE provides a direct console connection to the server so that it is possible to run MONITOR from a desktop machine.

When a workstation running a mail executable crashes, MAILDATA files may be left open. Use MONITOR to close the files safely, and clear the connection.

1. From the Available Options menu, choose Connection Information.

2. Select the logon ID whose machine has crashed, then press DELETE.

3. Answer Yes to the Clear Connection? prompt.

NDIR.EXE

Usage:    NDIR [path] [/option...]

Displays all ownerless files under MAILDATA and subdirectories along with the file date/time stamp and size.

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q100511
   TITLE     : Assigning Owners to Files in NetWare 2.x and 3.x

PURGE.EXE

Usage:    PURGE [filename | wildcard] [/ALL | /A]

Purges all deleted MAILDATA files from the volume. Because mail executables can not interpret free space from the space used by deleted files, a periodic purge may be necessary.

RIGHTS.EXE

Usage:    RIGHTS [path]

Rights can contain any of the following: [SRWCEMFA]

      All | Supervisor | Read | Write | Create | Erase
          | Modify |File scan |Access Control

Usually these rights are inherited down into all sub-directories as well, unless otherwise specified in Trustee Directory Assignments for that user. It is useful for checking a mail client or a mail message transfer agent's (MTAs) user rights to MAILDATA.

SALVAGE.EXE

Usage:   SALVAGE

SALVAGE is useful for quickly restoring a recently deleted file. To restore a deleted MAILDATA file, do the following:

1. Run SALVAGE in the same volume where MAILDATA resides.

2. Change the current directory to the MAILDATA directory that contained the deleted file.

3. Select to View\Recover Deleted files, then set the view criteria for *.*

4. Search for the filename you wish to restore; highlight it, and press ENTER.

SYSCON.EXE

Usage:    SYSCON

SYSCON (short for SYStem CONfiguration) performs most of the system management functions. Some of the pertinent options are:

File Server Information:

   Allows the viewing of the NetWare versions, revision numbers and
   number of licenses for any on-line Novell server on the network.

   Contains several functions, including view/edit system AUTOEXEC
   file (to see which modules are being loaded on the server) and
   view the file server's error log.

   Contains all users accounts and associated information, such as
   - Account restrictions (when does the account and/or password expire?).
   - Groups Belonged to (default = EVERYONE).
   - Other Information (last login date/time, disk space in use).
   - Security Equivalencies (either to a group or another user).
   - Station Restrictions (limits the user to logging on from
     only the specified MAC address or addresses).
   - Time Restrictions (time interval specified for allowed logins).
   - Trustee Directory Assignments (access privileges to specified
     directories).
   - Volume/Disk Restrictions (limits the amount of disk space the
     user can actually fill on a volume).

USERLIST.EXE

Usage:    USERLIST [fileserver/][name] [/Address | /Object] [Continuous]

Displays all currently logged on users on the Novell file server MAILSRV, as well as each node address and login time. You must be currently logged on or attached to the server you wish to run USERLIST on. If you do not specify a server name, USERLIST will default to the server you are currently logged on to and running the USERLIST utility from.

Novell is a vendor independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding this product's performance or reliability.