sendmail - starting sm-client error

[DirkSchreckmann]

I'm running a new installation of Red Hat 9 with the latest and greatest install of sendmail, updated using yum.

To begin with, sendmail was working fine for relaying localhost mail. But I want to use it as my public email server.

So, I was following a tutorial on configuring sendmail. It left me with a completely hosed sendmail configuration, where both the sendmail and sm-client services wouldn't start.

Luckily, I'd backed up the /etc/mail/sendmail.mc and /etc/mail/sendmail.cf files. Or so I'd thought.

After restoring these backed up files, the sendmail service starts, but the sm-client won't, complaining that No local mailer defined and that QueueDirectory (Q) option must be set.

In the restored (and originally working) sendmail.cf file, it clearly sets the QueueDirectory, with the line O QueueDirectory=/var/spool/mqueue.

I've rebuilt the sendmail.cf file using m4 sendmail.mc > sendmail.cf with no changes.

I've googled around quite a bit and haven't found any successful solutions - only others that have reported similar problems.

Any ideas?

[Hayl]

honestly, use a different MTA. i don't understand why RedHat still thinks that they should disrtibute sendmail as their default MTA. sendmail is the most bug-ridden, poorly designed, security-hole MTA there is.

seriously - use QMail, Exim, or postfix instead.

(i know that doesn't answer your question but it is the truth about sendmail)

[DirkSchreckmann]

By no means am I in love with or even committed to sendmail. I was just following the crowd.

I'm happy to use anything that actually works.

So, let's see about removing sendmail and going with qmail...