[Dovecot] cannot update mailbox - unable to lock for exclusive access

[Stan Hoeppner]

Please always reply to the list, not individuals.

On 11/8/2012 4:17 AM, 1st WebDesigns wrote:
> On 08/11/2012 09:23, Stan Hoeppner wrote:
>> On 11/8/2012 2:29 AM, 1st WebDesigns wrote:
>>> Hi there,
>>>
>>> We're using Dovecot version 1.0.7 and Postfix, and since upgrading our
>>> Linux box we're getting this in the maillog:
>>
>> 1.0.7 is absolutely ancient and no longer officially supported.  You
>> need 1.2.x minimum, 2.x.x even better.  And you say you just recently
>> upgraded your Linux distro?  What planet do you live on son?  You're a
>> few light years behind current stable software.
>>
>>> Nov  8 07:49:11 server1 postfix/local[27901]: 04B8E7081DA:
>>> to=<xyz at xyz.com>, orig_to=<abc at abc.com>, relay=local, delay=19,
>>> delays=0.07/0/0/19, dsn=4.2.0, status=deferred (cannot update mailbox
>>> /var/spool/mail/abc for user abc. unable to lock for exclusive access:
>>> Resource temporarily unavailable)
>>
>> The simple permanent fix to Postfix/Dovecot mbox locking issues is
>> switching from Postfix LOCAL to Dovecot LDA for mailbox delivery.  1.0.7
>> is before my time.  I do not know if LDA was available then.  Upgrade
>> and you'll have it, and you'll also fix other problems you're not even
>> aware of yet.
>>
>>> Postfix is currently set to:
>>> mailbox_delivery_lock = fcntl, dotlock
>>>
>>> Dovecot has this:
>>> mbox_read_locks = fcntl
>>> mbox_write_locks = fcntl dotlock
>>
>> LDA completely eliminates lock contention.
>>
>> http://wiki.dovecot.org/LDA/Postfix
>> http://wiki2.dovecot.org/LDA/Postfix
>>
> 
> Thanks for your reply.  We have upgraded from RHEL4 to RHEL5, so 1.0.7
> is the "stable" version that they provide

RHEL 5 is also ancient, released in March 2007, over 5 years ago.  The
current stable release is RHEL 6.3, released in June 2012.  What is the
valid reason preventing you from upgrading to the 6.x distribution?  The
packages in general in 6.x are 5 years newer than 5.x.  And given the
fact that RHEL runs miles behind the bleeding edge, you're way behind
the curve even with a recent RHEL distribution.

You can probably find a much newer version of Dovecot in an RPM
somewhere, and Postfix for that matter.  But it would be better for you
if you simply upgraded to RHEL 6.3.

-- 
Stan