I'm configuring a new mail server and have everything working the way I want (mail goes through, webmin, squirrelmail, etc...) But as soon as I transfer the preference files from my old server to the squirrelmail data folder, I get an error message of Now, I know what the permissions on the folder and files should be...
data folder: apache:apache 775
pref files: apache:apache 664

But what's funny is that for example I have a joe.pref from my old server. I take it to the new server and when tried to log in to joe's mailbox I get this permission error. However, if I delete this joe.pref from the new server, and log in as joe, thus creating a default joe.pref, system allows me to log in fine. Then I open both joe.pref (old and new) and just copy and paste text from new to old, save and try to login again. Successful.
The permissions that the system creates for joe are apache:apache 600
I tried the same thing with the rest of my pref files - no luck.

So I'm asking, maybe somebody have experienced a similar situation with squirrelmail 1.4.9a to please help. Thanks.

I found a guy on squirrelmail.org with the same problem:

Seems like I'm not the only one... but the problem is still not resolved... I have no idea how to transfer those pref files correctly...

Due to the time constraints, I wrote my own little script that converts the pref files. Here's how its laid out:

1. I cleared the pref folder completely on the new server.
2. User logs in, thus creating a default profile. Then logs out.
3. My script simply replaces his pref, abook, sig, cal and words files with those saved on the old server
4. He logs in again with everything looking exactly how it was on the old server.


For those in the same boat, let me know, I will help you writing the script if you want.