<blockquote>I went to the mxtoolbox site and, indeed, the system is now blacklisted at 11 sites. I didn't see any way to get off the blacklists now that the system is properly configured. Is there a way to do this? Ie, how do I remove it from those lists?</blockquote><p>These have to be done one at a time.  Go to each blacklist and it should tell you how this is done.  In some cases a blacklist has no method of being removed, it's either done automatically after X period of no spam or manually when the operator finally decides you are no longer spamming.</p><p> </p>

Mercury was up and running just fine for about two weeks. All of a sudden it has started taking hours to receive email. I tried to restart Mercury. When it starts, the Core module window shows and freezes. It soon goes blank and says it is not responding. Eventually the other windows do load, but test mails literally take hours to arrive. I don't really know how to find the cause of this problem. One thing I did notice is that the CORE log file went from 2-3 KB to from 5700-15000 KB about the time this problem started, but I don't know what this means. Can anyone help me get to the bottom of this and help me get email working again? Thanks.

> Mercury was up and running just fine for about two weeks. All of a sudden it has started taking hours to receive email. I tried to > restart Mercury. When it starts, the Core module window shows and freezes. It soon goes blank and says it is not responding. Eventually > the other windows do load, but test mails literally take hours to arrive. I don't really know how to find the cause of this problem. One > thing I did notice is that the CORE log file went from 2-3 KB to from 5700-15000 KB about the time this problem started, but I don't know > what this means. Can anyone help me get to the bottom of this and help me get email working again? Thanks 1.    Make sure all session logging is turned off. 2.    Turn off all policies 3.    Turn off all filtering. 4.    If you are using Spamwall turn it off. 5.    If you are using Clamwall turn it off. 6.    If you are using Greywall turn it off. Now if this works to speed up the system turn them on one at a time starting with Greywall working back to the top of this list.  The session logging should remain off but I suspect that one of the things on the list is hanging.  For example if Clamwall can't contact ClamD this this will really slow down incoming mail.

<p>Please understand I am completely new to all this and will display great ignorance. </p><p>1) The only place I see a session logging option is on the SMTP config page. It is not checked.</p><p>2-3)  Not sure how to do this, but in core mod config policy tab, nothing is listed. The filtering rules config option was never used.</p><p>4-6) I did not install these. Should I have done so?</p><p>So nothing has changed at this point. Extremely slow. Could the problem be that the system is being attacked and is so busy dealing with spam, it is overwhelmed? How do I check for this? </p>

<p>First make sure you are not an open relay. Go to Configuration / Mercury SMTP Server / Connection control and verify that "Use strict local relaying restrictions" is checked. (See the help text for more information about the various options here.)</p><p>If core log is growing very rapidly there is presumably a lot of activity in the system. Post the last part of the log here (just 50 lines will do) and we might be able to help you interpret what is happening. </p><p>In case a message somehow is looping back all the time you could stop Mercury and then manually remove all files from the queue directory if it's not empty. (Save them somewhere just in case there is a valid message there.) Forwarding and autoreplies can in rare cases cause such loops.</p><p>/Rolf </p>

