[plug] Mail Query

[Craig Ringer]

Joong Cho wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> With regards to the mail server, why do I always get the following error 
> messages whenever I try to download mail messages using mail programs 
> such as Thunderbird.
> 
> In /var/log/syslog:
> 
> localhost pop3(startreklibrary): 
> mkdir_parents(/home/startreklibrary/mail//.imap/INBOX) failed: 
> permission denied.

It looks like the `pop3' process is running as a user that lacks 
permission to create the directory 
/home/startreklibrary/mail/.imap/INBOX (or a parent of it, such as 
/home/startreklibrary/mail/.imap/ ).

> localhost pop3(startreklibrary): Couldn't open INBOX: Internal error 
> occured. Refer to server log for more information.

Since the INBOX doesn't exist where the `pop3' process expects it and it 
can't create it, it fails.

> Using Thunderbird, I get the following error message.
> 
> The STAT command did not succeed. Error getting message number and 
> sizes. Mail server 127.0.0.1 responded: No INBOX for user.

Yep... because you don't have an INBOX, it's not where the pop3 server 
expects it to be, or the pop3 server doesn't have permission to see the 
INBOX directory.

> I can send mail using those mail programs

I and others have tried to explain before that on most UNIX systems 
sending and recieving mail are two almost entirely unrelated functions.

> but I just gotta be able to 
> download my mail messages. One step closer to solving that problem if I 
> can get around this problem.

Right now, I suggest that you review the installation instructions for 
the the POP3 server you're using. Check that the pop3 daemon is running 
as the right user and is in the right groups, check that the correct 
permissions are set on the INBOX (if it exists) and all its parents, etc.

--
Craig Ringer