User unable to access SWA or retreive mail [Solved]

[jonnydoom]

We have a user who collects mail via a Blackberry device using SMTP but today for no apparent reason he can't.

I have attempted to login to the SWA as this particular user but it will not load his mailbox, it simply times out and reports the following error "Your Scalix server is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later".
This has happened to the same user on one other occasion and I assumed that his mailbox had become corrupt so I deleted his account and recreated it. I would prefer not to approach it in the same way again as its obvious there is a bigger problem if it keeps happening.

I have found the following logs at the time I tried to log into the SWA:

[Mon Jun 28 15:18:40 2010] [error] (70007)The timeout specified has expired: ajp_ilink_receive() can't receive header
[Mon Jun 28 15:18:40 2010] [error] ajp_read_header: ajp_ilink_receive failed
[Mon Jun 28 15:18:40 2010] [error] (120006)APR does not understand this error code: proxy: dialog to 10.11.254.250:8009 (mail1.company.local) failed

Are there any scans I can run on his mailbox to detect and repair any errors or can anyone advise what the errors mean?

Thanks in advance.

[ltward]

Have you tried clearing his IMAP cache?

There is a HowTo in the Wiki that tells how if you don't already know:
http://www.scalix.com/wiki/index.php?title=HowTos/AdminScripts#reset_the_imap-cache_for_a_mailbox

The extended version (a link is in the Wiki) is very good as well.

[RSisco]

We have a user who collects mail via a Blackberry device using SMTP but today for no apparent reason he can't.

I'm assuming you mean POP, SMTP is for outbound.

Have you tried clearing his IMAP cache?

If he's POP'ing his mail, will the IMAP cache affect that?

Richard

[ltward]

The IMAP cache affects SWA and is updated pretty much whenever any activity occurs on the mailbox.

If he is using Scalix BES to sync his BB to the Scalix server, it uses MAPI to sync.

The BB can be used to download emails from the server via POP3 or IMAP, but in this configuration it works like any other email client and there is no synchronization of calendars, contacts, etc.

I don't know that deleting the imap-cache (it will rebuild itself when he logs in again with SWA) will fix his problem, but it is the first thing I would try.

[jonnydoom]

Thanks for the replies guys, I am away to try the IMAP suggestion now, I will report back my findings.
You were right, I did mean POP when I said SMTP.

Putting the Blackberry problem aside, my main worry is not being able to login to the SWA as this user. Maybe if I can solve this issue it will also fix th BB issue as it looks to me as though its a problem with his actual mailbox.

*Update* I tried running the clear IMAP cache script as suggested, nothing has changed.

[jonnydoom]

Hi has anyone had any further thoughts on this problem.

I have run omscan and omtidyu on this mailbox but I am still unable to login to the SWA as this user.

[les]

Hi has anyone had any further thoughts on this problem.

I have run omscan and omtidyu on this mailbox but I am still unable to login to the SWA as this user.

Are there any defunct processes hanging around for this user? i.e.

find out the scalix system login for the user (omshowu -n "User name") and then

ps -ef |grep <system login>

If you find processes for this user kill them and try logging in again after.

[jonnydoom]

Hi has anyone had any further thoughts on this problem.

I have run omscan and omtidyu on this mailbox but I am still unable to login to the SWA as this user.

Are there any defunct processes hanging around for this user? i.e.

find out the scalix system login for the user (omshowu -n "User name") and then

ps -ef |grep <system login>

If you find processes for this user kill them and try logging in again after.

Hi Les, that worked perfectly! Thank you so much.
As suggested I ran omshow -u for the user and killed off 3 processes for the users System Login. Once they had been cleared down a fresh one appeared and I was able to login to SWA. Fantastic!

[les]

glad you got it sorted.

[jonnydoom]

Me too, it had been going on for a while and I had no idea what to try next. Good job you came along!
Its a shame there is no "thank you" button on the forum to let other users know how friendly and helpful you are.

Thanks again!

[les]

How do you kill the processes?

ps -ef |grep <system login>

If you find processes for this user kill them and try logging in again after.

kill -9 <process_id_of defunct_imap>