PC DB: Err Msg: Could Not Find Mail System Database
ID: Q94259
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The information in this article applies to:
-
Microsoft Mail for PC Networks, versions 2.1, 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.
Mail Administrator program version 3.0:
Could not find mail system data files on drive 'M:'
Windows client version 3.0:
Mail could not connect to your Mail server. The Mail server path
in your MSMAIL.INI file is missing or invalid.
Windows client version 2.1:
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:
- A previously installed security feature is overriding other, more
current settings, or the MAIL.DAT file is not in the WINDOWS\SYSTEM
directory.
- The mail program is looking for the files in the wrong location.
- The drive where the mail program is looking does not exist because
it has not been mapped or mounted.
- The person trying to access the postoffice database does not have
sufficient rights or privileges to the MAILDATA directories.
- The MASTER.GLB file does not exist, is hidden, or is locked open.
RESOLUTION
Following are resolutions for each of the five above causes:
- 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.
- Unless told otherwise, the ADMIN.EXE and MAIL.EXE 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 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 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 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).
- The settings in an INI file may appear correct, but the drive may
not exist. It may not have been mapped or mounted, or it may have
been disconnected. Verify that the drive and path is valid by
using the MS-DOS DIR command.
- Following are examples of the rights needed on different file
servers.
The rights needed for a Novell 3.11 server are as follows:
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
- If the MAILDATA\GLB\MASTER.GLB file does not exist, restore it
from the latest backup.
If it is hidden, make it viewable it by changing to the
MAILDATA\GLB directory and typing the following MS-DOS 5.0
command:
attrib -h master.glb /s
If the file is locked open, close the file using whatever tools
are available on your network. The following are Novell and LAN
Manager examples:
Novell
Console => Monitor => File Locking => Directory => File
LAN Manager
Net Admin => Status => Open Files => Select File => Close
Additional query words:
2.10 3.00 permission Mail cannot connect to
your server
Keywords :
Version : WINDOWS:2.1,3.0
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :
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