AdvFS as /var/spool/mail

From: <terzic_at_mda.ca>
Date: Wed, 17 Jan 1996 11:35:37 -0800

dear managers,

under alpha, DU-3.2C, and AdvFS for /var/spool/mail fileset we are having a
strange problem (this is a mailhost, mail server).
        i exported /var/spool/mail and mounted over NFS to several workstations
on the network (SunOS, Solaris, Irix). people using Sun "mailtool" (on SUnOS
or solaris; any version) are getting false alarms for new message (they are
getting true alarm when new message has arrived, though).
this is quite annoying as "mailtool" beeps, the ikon flushes,
but when you open the inbox, quite often there is nothing. actually the email
is not lost, but rather, it never existed.
        Sun "mailtool" looks for modification date on /var/spool/mail/$USER
file. as i said these files are sitting on an alpha server on AdvFS fileset.
it seems that something changes "modify flag(timestamp)" on user mail boxes
from time to time, but i can't see what. this has never happened before, when
we had /var/spool/mail on UFS sun server mounted the same way (NFS). it looks
like another AdvFS weirdness, i was thinking about defragmentation or some
other AdvFS specific processes, but it shouldn't change timestamp in any case!?

        has anybody experienced something like this? any clue?
thanks!

-- 
Veselin Terzic                     |   MacDonald Dettwiler
MIME accepted terzic_at_mda.ca        |   13800 Commerce Parkway
Phone: (604) 278-3411 Fax: 278-3786|   Richmond, B.C.;Canada V6V 2J3
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Received on Wed Jan 17 1996 - 21:23:19 NZDT

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