O 20100213 2306 MG006014 Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com     nuphhpkmr@a3b1c3d3e7f.net      2873
O 20100213 2306 MG006014 Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com     speedyglass@looking4.co.za     2873
O 20100213 2306 MG006014 Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com     fbjnyw@xmail.net               2873
O 20100213 2306 MG006014 Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com     rainhammers@gmail.com          2873
O 20100213 2306 MG006014 Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com     bciha@hotmail.com              2873
O 20100213 2306 MG006014 Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com     lorenzut@comune.trieste.it     2873
O 20100213 2306 MG006014 Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com     nicolegjss@gmail.com           2873
O 20100213 2306 MG006014 Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com     nicoleumar@hotmail.com         2873
O 20100213 2306 MG006014 Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com     dave11@aol.com                 2873
O 20100213 2306 MG006014 Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com     jgarzik@tout.normnet.org       2873
O 20100213 2306 MG006015 GallegosStan@ojs.com           login@chaters.ru               2853
O 20100213 2306 MG006015 GallegosStan@ojs.com           20info@mimosq.org              2853
O 20100213 2306 MG006015 GallegosStan@ojs.com           dr_aad@rediffmail.com          2853
O 20100213 2306 MG006015 GallegosStan@ojs.com           sps118963@hotmail.com          2853
O 20100213 2306 MG006015 GallegosStan@ojs.com           209676@wokr.dayport.com        2853
O 20100213 2306 MG006015 GallegosStan@ojs.com           bbwfd7336@hotmail.co           2853
O 20100213 2306 MG006015 GallegosStan@ojs.com           kkoepp@mnorch.org              2853
O 20100213 2306 MG006015 GallegosStan@ojs.com           contactus@redquanta.com        2853
O 20100213 2306 MG006015 GallegosStan@ojs.com           dybkyvdio@a3b1c3d3e7f.net      2853
O 20100213 2306 MG006018 boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com   membership@tnmed.org           2910
O 20100213 2306 MG006018 boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com   lmarcks@aol.com                2910
O 20100213 2306 MG006018 boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com   bcolson001@austin.rr.com       2910
O 20100213 2306 MG006018 boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com   cucuta@colombiasoyyo.org       2910
O 20100213 2306 MG006018 boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com   ramonadram@aol.com             2910
O 20100213 2306 MG006018 boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com   feedback@greatestcasinofr.com  2910
O 20100213 2306 MG006018 boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com   146tdpdyswg@qop-re.com         2910
O 20100213 2306 MG006018 boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com   jessica@graceubc.org           2910
O 20100213 2306 MG006018 boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com   ninja@tubeduel.com             2910
O 20100213 2306 MG006018 boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com   fan_rondo@hotmail.com          2910
O 20100213 2306 MG006019 knbtioblogCornell@intermonte.i nigfblbjsc@gmail.com           2667
O 20100213 2306 MG006019 knbtioblogCornell@intermonte.i cvc_1972@hotmail.com           2667
O 20100213 2306 MG006019 knbtioblogCornell@intermonte.i rbpv@hotmail.com               2667
O 20100213 2306 MG006019 knbtioblogCornell@intermonte.i nisahmaxxgospel@hotmail.com    2667
O 20100213 2306 MG006019 knbtioblogCornell@intermonte.i njcxotwc@lsskwfjb.com          2667
O 20100213 2306 MG006019 knbtioblogCornell@intermonte.i faranani@intekom.co.za         2667
O 20100213 2306 MG006019 knbtioblogCornell@intermonte.i igor_priscilla@catlover.com    2667

