How do I configure Webmail on a Windows 2003 server?

Symptoms

• It is possible to compose, but not send, a message when using WebMail v7 on Windows 2003 server.
• WebMail v7 does not work for other reasons on a Windows 2003 server.

Cause

Sometimes, especially with new security measures in IIS and Windows, the WebMail setup program is unable to automatically complete all aspects of the WebMail setup.

Resolution

Follow the procedure below to ensure that the relevant settings are complete. In the case of a new installation you may need to create new settings. In the case of an existing installation, that was previously working correctly, you may just need to check and correct the settings where necessary.

More Info

Please ensure that you are running the latest release of WorkgroupMail v7 and that the corresponding release of WebMail has been installed. Refer to How do I upgrade to the latest release of WorkgroupMail v7?

Detail

1. Create a new local Windows user account to be used by IIS. Start the Active Directory Users and Computers applet in the Administrative Tools folder in Control Panel. Expand your own domain, Select Users and create a new user called WebMail. Give this account a password, uncheck ‘User must change password at next logon’ and check ‘Password never expires’.
2. Create a WebMail COM+ component. Start the Component Services applet in the Administrative Tools folder in Control Panel. Expand Component Services, Computers, My Computer, COM+ Applications and create a new application. Click Next and then click the ‘Create Empty Application’ button. Call this ‘WebMail COM+ App’ and select the ‘Server Application’ radio button. Click Next, choose ‘This User’ and enter the newly created WebMail user name and password. Click Next. On the ‘Add Application Roles’ page click Next. On the ‘Add Users to Roles’ page click Next. Click Finish.
3. Edit the properties for the new ‘WebMail COM+ App’ component and on the security tab ensure that the option ‘Enforce access checks for this application’ is unchecked.
4. Expand the WebMail COM+ App application and select Components. Create a new Component and click Next. Select ‘Import Component(s) that are already registered’ and choose WMAPI.WMComposeMessage. Click Finish.
5. Check that the WebMail COM+ application is running. Select the COM+ Applications folder in the left hand window of the Component Services applet. In the right hand window, right click WebMail COM+ App and select Start. If an error occurs, re-enter the account name and password on the Identity tab. If necessary, reset the password on the WebMail user account in the Active Directory Users and Computers applet.
6. Start the IIS Manager and expand the local computer, Web Sites and Default Web Site. View the properties for the WebMail folder to ensure that the DefaultAppPool is selected for the Application Pool.
7. In Windows Explorer check that the user account ‘Network Service’ has full access to the WorkgroupMail data folder and all sub folders.
8. Make sure ASP is enabled in IIS:
   Start the IIS Manager and expand the local computer, Expand Web Service Extensions and make sure that ASP is enabled rather than prohibited.
9. Check permissions on the WorkgroupMailData folder as described in:
   Using WebMail it is possible to create, but not send, messages