Attachments in e-mail messages can be deleted when archived
Problem
When users archive e-mail messages to a 8.5.1 or 8.5.1 FP1 or 8.5.2 FP2 Lotus Domino server (server-based archiving), any archived e-mails that contain multiple attachments are saved in a state in which only the last attachment is readable. Only the last attachment is successfully stored in the archive database. The messages may appear to be intact and show all the attachment icons but attempting to launch or detach the attachments displays the following error message:
“Invalid or non-existent document: could not save file to c:temp…”This situation only occurs on a server-based archive, not if you use a local archive. There is no indication of any problem in the server-based archive log.
A hotfix is available for Domino 8.5.1 that resolves this problem and once applied, any subsequent e-mails that you archive will be saved correctly. However, the hotfix does not restore any lost content.
Running a consistency check or “fixup” against the archive detects the corrupt e-mail messages. Fixup marks the archive as corrupt and subsequently removes the complete e-mail messages from the archive. There is no way to recover the lost attachments or the e-mails from the archive other than to restore the mail file and archive it again.
Symptom
Data loss of archived e-mail messages that contain multiple attachments.
Resolving the problem
This issue was reported to Quality Engineering as SPR# ADEE84REF5.
If you experience this problem and already have applied the hotfix, use a mail file backup to restore the e-mails and then re-archive the e-mails.Product Development will release a permanent fix in future Domino versions. Additionally, customers impacted by the problem may request a hotfix by contacting IBM Product Support and opening a Service Request (PMR).
So, if you are running Domino 8.5.1, and use Archiving, get hold of this hotfix ASAP. In the meantime, schedule a Fixup task and find out whether any of your databases are showing the issue. If so, you may want to restore from backup once the hotfix is installed and recover the lost attachments.
One of our customers has already been bitten by this – I hope you will not be affected.