189428 - mailserver problem so smtp send fails BUT mozilla moves mail to sent folder and doesn't report error

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(MailNews Core :: Networking: SMTP, defect)

Description

[JAmes Coleman]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Win98; en-US; rv:1.0.1) Gecko/20020826
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Win98; en-US; rv:1.0.1) Gecko/20020826

Here is the SMTP log:

0[771eb0]: SMTP Connecting to: www.brokenmailserver.com
0[771eb0]: SMTP entering state: 0
0[771eb0]: SMTP Response: 220 brokenmailserver.com ESMTP Exim 3.35 #1 Thu, 16
Jan 2003 11:57:05 +0000
0[771eb0]: SMTP entering state: 14
0[771eb0]: SMTP Send: EHLO brokenmailserver.com
0[771eb0]: SMTP entering state: 0
0[771eb0]: SMTP Response: /usr/sbin/exim: relocation error:
/lib/libnss_dns.so.2: symbol __libc_res_nquery, version GLIBC_PRIVATE not
defined in file libresolv.so.2 with link time reference
0[771eb0]: SMTP entering state: 14
0[771eb0]: SMTP Send: EHLO brokenmailserver.com

You can see mailserver itself has problems.
Mozilla did not report any error.
Message was moved to Sent folder.
I thought mail had been sent, had this problem over a week without realising.
Friend also encountered the problem.


Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. setup an smtp mailserver to crash or have problems (see smtp log)
   Unfortunately the mailserver I was using is now fixed! :-7
2. configure to send mail using this server
3. send a message - mail appears to be sent, but it is not

Actual Results:  
Mail appeared to be sent correctly.

Expected Results:  
Reported a problem with sending mail due to problem with smtp mailserver

I'd say it should be fixed.
Won't happen often.
But when it does happen will cause pain, agony and frustration.

Comment 1

[Robert Morris]

*** Bug 211661 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Comment 2

[Errikos Pitsos]

What the others found is real, it exists in 1.2.1 1.3 and probably 1.4
Mail that the user has sent has not been sent b/c of miscommunication  with the
MTA. see below. for any questions, email me [e-mail] and [e-mail] we
both have eaten this bug a lot while developing a software for mail transfers.
It only happens with mozilla and does so on all platforms

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.2.1) Gecko/20030325
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.2.1) Gecko/20030325

This happens when the server closes the socket, e.g. because the 
authentification failed.
Here's an excerpt of the communication:

client  -> EHLO ********
server <-  250-***************** Hello [********], pleased to meet you
server <-  250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES
server <-  250-PIPELINING
server <-  250-EXPN
server <-  250-VERB
server <-  250-8BITMIME
server <-  250-SIZE
server <-  250-DSN
server <-  250-ETRN
server <-  250-AUTH PLAIN LOGIN
server <-  250-STARTTLS
server <-  250-DELIVERBY
server <-  250 HELP
client  -> AUTH PLAIN AbCdEfGhIjKlMn==
server <-  535 5.7.0 authentication failed
client  -> AUTH PLAIN AbCdEfGhIjKlMn==
server <-  535 5.7.0 authentication failed
client  -> AUTH PLAIN AbCdEfGhIjKlMn==
server <-  535 5.7.0 authentication failed
client  -> AUTH PLAIN AbCdEfGhIjKlMn==
server <-  535 5.7.0 authentication failed
client  -> AUTH PLAIN AbCdEfGhIjKlMn==
server <-  535 5.7.0 authentication failed
client  -> AUTH PLAIN AbCdEfGhIjKlMn==
server <-  535 5.7.0 authentication failed
client  -> AUTH PLAIN AbCdEfGhIjKlMn==
server <-  535 5.7.0 authentication failed
client  -> AUTH PLAIN AbCdEfGhIjKlMn==
server <-  535 5.7.0 authentication failed
client  -> AUTH PLAIN AbCdEfGhIjKlMn==
-- server closes the socket --

This are *two* bugs:
1. Mozilla ignores the errorcode of the authentification
2. Mozilla pesumes the message has been delivered succesfully when the socket 
is closed (this is the behaviour also during the whole communication) and 
does not wait for the 250 return code of the DATA request.


The result is, that the email is put to the sent box but was NEVER send out!!!

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1.Send email
2. Have SMTP give funny answer as described above
3. Have email, which was not actually delivered sorted to the sent box

Actual Results:  
the email is sorted to the sent box

Expected Results:  
pop-up unable to send would be appropriate.

We work with Linux/Windows Mozilla 1.2.1 and 1.3 and it happens on all of them. 

The problem is, if the SMTP is not repsonding correclty to Mozilla you don't
send mail, but you thought you did. This is very very severe in a business
enivironment, I don't have to explain any further.


------- Additional Comment #1 From Errikos Pitsos 2003-07-03 19:43 -------

If you  need any help in reproducing or understanding what we mean, contact us.
This is really a very severe bug, because now I am not anymore sure whether I
sent out emails or not, even though they are in the send folder.

Comment 3

[Ninoschka Baca]

Marking nsbeta1 so that this is researched and considered for fixing.

Comment 4

[Christian Eyrich]

Taking

Comment 5

[Christian Eyrich]

Marking fixed by patch for bug 190775.