MTA Won’t Start

Problem: The MTA does not start.
Possible Cause: The /home switch is missing.
Action: Make sure the /home startup switch provides the correct path to the domain directory where the domain database (wpdomain.db) resides. This switch is required to start the MTA and must be provided either in the MTA startup file or on the command line when you start the MTA. See Installing and Starting the MTA in Message Transfer Agent in the GroupWise 7 Administration Guide.
Possible Cause: The /home switch points to an unavailable location.
Action: Make sure the location specified by the /home startup switch is currently available to the MTA. If the domain is located on a different server from where the MTA will run, preparations for the connection between the MTA and the domain are required:
  • If you are using the NetWare® MTA, you must use the /dn startup switch or the /user and /password startup switches to enable the MTA to log in to the server where the domain is located.
  • If you are using the Linux MTA, mount the file system where the domain is located to the server where the MTA is running.
  • If you are using the Windows MTA, you must create the drive mapping to the domain and post offices in the domain before starting the MTA.
Possible Cause: The server where the domain resides is down.
Action: Check the status of the server where the domain resides.
Possible Cause: The /work switch points to an unavailable location. Although not required, the /work startup switch is useful to specify a local working directory for the MTA when the domain it services is located on a different server. Using the /work switch to provide a local working directory on the server where it is installed is highly recommended for MTA performance. If the /work switch is not used, the working directory is placed in the directory specified by the /home switch.
Action: Make sure the location of the MTA working directory is available to the MTA.
Possible Cause: The MTA does not have sufficient rights to the domain directory.
Action: Make sure the network rights in the domain are correct.
Possible Cause: The domain database (wpdomain.db) is damaged.
Action: If the domain database (wpdomain.db) is available to the MTA but cannot be read, it might be damaged. In ConsoleOne®, perform maintenance to correct any problems with the domain database. See Maintaining Domain and Post Office Databases in Databases in the GroupWise 7 Administration Guide.
Possible Cause: The MTA server has inadequate resources.
Action: Make sure the server where you are trying to run the MTA has adequate resources to run the MTA, especially adequate available memory and the current versions of any required network system files. See Agent System Requirements in Installing GroupWise Agents in the GroupWise 7 Installation Guide.
Possible Cause: The MTA is not installed correctly.
Action: Make sure all files required to run the MTA are installed. For a complete list, see Agent Installation Directories in GroupWise 7 Troubleshooting 3: Message Flow and Directory Structure.
Possible Cause: Language-specific files are missing.
Action: If you are using the /language startup switch to run the MTA in a particular language, the corresponding language files must be installed for the MTA to run in that language. To determine what language-specific files are required, see Agent Installation Directories in GroupWise 7 Troubleshooting 3: Message Flow and Directory Structure.
Possible Cause: The MTA is encountering a problem with one specific aspect of its functioning.
Action: MTA startup switches are available to disable specific MTA functions while allowing other functions to continue normally. For example, the /noada switch disables the MTA admin thread. If a specific MTA function is causing the MTA to shut down, you might be able to disable that particular function with a startup switch. See Using MTA Startup Switches in Message Transfer Agent in the GroupWise 7 Administration Guide.
Possible Cause: The MTA encounters an error condition.
Action: If you receive an error message when trying to start the MTA, look it up in Message Transfer Agent Error Messages in GroupWise 7 Troubleshooting 1: Error Messages.