TECHNICAL BULLETIN
                                Bulletin #1-255

October 26, 1989

                              BINDFIX Aberration

When BINDFIX.EXE is executed under the following conditions, data loss will occur:

	o	The NetWare operating system is version 2.15 or below.

	o	The NetWare shell being used on the workstation where BINDFIX.EXE is being executed is a NetWare 386 shell, version 3.0.

	o	The NetWare 386 v3.0 shell is using the "SHOW DOTS ON" parameter.  The default for this parameter is ON.

	o	A user has been deleted from the bindery without the corresponding mail directory being deleted.  This occurs when the SYSCON utility being used was an earlier version shipped with NetWare v2.11 or below and the shell being used is a NetWare 386 version 3.0 shell. 

	o	The BINDFIX user answers "Yes" to the question, "Delete mail directories of users that no longer exist?"

NOTE:	Data loss will occur only when all the above conditions are met.


The Cause

	The early versions of SYSCON.EXE were not prepared to deal with the directory entry '.' (from the SHELL.CFG parameter "SHOW DOTS = ON").  This resulted in the user mail directory not being properly deleted.

	BINDFIX.EXE, similarly, is unable to deal with the '.' directory entry.  When it attempts to delete mail directories of nonexistent users, it will get caught in a loop of deleting files and directories.


Preventive Measures

	o	We recommend that NetWare users use the 3.0 shell only with NetWare 386 file servers and with NetWare 386 utilities.

	o	In an internetwork environment where it may be necessary to use the 3.0 shell with 2.1x file servers, place the command "SHOW DOTS = OFF" in the SHELL.CFG file.

	o	Users of some applications need the "SHOW DOTS = ON" parameter set.  Make sure that they have insufficient rights to run BINDFIX.EXE.

	o	Make sure that there are no versions of SYSCON.EXE on your internetwork that are earlier than NetWare version 2.12.

	o	Maintain current backups.