PC Setup: Installing PC Mail 3.0 on a Novell 3.11 Server

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Mail for PC Networks, version 3.0

This article describes the steps for installing Microsoft Mail version 3.0 for PC Networks.

INSTALL MICROSOFT MAIL

1. Install all needed software on the server.

2. Set up Novell groups, access rights, and drive mappings.

3. Use the Mail Administrator program (ADMIN.EXE) to set the default options and create user mailboxes.

4. Set up individual workstations.

INSTALL ALL NEEDED SOFTWARE ON THE SERVER

1. Log on to Novell as a Supervisor--not as a supervisor equivalent. Logging on as a Supervisor causes all files in the Mail system to be stamped with Supervisor ownership. This can reduce the future risk ownerless files might pose to smooth operation of the mail system.

   Decide what network (organization) and postoffice names you will use and decide where you want to install the executable files (the MAILEXE subdirectory) and the Mail database (the MAILDATA subdirectory). Make a note of these; you will use this information while installing each set of disks.

2. Run the INSTALL.EXE program from the Server Version - Disk 1 disk. Follow the instructions, inserting disks as prompted, until the Mail server is installed. For example:

         Enter network type (M)Microsoft or (N)Novell > N
         Enter postoffice name > SEATTLE1
         Enter network name > XYZCORP
         Enter location for the Microsoft Mail executable files
          > f:\apps\mail\exe
         Enter location for the Microsoft Mail data files
          > f:\apps\mail\data
   

   NOTE: You should always install the MS-DOS workstation even if all your users will be running different workstation software. The MS-DOS client installation copies files needed by other Microsoft Mail components. It may also be helpful when you need to troubleshoot the Mail system.

3. Run the INSTALL.EXE program from the MS-DOS-based Workstation Version - Disk 1 disk. Follow the instructions, inserting disks as prompted, until the MS-DOS workstation client is installed. Give the same directories for the executable files and the database as you used in the Server disk installation in step 2 above. Continuing with the above example:

         Enter drive, path to the Microsoft Mail executable files
          > f:\apps\mail\exe
         Enter drive, path to the Microsoft Mail database
          > f:\apps\mail\data
   

   NOTE: At the "Directory is not empty, continue (Y/N)?:" prompt, press Y to continue.

4. If you will be using the Windows or OS/2 Presentation Manager workstation client, run the INSTALL.EXE program from the Windows-based and OS/2 Presentation Manager-Based Workstation Version - Disk 1 disk. Follow the instructions, inserting disks as prompted, until the installation program reports that it has finished. Continuing with the above example:

         Type the name of your organization.
          > The XYZ Corporation
         Type the drive and path to the Microsoft Mail executable files.
          > f:\apps\mail\exe
   

5. If you will be accessing the Mail database on the Novell server from connected Apple Macintoshes, you do not need to take any additional steps at this time.

SET UP NOVELL GROUPS, ACCESS RIGHTS, AND DRIVE MAPPINGS

1. Create and add users to a Novell PC Mail group with the following trustee rights (or give these rights to the group Everyone)

         [ RWCEM  ]  ..\MAILDATA directory **
         [ R    F ]  ..\MAILEXE directory
   
      where:
   
         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 the attributes or rename a directory or file)
         F   File Scan (see the filename when viewing the directory)
   
      ** Macintosh and OS/2 clients need File Scan (F) rights to the entire
         database (..\MAILDATA).
   
      Special cases:
   
       - You need [ RWCEMF ] rights to the MAILDATA\FOLDERS directories if you
         want to be able to change folder sort orders from within any
         Microsoft Mail MS-DOS client or a Microsoft Mail 2.1 Windows client.
   
       - You need [ RWCEMF ] rights to the MAILDATA\KEY directory if any
         Microsoft Mail 2.1 Windows clients will be accessing the Mail
         database.
   
   

2. Add mapping statements to the system login script similar to the following, but adjusted for your own configuration:

         IF MEMBER OF "pcmail" THEN
            MAP M: = Server_Name/SYS:APPS/MAILDATA
            MAP INS S1: = Server_Name/SYS:APPS/MAILEXE
         END
   
   

3. Unless otherwise specified, all Mail executable programs for 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 a -Dx switch to the command line (where x is the alternate drive letter).

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

         admin -dr
   

   CRITICAL NOTE: The CURRENT directory of the drive letter used must be the ROOT of the database (..\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 gives 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 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 networks:
   
         map m:=<Server_Name>/sys:apps\mail\data
         map root r:=<Server_Name>/vol1:maildata
   
      The Windows workstation software also assumes the database is in 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 Microsoft Mail
      3.0, this is done in the MSMAIL.INI file. You can find the MSMAIL.INI
      file in your Microsoft Windows directory.
   
      To specify the path to the postoffice database for Mail 3.0's Windows
      workstation software, include a "ServerPath=" line in the [Microsoft
      Mail] section of MSMAIL.INI.  For example:
   
         ----- MSMAIL.INI -----
            [Microsoft Mail]
            ServerPath=F:\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 located in the MAILEXE directory on the
      server to include a standard "ServerPath=" line.
   
