Problem With Pop3 in Domino 8

December 18th, 2008 by bfebrian

There are still many users that using outlook as they email client. So far it run smoothly. Users can do send and receive without much problem. Most problem that I encounter are double emails because the send and receive process disconnected in the middle and the pst file already reach it maximum size which is 20 GB and that is very rare.

But few days ago, I got called form three of my users that they have problem when receiving emails. It always popping up for password, even though they already entered the correct one.

I checked the server log, and it said something about maildrop exclusive access. This is common problem, the problem usually solved just for waiting three or five minute. But this time, waiting for ten minutes still did not solved the problem.

So I check the server for more hints.

From Domino administrator, I check the server task, there I saw that there is pop3 task still providing task for the problematic users even the users already closed their outlook, so I guess the pop3 task is hanging or something.

So I tried to restart the pop3 server in office hours, and that caused more problem. The pop3 server can’t closed completely because it seem that the pop3 for the problematic users can’t be closed. So I have to restart the whole server.

After restarted the server I tried to do send and receive again. First is running and then asking for the pasword again. I checked the server task and realize that the pop3 task is hanging again.

Searched both google and lotus domino forum and there is no helpful hints.

It’s time to be panic.

There was not much that I can do, except to told the users that temporarily they can access their email via webmail, while I tried to solved the problem.

In a way home, I realize that what if one of email is corrupt and cause the problem?

So at home I login to the server again, marked all the emails as read via webmail so it will not be downloaded via pop3, and than restart the server.

After the server restarted I quickly check the server task, there is no pop3 task hanging. Good.

I setup a new outlook account for one of m problematic user and than do the send and receive. It worked.

I did several task, and it seem it solved the problem.

So the rest of the emails, I downloaded them via imap not pop3.

I still don’t know why email got corrupted and cause problem for pop3 task.

I’m sure that this problem will happen again, even I don’t know why it happpen, but at least I know how to solved it.