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The standard command "/etc/init.d/dovecot restart" has no effect on my Debian version 5.0.4 server running dovecot 1.1.0. Similarly /etc/init.d/dovecot stop has no effect. The dovecot logs do not show anything. The dovecot master.pid file is unchanged after the command and ps shows the same PID for dovecot.

I'm trying to get dovecot to reload its config file to listen on ports 110 and 995 to support MS Outlook clients who claim that they cannot change the POP3 port on outlook to use port 995. I don't have MS Outlook myself to confirm this.

I finally restarted the process by manually running start-stop-daemon with parameters copied from the init script. The restart is logged and master.pid is updated.

After restarting dovecot netstat shows that it is still listening on port 995 only. I have listen = 1.2.3.4:110, 1.2.3.4:995 in dovecot.conf.

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    What do you get when you execute the command? Any error? Any output?
    – Khaled
    Commented Oct 30, 2010 at 14:01
  • And check your logs! The contents of /var/log/mail.* (specifically .warn and .err) may be most relevant for your issue, although depending on what is at at fault, daemon.log and debug may also be revealing.
    – Zayne S Halsall
    Commented Oct 30, 2010 at 14:51
  • Do you mean "does not restart" as in Dovecot stops and does not start again? Or "does not restart" as in Dovecot is still running and didn't stop and start? If it stops and does not start again, will it start if you run /etc/init.d/dovecot start?
    – DerfK
    Commented Oct 30, 2010 at 15:21
  • The command produces no output.
    – Rob Borland
    Commented Oct 31, 2010 at 4:29
  • There is nothing useful in /var/log/dovecot/*.log.
    – Rob Borland
    Commented Oct 31, 2010 at 4:30

2 Answers 2

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The init script should do nothing if dovecot is being run from inetd

have you something in /etc/inetd.conf ?

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  • oh, strong suggestion - that would also explain why it can't bind to 110, as (x)inetd will be holding the port open. wouldn't explain why he sees nothing under netstat, though.
    – MadHatter
    Commented Oct 31, 2010 at 10:08
  • pop3 stream tcp nowait root /usr/sbin/tcpd /usr/lib/dovecot/pop3-login pop3s stream tcp nowait root /usr/sbin/tcpd /usr/lib/dovecot/pop3-login
    – Rob Borland
    Commented Oct 31, 2010 at 16:25
  • Yes, I do have pop3 and pop3s defined in inetd.conf. I assume this is the default for the Debian package. I had assumed that this was run as a daemon. My priority is to get clients running MS Outlook supported. I'd appreciate your advice. Here are the lines from inetd.conf: pop3 stream tcp nowait root /usr/sbin/tcpd /usr/lib/dovecot/pop3-login pop3s stream tcp nowait root /usr/sbin/tcpd /usr/lib/dovecot/pop3-login
    – Rob Borland
    Commented Oct 31, 2010 at 16:30
  • I commented out the pop3 and pop3s lines in /etc/inetd.conf and restarted inetd then restarted dovecot as a daemon using /etc/init.d/dovecot. Now I can connect from an MS Outlook Express client configured to use port 110. Thanks for the advice.
    – Rob Borland
    Commented Oct 31, 2010 at 16:57
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yes, you cannot have ANY pop3 or imap mentioned anywhere in inetd.conf, even if openbsd-inetd* isnt installed, and even if the damn lines are commented out. it will silently NOT start with no logging of any kind. filing a bug, cuz that's ridiculous. (in squeeze, in wheezy there's a warning at last now, thank god.)

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