Using Three-Step Mailbox Troubleshooting

On a large system, you might see mailbox-related errors often enough that you don't want to take the time to actually troubleshoot each one. Well, a GroupWise administrator we worked with passed along a gem. This administrator takes a standard approach to every problem he gets with a user mailbox, no matter what the error is. This approach fixes about 80% of the problems right off the bat.

The nice thing about this approach is that the operations you will be performing are not invasive or destructive. These actions can be performed on a healthy mailbox with no ill effects. This means that almost no matter what the problem, you can take these steps safely.

You could use this procedure to solve a myriad of problems, such as these:

• One user receives errors when trying to send new messages.
  
  
• Everybody receives errors when trying to send a message to one particular user.
  
  
• A user reports that messages he or she has read are showing up as unread.
  
  

This list could go on and on. Suffice it to say that if you think the problem is related in any way to the GroupWise message/information store, this procedure is a good place to start.

These steps must be completed in order:

1.	Synchronize the user.
2.	Run a structural rebuild on the user database using GWCHECK. (Server-based or standalonesee Chapter 17, "Maintaining the GroupWise System," for more details.)
3.	Run an analyze/fix of the contents of the user database (do not include the message database).

The logic behind these steps is simple. First, make sure that the user object you want to work on is correctly represented in the post office database. The synchronize operation takes care of that.

Second, make sure that the user database for this user is structurally clean, with no damaged blocks or records for you to choke on. The structural rebuild operation takes care of this.

Finally, you want to make sure that all records in the user database correctly point to records elsewhere in the information store. The analyze/fix operation does this for you.

The rest of this section walks through each of these operations in turn.

Synchronize the User

The synchronize function, covered in Chapter 7, "GroupWise Utilities and Diagnostics," broadcasts a user's GroupWise object to the entire GroupWise system. Synchronizing is a fairly quick operation. To synchronize a user, do the following:

1.	Load ConsoleOne.
2.	Highlight the user in GroupWise view or in eDirectory browser view.
3.	Choose Tools, GroupWise Utilities, Synchronize.

Structurally Rebuild the User's Database

Now that the user object has been synchronized, you are ready to issue a structural rebuild on that user's database. To accomplish this task, follow these steps:

1.	Load ConsoleOne.
2.	Highlight the user in GroupWise view or in eDirectory browser view.
3.	Choose Tools, GroupWise Utilities, Mailbox/Library Maintenance.
4.	In the Action drop-down list, select Structural Rebuild.
5.	Under the Databases tab, select the User check box, making sure that the Message option is unchecked.

Note

Administrators are sometimes reluctant to do a structural rebuild on a user. They have a mistaken notion that a structural rebuild of a user database is a drastic, potentially destructive operation. It is not! A structural rebuild does not throw messages out of the folders or into the root of the cabinet. Don't mistake a structural rebuild with the process of re-creating the user database, which is an entirely different function. (Re-creating a user database will throw messages out of folders.)

Analyze/Fix and Repair the Contents of the User Database

When the POA analyzes the contents of a user database, it validates all the pointers in the database. The contents analysis also cleans up a user's personal address book. Here are the steps for running this operation:

1.	In ConsoleOne, highlight the user in GroupWise view or in eDirectory browser view.
2.	Choose Tools, GroupWise Utilities, Mailbox/Library Maintenance.
3.	From the Action drop-down list, select Analyze/Fix Databases.
4.	Select the Contents and Fix Problems check boxes, as well as the User check box under the Databases tab, making sure to uncheck all other check boxes.