[Dovecot] great disappearing email mystery

[Aiko Barz]

On Thu, Feb 12, 2009 at 10:17:41AM -0800, Scott Silva wrote:
> on 2-12-2009 2:10 AM Aiko Barz spake the following:
> > On Wed, Feb 11, 2009 at 05:27:02PM -0500, dhottinger at harrisonburg.k12.va.us wrote:
> >> Have there been any issues with dovecot and using outlook express (imap) 
> >> as an email client?  I have had a couple of users come up with random 
> >> missing emails.  Im trying to figure out if it is user error, or 
> >> something wacky in my mailserver.   I cant find anything telling in  
> >> maillog files or my messages.  Dovecot version is 1.0.3.  Its ok to  
> >> reply to me, I get list messages digest.
> > 
> > The IMAP implementation of Outlook 2003 for example is not so nice. You
> > must first figure out, if the email is missing within Outlook or if it
> > is missing on the server too.
> > 
> > For example: If the mailbox is greater than 2GB, Outlook 2003 crashes
> > and corrupts its PST file. No more mails show up. A regular crash of
> > Outlook may also corrupt its PST file. The effect is the same. Mails
> > may dissapear within the client.
> > 
> > So, if the missing mail is still on the server, run "SCANPST.EXE". If it
> > does not help, recreate the Outlook profile.
> > 
> > If the mail is missing on the server, look close at their trash folder.
> > ;)
> > 
> > So long,
> >     Aiko
> Outlook does not store IMAP mail in its PST. PST's are only used for the local
> storage. Outlook does not crash if your IMAP mail folders are larger than 2
> GB, although its IMAP implementation is pretty bad.

"Therefore, the .pst files for IMAP or HTTP accounts in Outlook 2003 are
limited to 2 GB."
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/830336

Yes, it crashes badly...

So long,
    Aiko

-- 
:wq ✉