   

4. If necessary, you can get by without using any new mappings by hard coding the path to the executable files by using a command at a command-line prompt or in a batch file. This eliminates the need for a MAP INSert search path. Two examples:

         C:\>  F:\apps\mailexe\ADMIN
         F:\APPS\MAILDATA\>  ..\mailexe\MAIL
   

   From the MAILDATA directory, load the MS-DOS-based MAIL.EXE or ADMIN.EXE program using the -D switch. This switch eliminates the need for a specific drive mapping to the root of the database (..\MAILDATA). Two examples are:

         F:\APPS\MAILDATA\>  ..\mailexe\ADMIN -Df
         R:\GRPAPPS\MAIL\DATA\>  \grpapps\mail\exe\MAIL -Dr
   

   Windows users run their executable files from the local hard disk drive so they do not need the MAP INSert search path. The "ServerPath=" line replaces most additional mappings needed to the Mail database.

SET MAIL'S DEFAULT OPTIONS AND CREATE USER MAILBOXES

1. Load the Mail Administrator program for the first time by typing the following at an MS-DOS prompt:

         admin admin -ppassword
   

   NOTE: The above command assumes you are using drive M and have a search path to the Mail executable files.

   If you have customized your setup, enter something similar to the following, from the root of the database (adjusted for your own drive and path settings):

         F:\APPS\MAIL\DATA\> ..\exe\ADMIN admin -Ppassword -Df
   

2. Once the Mail Administrator program has loaded, select Local-Admin, Options. Look at each of the different options carefully to decide what settings you want as the default for newly created users. For more details, select a menu option and press the Help (F1) key.

3. After you set your default options, select Local-Admin, Create to add users to the mail system. When you have finished adding some users, exit the Administrator program and set up a few workstations. Add the rest of your users once you are sure everything is set up the way you want it.

SET UP INDIVIDUAL WORKSTATIONS

MS-DOS Client

You do not need to take any additional steps to run the MS-DOS workstation, as long as the workstation has the appropriate rights to the executable files and database and can find them both through some form of mapping. You may, however, want to create a batch file or place the appropriate lines into a menu system. The following are some examples of how to load the MS-DOS client:

   MAIL
   MAIL mailbox
   MAIL mailbox -Ppassword -Df

   F:\APPS\MAILDATA\>   \apps\mailexe\MAIL george -Df

   ----- MSMAIL.BAT -----
      @Echo Off
   CD R:\apps\mail\DATA
   R:\apps\mail\EXE\MAIL %Mailbox% -Dr

      IF MEMBER OF "pcmail" THEN
         DOS SET Mailbox="%LOGIN_NAME"
      END

Windows Client

In the "Install All Needed Software on the Server" section above, you installed the Windows client software to the server. Now you need to run the SETUP.EXE program from each Windows workstation. Mail's SETUP.EXE file will be in the Mail executable directory (..\MAILEXE). Running the SETUP.EXE program will copy selected files to the local workstation. It will also make the necessary changes to your Windows configuration.

NOTE: Make sure the user has logged back in since you gave him or her rights to the mail system.

To run the SETUP.EXE program, double-click it from File Manager or choose the File Run command.

When you load the Windows client on a workstation for the first time, a Login=<Mailbox> line is added to the local MSMAIL.INI file. The Mailbox value will be the one used to bring up Mail on the workstation for the first time. For system administrators, this means the administrator should log into Mail the first time as the local user, and not as an administrator. Otherwise, the system administrator must edit the MSMAIL.INI file.

If the root of the Mail database is not the current directory on drive M, you may need to add or modify the "ServerPath=" line in the [Microsoft Mail] group of the local MSMAIL.INI file.

OS/2 Client

Except where noted below, the OS/2 client installation is the same as it is for the Windows client installation described above.

NOTE: OS/2 clients require [ RWCEMF ] rights to the MAILDATA directory.

If you are installing Mail on OS/2 version 1.2 or 1.3, run the PMSETUP.EXE program from the Novell server instead of the SETUP.EXE program. Verify that MSMAIL.INI and WIN.INI are in the local OS2\DLL directory.

If you are installing Mail on OS/2 version 2.0, run the SETUP.EXE program from the Novell server by choosing the Program Manager File Run command. Verify that MSMAIL.INI and WIN.INI are located on the local workstation in the OS2\MDOS\WINOS2 directory.

Macintosh Client

The following installation process assumes that you are able to mount your PC postoffice drive from the Macintosh on which you will be installing the client software.

NOTE: Macintosh clients require [ RWCEMF ] rights to the MAILDATA directory.

Insert the Apple Macintosh Workstation Version for PC Networks disk and copy the Microsoft Mail Notifier file to your active system Control Panel folder. Copy the Microsoft Mail file to any location on the hard drive or desktop. These are all the necessary files for the Macintosh Mail client.

Mount the volume containing your PC postoffice and choose the Reshare The Drive At Startup Time and Save My Name And Password options for that volume. Double-click the Microsoft Mail icon to launch the Mail program. You will be presented with the following dialog box:

   The Preference file could not be found. Where is your postoffice
   located?

Quit from the Mail program and restart your Macintosh. This initiates the notify portion of the Macintosh Mail client, which notifies you of new mail. The Macintosh Mail client is now installed.