Emails on HOLD not processed and delivered

[Glenn Steen]

2008/11/24 Arthur Stephens <astephens at ptera.net>:
> I discovered this problem when customers complained about not getting emails
> from some people.
>
> It appears that whenever an email using ESMTP protocol goes on hold to be
> processed by mail scanner, it ends up being removed without processing it.
> Here are a couple of the numerous log entries reflecting this...
>
> [root at mailgate ~]# grep 4013E6FB03C: /var/log/maillog
> Nov 24 10:09:21 mailgate postfix/smtpd[14870]: 4013E6FB03C:
> client=mail.sound-tele.com[66.45.208.237]
> Nov 24 10:09:21 mailgate postfix/cleanup[14455]: 4013E6FB03C: hold: header
> Received: from mail.sound-tele.com (mail.sound-tele.com [66.45.208.237])??by
> mailgate.ptera.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4013E6FB03C??for
> <sladichoffice at ptera.net>; Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:09:21 -0800 (PST from
> mail.sound-tele.com[66.45.208.237]; from=<ST-MsgCtr at sound-tele.com>
> to=<sladichoffice at ptera.net> proto=ESMTP helo=<mail.sound-tele.com>
> Nov 24 10:09:21 mailgate postfix/cleanup[14455]: 4013E6FB03C:
> message-id=<EX2003BPcZi71mrvoGd00007995 at mail.sound-tele.com>
>
> [root at mailgate ~]# grep  53A4C6FB0A0: /var/log/maillog
> Nov 24 10:22:30 mailgate postfix/smtpd[14219]: 53A4C6FB0A0:
> client=unknown[206.169.232.4]
> Nov 24 10:22:30 mailgate postfix/cleanup[17578]: 53A4C6FB0A0: hold: header
> Received: from mail.columbiagrain.com (unknown [206.169.232.4])??by
> mailgate.ptera.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 53A4C6FB0A0??for
> <foxhill at ptera.net>; Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:22:30 -0800 (PST) from
> unknown[206.169.232.4]; from=<rolstad at columbiagrain.com>
> to=<foxhill at ptera.net> proto=ESMTP helo=<mail.columbiagrain.com>
> Nov 24 10:22:30 mailgate postfix/cleanup[17578]: 53A4C6FB0A0:
> message-id=<28D95A3746D8414AA52458549F3EA58705228B88 at pdx-mail1.columbiagrain.com>
>
> [root at mailgate ~]# grep 592E66FB09E: /var/log/maillog
> Nov 24 10:28:16 mailgate postfix/smtpd[18108]: 592E66FB09E:
> client=seven.pairlist.net[209.68.2.241]
> Nov 24 10:28:16 mailgate postfix/cleanup[15863]: 592E66FB09E: hold: header
> Received: from seven.pairlist.net (seven.pairlist.net [209.68.2.241])??by
> mailgate.ptera.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 592E66FB09E??for
> <cbk13 at ptera.net>; Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:28:16 -0800 (PST) from
> seven.pairlist.net[209.68.2.241]; from=<seattleiso-bounces at seattleiso.org>
> to=<cbk13 at ptera.net> proto=ESMTP helo=<seven.pairlist.net>
> Nov 24 10:28:16 mailgate postfix/cleanup[15863]: 592E66FB09E:
> message-id=<alpine.WNT.1.10.0811241055310.3112 at hsadmjw2.hsvcs.washington.edu>
> [root at mailgate ~]#
>
> I am so unlearned about this I do not know where to begin to solve this
> problem.
> Googling didn't reveal anything obvious.
> What is the information between the ?? trying to tell me?
>
Nothing special, just the received line that triggered the header
check to arrange for the message to be put on hold, for MailScanner to
pick up. IIRC, the ?? is a replacement for linebreaks.
So far so good.

What should happen next is that MailScanner should pick up a few
messages and process them in a batch, telling you what happens, then
either deleting, quarantine or requeue the message (with a new queue
ID).
That doesn't seem to be happening for you.
Is MailScanner running?
If it is, do you perhaps have any files in the hold queue directory
that isn't a queue file (this has been know to make things go to
pieces:-)?

Cheers
-- 
-- Glenn
email: glenn < dot > steen < at > gmail < dot > com
work: glenn < dot > steen < at > ap1 < dot > se