<p>Let me start by saying how grateful I am to this forum for your willingness to spend time helping me with this. Now to the issues. </p><p>Use strict local relaying is checked, but it is grayed out. The only dark check is for "Only Authenticated SMTP connections may relay email". This may have changed while I was struggling to come to grips with this. I'm not sure at this point. </p><p> I tried to look at the queue folder but couldn't open it. When I run the cursor over it, a message says it is 193-MB so this may be getting to the core of the problem. I just deleted it. Mercury now seems to be starting reasonably. I need to understand what this did so I don't get in trouble again. </p><p>Here are the last few lines from a Core Module log file: </p><pre wrap="">O 20100213 2306 MG006014 <a href="mailto:Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com</a> <a href="mailto:nuphhpkmr@a3b1c3d3e7f.net" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">nuphhpkmr@a3b1c3d3e7f.net</a> 2873 O 20100213 2306 MG006014 <a href="mailto:Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com</a> <a href="mailto:speedyglass@looking4.co.za" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">speedyglass@looking4.co.za</a> 2873 O 20100213 2306 MG006014 <a href="mailto:Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com</a> <a href="mailto:fbjnyw@xmail.net" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">fbjnyw@xmail.net</a> 2873 O 20100213 2306 MG006014 <a href="mailto:Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com</a> <a href="mailto:rainhammers@gmail.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">rainhammers@gmail.com</a> 2873 O 20100213 2306 MG006014 <a href="mailto:Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com</a> <a href="mailto:bciha@hotmail.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">bciha@hotmail.com</a> 2873 O 20100213 2306 MG006014 <a href="mailto:Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com</a> <a href="mailto:lorenzut@comune.trieste.it" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">lorenzut@comune.trieste.it</a> 2873 O 20100213 2306 MG006014 <a href="mailto:Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com</a> <a href="mailto:nicolegjss@gmail.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">nicolegjss@gmail.com</a> 2873 O 20100213 2306 MG006014 <a href="mailto:Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com</a> <a href="mailto:nicoleumar@hotmail.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">nicoleumar@hotmail.com</a> 2873 O 20100213 2306 MG006014 <a href="mailto:Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com</a> <a href="mailto:dave11@aol.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">dave11@aol.com</a> 2873 O 20100213 2306 MG006014 <a href="mailto:Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">Swartz_Lakisha@shacomm.com</a> <a href="mailto:jgarzik@tout.normnet.org" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">jgarzik@tout.normnet.org</a> 2873 O 20100213 2306 MG006015 <a href="mailto:GallegosStan@ojs.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">GallegosStan@ojs.com</a> <a href="mailto:login@chaters.ru" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">login@chaters.ru</a> 2853 O 20100213 2306 MG006015 <a href="mailto:GallegosStan@ojs.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">GallegosStan@ojs.com</a> <a href="mailto:20info@mimosq.org" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">20info@mimosq.org</a> 2853 O 20100213 2306 MG006015 <a href="mailto:GallegosStan@ojs.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">GallegosStan@ojs.com</a> <a href="mailto:dr_aad@rediffmail.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">dr_aad@rediffmail.com</a> 2853 O 20100213 2306 MG006015 <a href="mailto:GallegosStan@ojs.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">GallegosStan@ojs.com</a> <a href="mailto:sps118963@hotmail.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">sps118963@hotmail.com</a> 2853 O 20100213 2306 MG006015 <a href="mailto:GallegosStan@ojs.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">GallegosStan@ojs.com</a> <a href="mailto:209676@wokr.dayport.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">209676@wokr.dayport.com</a> 2853 O 20100213 2306 MG006015 <a href="mailto:GallegosStan@ojs.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">GallegosStan@ojs.com</a> <a href="mailto:bbwfd7336@hotmail.co" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">bbwfd7336@hotmail.co</a> 2853 O 20100213 2306 MG006015 <a href="mailto:GallegosStan@ojs.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">GallegosStan@ojs.com</a> <a href="mailto:kkoepp@mnorch.org" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">kkoepp@mnorch.org</a> 2853 O 20100213 2306 MG006015 <a href="mailto:GallegosStan@ojs.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">GallegosStan@ojs.com</a> <a href="mailto:contactus@redquanta.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">contactus@redquanta.com</a> 2853 O 20100213 2306 MG006015 <a href="mailto:GallegosStan@ojs.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">GallegosStan@ojs.com</a> <a href="mailto:dybkyvdio@a3b1c3d3e7f.net" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">dybkyvdio@a3b1c3d3e7f.net</a> 2853 O 20100213 2306 MG006018 <a href="mailto:boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com</a> <a href="mailto:membership@tnmed.org" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">membership@tnmed.org</a> 2910 O 20100213 2306 MG006018 <a href="mailto:boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com</a> <a href="mailto:lmarcks@aol.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">lmarcks@aol.com</a> 2910 O 20100213 2306 MG006018 <a href="mailto:boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com</a> <a href="mailto:bcolson001@austin.rr.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">bcolson001@austin.rr.com</a> 2910 O 20100213 2306 MG006018 <a href="mailto:boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com</a> <a href="mailto:cucuta@colombiasoyyo.org" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">cucuta@colombiasoyyo.org</a> 2910 O 20100213 2306 MG006018 <a href="mailto:boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com</a> <a href="mailto:ramonadram@aol.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">ramonadram@aol.com</a> 2910 O 20100213 2306 MG006018 <a href="mailto:boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com</a> <a href="mailto:feedback@greatestcasinofr.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">feedback@greatestcasinofr.com</a> 2910 O 20100213 2306 MG006018 <a href="mailto:boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com</a> <a href="mailto:146tdpdyswg@qop-re.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">146tdpdyswg@qop-re.com</a> 2910 O 20100213 2306 MG006018 <a href="mailto:boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com</a> <a href="mailto:jessica@graceubc.org" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">jessica@graceubc.org</a> 2910 O 20100213 2306 MG006018 <a href="mailto:boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com</a> <a href="mailto:ninja@tubeduel.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">ninja@tubeduel.com</a> 2910 O 20100213 2306 MG006018 <a href="mailto:boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">boxy8fluorine@r2hconseil.com</a> <a href="mailto:fan_rondo@hotmail.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">fan_rondo@hotmail.com</a> 2910 O 20100213 2306 MG006019 <a href="mailto:knbtioblogCornell@intermonte.i" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">knbtioblogCornell@intermonte.i</a> <a href="mailto:nigfblbjsc@gmail.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">nigfblbjsc@gmail.com</a> 2667 O 20100213 2306 MG006019 <a href="mailto:knbtioblogCornell@intermonte.i" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">knbtioblogCornell@intermonte.i</a> <a href="mailto:cvc_1972@hotmail.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">cvc_1972@hotmail.com</a> 2667 O 20100213 2306 MG006019 <a href="mailto:knbtioblogCornell@intermonte.i" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">knbtioblogCornell@intermonte.i</a> <a href="mailto:rbpv@hotmail.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">rbpv@hotmail.com</a> 2667 O 20100213 2306 MG006019 <a href="mailto:knbtioblogCornell@intermonte.i" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">knbtioblogCornell@intermonte.i</a> <a href="mailto:nisahmaxxgospel@hotmail.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">nisahmaxxgospel@hotmail.com</a> 2667 O 20100213 2306 MG006019 <a href="mailto:knbtioblogCornell@intermonte.i" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">knbtioblogCornell@intermonte.i</a> <a href="mailto:njcxotwc@lsskwfjb.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">njcxotwc@lsskwfjb.com</a> 2667 O 20100213 2306 MG006019 <a href="mailto:knbtioblogCornell@intermonte.i" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">knbtioblogCornell@intermonte.i</a> <a href="mailto:faranani@intekom.co.za" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">faranani@intekom.co.za</a> 2667 O 20100213 2306 MG006019 <a href="mailto:knbtioblogCornell@intermonte.i" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">knbtioblogCornell@intermonte.i</a> <a href="mailto:igor_priscilla@catlover.com" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated">igor_priscilla@catlover.com</a> 2667</pre><p> </p>

