Broke Server installing Postfix etc... HELP

[skysober]

I was following this tutorial -http://workaround.org/articles/ispmail-etch/ and now anytime I try to install anything I get 'can not connect to database.

I have webmin and virtualmin both installed, and ssh into the root... It is running "Debian GNU/Linux 4.0"

I had Postfix and Dovecot all running, but never quite working, then tried the setup above and now have it totally fubar.

my Sql and Apache does work, as one of my main sites I have on it is running still, but without any email capabilities.

For a Linux idiot, is there any tutorial that can be followed that doesn't care if something has already been installed, but is quite probably installed incorrectly? I have tried the server support, but they say theirs are unmanaged dedicated servers, so I need to find my own help. My problem is I know enough about Linux to fit on the head of a needle, and everytime I search for clues to fix it, it just keeps getting more broke.

Can anyone help me find how to get the email server working?

[falko]

I was following this tutorial -http://workaround.org/articles/ispmail-etch/ and now anytime I try to install anything I get 'can not connect to database.

Are you referring to apt or MySQL?

Do you have the possibility to restore a clean Etch image onto your server?

[skysober]

I can have it re-installed, at $69.... but I would loose about 18 gig of uploaded files - with the 7 sites I have already installed on there...

And I wish I only knew what 'database' it can not connect to. It does it when I try to install anything now.

I did get the postfix and dovecot re-installed and it says it is working according to webmin, but it isn't.

Example I added an email account of "joe@joeblow.com", when I click on the view mailbox and select "joe" it will send out email using webmin, but it is not 'joe@joeblow.com', it is 'joe@MyServerDefault.com" and I have tried setting up Outlook to send and receive using both 'names', yet nothing. I have tried replying to the sent email from 'joe@joeblow.com" and it never shows up in the users mailbox in webmin...

If you wish, I could PM you an ssh into the server to peek at it?

[falko]

I have tried replying to the sent email from 'joe@joeblow.com" and it never shows up in the users mailbox in webmin...

What's in your mail log when you reply?

Does the MX record for joeblow.com point to the right server? you can check that with
dig mx joeblow.com

[skysober]

Domain Name Manager:

A (HOST)
Host Points To
@ XXX.XX.145.7

CNAMES (Aliases)
Host Points To
webmail joeblow.com
www @
mail joeblow.com
imap mail.joeblow.com
ftp @
MX (Mail Exchange)
Priority Host Goes To
0 @ mail.joeblow.com

NS (Name Servers)
Host Points To
@ ns41.domaincontrol.com
@ ns42.domaincontrol.com


Dig:


pty12307:~# dig mx joeblow.com

; <<>> DiG 9.3.4-P1.1 <<>> mx joeblow.com
;; global options: printcmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 31668
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 2, ADDITIONAL: 0

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;joeblow.com. IN MX

;; ANSWER SECTION:
joeblow.com. 3600 IN MX 0 mail.joeblow.com.

;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
joeblow.com. 3600 IN NS ns42.domaincontrol.com.
joeblow.com. 3600 IN NS ns41.domaincontrol.com.

;; Query time: 159 msec
;; SERVER: XXX.XX.146.236#53(XXX.XX.146.236)
;; WHEN: Sat Mar 14 08:58:51 2009
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 104

[skysober]

Looking at the Mail Queue: 495 messages

Example message 000D5120D50:

Mail headers View all headers
From root@mail.joeblow.com (Cron Daemon)
To nobody@mail.joeblow.com
Date Fri, 13 Mar 2009 06:33:01 -0400 (EDT)
Subject Cron <nobody@pty12307> [ -x /usr/share/sa-exim/greylistclean ] && /usr/share/sa-exim/greylistclean


Could not connect to database


Eaxmple test using the forums software to send an email,
message 076DB120E14:

Mail headers View all headers
From "JoeBlow Community" <joe@joeblow.com>
To MyPersonalAccount@hotmail.com
Date Sat, 14 Mar 2009 00:06:48 -0400
Subject test ( JoeBlow Community )


Sky,


ignore if this comes thru.. just an email test

of the forum

[skysober]

var/log/mail.err

Last lines of /var/log/mail.err Only show lines with text

Mar 14 09:33:34 pty12307 postfix/trivial-rewrite[5105]: fatal: mysql:/etc/postfix/mysql-virtual-mailbox-domains.cf(0,lock|fold_fix): table lookup problem
Mar 14 09:33:34 pty12307 postfix/trivial-rewrite[5106]: fatal: mysql:/etc/postfix/mysql-virtual-mailbox-domains.cf(0,lock|fold_fix): table lookup problem
Mar 14 09:33:34 pty12307 postfix/trivial-rewrite[5107]: fatal: mysql:/etc/postfix/mysql-virtual-mailbox-domains.cf(0,lock|fold_fix): table lookup problem
Mar 14 09:33:34 pty12307 postfix/trivial-rewrite[5108]: fatal: mysql:/etc/postfix/mysql-virtual-mailbox-domains.cf(0,lock|fold_fix): table lookup problem

[falko]

The MX record for joeblow.com is pointing to mail.joeblow.com which is a CNAME record. But it must be an A record. Please fix that first before we proceed with the other problems.

[skysober]

okay... then I must not know how to proper set it... This is done in the domain name setup itself? where do I change it, to what?


on a side note: if I even try to addusr joeblow now on the command line, it says "can not connect to database..." user not added.

[falko]

okay... then I must not know how to proper set it... This is done in the domain name setup itself? where do I change it, to what?

Do you run your own nameservers, or do you use your registrar's nameservers? You can find that out with
dig ns joeblow.com

[skysober]

I do not know how to set my own up... I read about it, and talk aboutconfusing! I even have two IP's on the server as I would like that option, but it was where I would just be happy to get the email working first...

It is set at the way it always has been in the domain name thing. ( https://mya.securepaynet.net/Default.aspx?idpinfo=none&myaurl=%2fdefault.aspx&prog_id=lal1954&shopper_args=se )

Question, would I be able to let you into my server to look at it, and then of course you post here how I can fix it (so others can read and learn too,) without me trying to go back and forth and guess?

[falko]

Question, would I be able to let you into my server to look at it, and then of course you post here how I can fix it (so others can read and learn too,) without me trying to go back and forth and guess?

You can contact Till (info [at] projektfarm [dot] de) if you need support.

[skysober]

tried, but no reply to my email....

[falko]

tried, but no reply to my email....

When did you send the mail? If it was on the weekend, it can take a little bit longer until you get a reply.

[skysober]

the 17th - same day you mentioned it. (I have email direct notification on here in this thread and it beeps my phone a notification even...)

And I have stopped trying to fix it, as it seems to just get worse and break other things now - lol

[falko]

We've just checked, and we didn't receive an email from you... Can you check if your mailserver is blacklisted?

[skysober]

uh yah, let me see... oh wait, how the heck would I do that? :confused: You guys are LIGHT years ahead in knowledge over me. I would say I can still lick a stamp and mail it, but they don't even do that anymore, it is already sticky - hehe

And the email server is simply one of my hotmail accounts.

[falko]

And the email server is simply one of my hotmail accounts.That might have been the problem...