====================================================================== Microsoft(R) Product Support Services Application Note (Text File) WA0883: POSTOFFICE DIAGNOSTICS UTILITY VERSION 3.2.1 ====================================================================== Revision Date: 1/95 1 Disk Included The following information applies to Microsoft Mail for PC Networks, version 2.1, 3.0, 3.2, 3.2a. --------------------------------------------------------------------- | INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT AND ANY SOFTWARE THAT MAY | | ACCOMPANY THIS DOCUMENT (collectively referred to as an Application | | Note) IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER | | EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED | | WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND/OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR | | PURPOSE. The user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and | | the use of this Application Note. This Application Note may be | | copied and distributed subject to the following conditions: 1) All | | text must be copied without modification and all pages must be | | included; 2) If software is included, all files on the disk(s) | | must be copied without modification (the MS-DOS(R) utility | | diskcopy is appropriate for this purpose); 3) All components of | | this Application Note must be distributed together; and 4) This | | Application Note may not be distributed for profit. | | | | Copyright (C) 1993-1995 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.| | Microsoft, MS, MS-DOS and Windows are registered trademarks of | | Microsoft Corporation. | --------------------------------------------------------------------- WARNING: To avoid any risk of data loss or data corruption, please make a backup copy of your Microsoft Mail postoffice. DO NOT RUN THIS UTILITY ON A PRODUCTION POSTOFFICE WITHOUT A BACKUP BEING AVAILABLE. If an error occurs during a fix, you can restore the backup made immediately before you used the diagnostics utility to perform the fix. In all other circumstances, you should restore the database from your most recent, regularly scheduled backup. INTRODUCTION ============ The Microsoft Mail Postoffice Diagnostics utility is a Windows-based utility that checks and fixes Microsoft Mail databases on version 2.1, 3.0, and 3.2 postoffices. Microsoft designed this utility to enable you to better administer and maintain your postoffice without relying on Microsoft Product Support Services for assistance. You can use the diagnostics utility tools to diagnose and resolve potential corruption problems on the postoffice. The diagnostics utility contains a General Postoffice Summary tool and four tools that check the following: - Address and group files - User mail files - Server folder files - Directory synchronization (Dir-Sync) files (version 3.0 and 3.2 postoffices only) The utility adds to the utility log file any problems it finds in the database. You can also use the diagnostics utility tools to check and fix the database. When you use the check and fix tools, you decide which problems the utility fixes. WARNING: If you use the diagnostics utility to check and fix the database, no users or programs should access the postoffice while the utility is running. It is also best to check the database when there is little or no activity on the postoffice; checking the database when users are logged on to the postoffice can cause inaccurate error reporting. The Check & Fix option should be used with the utmost discretion and only when a current backup of the production postoffice is available. REQUIREMENTS ============ To use this utility, you must have: - A Microsoft Mail postoffice version 2.1, 3.0, 3.2, or 3.2a - Administrator access rights to the postoffice - Full network operating system access rights to the postoffice and all its subdirectories - The hardware and software required for Microsoft Windows INSTALLING AND STARTING THE DIAGNOSTICS UTILITY =============================================== To install the diagnostics utility ---------------------------------- 1. Start Windows. 2. In Windows Program Manager, choose Run from the File menu. 3. Insert the WA0883 disk in your floppy disk drive. 4. In the Command Line box, type the following and press ENTER :setup where is the floppy disk drive containing the WA0883 disk. For example, if the WA0883 disk is in drive A, type the following command: a:setup To start the diagnostics utility -------------------------------- In the MS(R) Mail PO Diag 3.2.1 group in Program Manager, double-click the MS Mail PO Diagnostics 3.2.1 icon. The Microsoft Mail Postoffice Diagnostics dialog box appears. MAINTAINING THE NETWORK CONNECTION ================================== It is important to maintain the network connection to the postoffice when you use the diagnostics utility. If you are disconnected from the network while the diagnostics utility is running, the tools may report missing files or directories. FINDING INFORMATION ABOUT THE DIAGNOSTICS UTILITY ================================================= The documentation for the diagnostics utility is in an online Help file. To view the table of contents for Help, choose Contents from the Help menu. To view Help instructions, choose How To Use Help from the Help menu.