Updates fail and valid emails are blocked after a server reboot

Overview

After a server reboot, GFI MailEssentials started to block valid emails. Checking the server event log is showing that updates are also failing.

Solution

Cleanup temporary folders

• Browse to the %TEMP% location and to C:\Windows\Temp\.
• Delete all files located in those folders, while ignoring the files that Windows reports that cannot be deleted.

Ensure that updates can go through

Allow updates through HTTP, as described in the Setting MailEssentials to use HTTP to download updates article. Once completed, make sure that there aren't any firewall rules that prevent access to the update servers:

GFI MailEssentials downloads updates from the following locations over HTTP ports 80 and 443:

amazonaws.com
cdnupdate.gfi.com
cdnpatches.gfi.com
db11.spamcatcher.net
meupdate.gfi.com
update.gfi.com
update.gfisoftware.com
spamrazer.gfi.com
support.gfi.com
*.mailshell.net
*.rules.mailshell.net

Check Anti-Virus and Backup Exclusions

Updates may fail if the local antivirus marks the downloaded files as malware. Local backup solutions may access update files or folders and thus corrupt the update process. Please make sure you follow the steps in the Recommended Anti-virus and Backup Exclusions article to minimize the risk of corruption.

Testing

After implementing the steps above, updates resume and legitimate emails are no longer blocked.

If the issue still persists, please generate the troubleshooting logs as follows:

• Make sure that you have tracing enabled.
• Wait for at least 30 minutes to gather enough information and for the issue to be reproduced.
• Run the troubleshooter:
  1. Start > Programs > GFI MailEssentials > Troubleshooter
  2. Follow the Log Generation Wizard for collecting the required and pertinent information.
  3. Select New Case when completing the log generation to attach the logs to a new case that will be automatically created, or open a support ticket manually and attach the logs to that ticket, so that the Support team can investigate the problem.