<p>The log indicates that around 11 PM February 13 your server was indeed an open relay, receiving thrash from some spam source and re-sending it across the world. You could have received tens of thousands of such messages.</p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica; ">"Only Authenticated SMTP connections may relay email" is the most protected setting so it should be OK now.</span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica; "></span>If you deleted the queue folder you will probably need to create a new, empty one with the same name. Not sure why you weren't able to open the folder unless there simply were way too many files in it. Make sure to exclude all Mercury folders from real-time antivirus scanning, though, as it may cause lockups. </p><p>Your IP address is probably blacklisted at this time and you will need to remove it from quite a few lists. There are some tools around to help you find out where you are blocked, for instance this one:</p><p><a href="http://mxtoolbox.com/blacklists.aspx">http://mxtoolbox.com/blacklists.aspx</a> </p><p>/Rolf </p>

I went to the mxtoolbox site and, indeed, the system is now blacklisted at 11 sites. I didn't see any way to get off the blacklists now that the system is properly configured. Is there a way to do this? Ie, how do I remove it from those lists?

<p>You will need to visit the web site for each one of them and follow the removal instructions there. No simple way to do it, I'm afraid. It can take weeks to get off the list in some cases, but you should be able to send mail again to most recipients within a day.</p><p>/Rolf </p>