PC DB: Err Msg: Could Not Find Mail System Database

• Microsoft Mail for PC Networks, versions 2.1 and 3.0

SYMPTOMS

When Microsoft Mail cannot find the postoffice database that stores the mail messages, one of the following error messages may be displayed:

MS-DOS clients (all versions) and Mail Administrator program version 2.1:

   Could not find mail system database.

   Could not find mail system data files on drive 'M:'

   Mail could not connect to your Mail server. The Mail server path
   in your MSMAIL.INI file is missing or invalid.

   The mail database cannot be reached. The server that contains the
   database needs to be running, and you need to either connect to it
   on drive M: or state its location in the WIN.INI. Please see your
   network administrator if you need assistance.

CAUSE

The above error messages indicate that the mail program cannot read the database files. Typically, this occurs because of one or more of the following five reasons:

1. A previously installed security feature is overriding other, more current settings, or the MAIL.DAT file is not in the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory.

2. The mail program is looking for the files in the wrong location.

3. The drive where the mail program is looking does not exist because it has not been mapped or mounted.

4. The person trying to access the postoffice database does not have sufficient rights or privileges to the MAILDATA directories.

5. The MASTER.GLB file does not exist, is hidden, or is locked open.

RESOLUTION

Following are resolutions for each of the five above causes:

1. Check for the existence of a MAIL.DAT file on both the server and the workstation. If you find any occurrences, delete them or rename them to MAILDAT.OLD. If any MAIL.DAT files exist, they can override all other settings pointing to the postoffice database.

   To locate any copies of MAIL.DAT from within Windows, use File Manager and choose Search from the File menu.

   To locate any copies of MAIL.DAT from the MS-DOS prompt, run the following command from the root directory:

   attrib mail.dat /s

   NOTE: For more information on advanced security and the MAIL.DAT file, see the "Microsoft Mail 3.0 Administrator's Guide," pages 14-17, and 51.

   To re-enable Advanced Security, either rerun setup for that workstation and select Advanced Security, or if it had been previously renamed (to disable AS), rename the file to MAIL.DAT in the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory.

    MS-DOS assume that the current directory of drive M is the root of
    the database (..\MAILDATA). If the database resides on another
    drive, add the -Dm switch to the command line (where M is the
    alternative drive letter).

    For example, use the following command if the current directory of
    drive R is the root of the database:

       admin -dr

    Note: The current directory of the drive letter used must be the
    root of the database (for example, ..\MAILDATA).

    For example, in the list below, if the directory on the left is
    the current directory when you run a Mail program, the Mail
    program will give you the error message shown on the right:

    Current Directory        Error Message
    -----------------------------------------------------------------

    M:\APPS\MAIL             Could not find mail system database
    M:\APPS\MAIL\EXE         Could not find mail system database
    M:\APPS\MAIL\DATA\LOG    Could not find mail system database

    M:\APPS\MAIL\DATA        (Correct directory -- no error message)

    You can verify that the root of the postoffice database is in the
    current directory of the drive by changing to that drive and
    running the MS-DOS DIR command. If the Mail database is there, you
    will see directories named ATT, GLB, MBG, and so forth.

    Following are examples of the commands used to map to the root of
    the postoffice database for Novell and LAN Manager networks:

    Novell
    ------

    map m:=<servername>/sys:apps\mail\data
    map root r:=<Server>/vol1:maildata

    LAN Manager
    -----------

    net use m: \\<servername>\maildata

    the current directory of drive M unless told otherwise. It does
    not require that the directory be the current directory, but it
    does require that you specify the full path to the postoffice
    database. In Mail for Windows, version 3.0, this is done in the
    MSMAIL.INI file. In Mail for Window, version 2.1, the setting is
    in the WIN.INI file. Usually, you can find MSMAIL.INI and WIN.INI
    in your WINDOWS directory.

    To specify the path to the postoffice database for Mail for
    Windows, version 3.0, include a "ServerPath=" line in the
    [Microsoft Mail] section of MSMAIL.INI. To do the same for Mail
    for Windows, version 2.1, include a "Path=" line in the [Mail]
    section of WIN.INI. Following is an example of each type of entry:

    MSMAIL.INI (Mail for Windows, Version 3.0)
    ------------------------------------------

       [Microsoft Mail]
       ServerPath=m:\apps\mail\data

    WIN.INI (Mail for Windows, Version 2.1)
    ---------------------------------------

       [Mail]
       Path=m:\apps\mail\data

    Note: The system administrator can simplify Windows workstation
    installations by using drive M as everyone's database mapping or
    by editing the MSMAIL.INI file (Mail 3.0) located in the MAILEXE
    directory on the server to include a standard "ServerPath=" line.
    Mail 2.1 administrators can create a WINMAIL.INI file containing a
    "Path=" line (see the "Microsoft Mail 2.1 Administrator's Guide,"
    pages 183-187).

       Rights       Directory
       ------------------------------------------------------------------

       [ RWCEM  ]   ..\MAILDATA directory
       [ RWCEMF ]   ..\MAILDATA\KEY, \MAILDATA\FOLDERS, and
                      \MAILDATA\CAL directories
       [ R    F ]   ..\MAILEXE directory

       R Read (Open and read files)
       W Write (Open and write to the file)
       C Create (Create a directory)
       E Erase (Delete a directory or file)
       M Modify (Change attributes or rename directory or file)
       F File Scan (See the filename when viewing directory)

    Note: Macintosh and OS/2 clients need File Scan (F) rights to the
    entire database (..\MAILDATA).

    The rights needed for a Novell 2.15 server are as follows:

       Rights        Directory
       ------------------------------------------------------------------

       [ RWOCDM  ]   ..\MAILDATA directory
       [ RW0CDMS ]   ..\MAILDATA\KEY & \MAILDATA\FOLDERS directories
       [ R O   S ]   ..\MAILEXE directory

       R Read
       W Write
       O Open
       C Create
       D Delete
       M Modify
       S Search

    You can set up a Microsoft LAN Manager server with share level
    security or user level security with the following permissions:

       Rights        Directory
       ------------------------------------------------------------------

       RWCDA         ..\MAILDATA directory
       R             ..\MAILEXE directory

       R Read
       W Write
       C Create
       D Delete
       A Attribute