How can I recover my Mails?

confusedcatgirl

Excuse me ahead of my actual post, I am writing this without full at hand right now.

I’m currently migrating my instance to a different server. I created a full backup with the script of my old instance, extracted my database into an sql file, and a copy of the original installation folder, that’s all the data I have. I am unable to access my old server, so no rolling backup.

On my new server, I created a new installation folder, copied over mailbox.conf, and set up a new compose instance. I then restored from the backup of my old server, and deleted the tables of the new database so I can replace it with the old ones.

All the mails are there. The keys are the old ones. But I still get Decryption error: no private key available (read reason=prefetch) in the dovecot logs. Checking the dovecot config I see that it’s </mail_crypt/ecprivkey.ebm (or something like that).

Is it even possible to fix this? I’d prefer if I get all my mails back. Should I try to create an instance with my old installation folder?

esackbauer

You should use the coldstandby script to migrate, which copies all relevant data including the encryption key.

confusedcatgirl

esackbauer

Small issue with that, and that’s something I mentioned in the initial message, I cannot do that, because I have no server to migrate from anymore.

I only have THAT data I mentioned on a separate machine however.

esackbauer

if you have not backed up all the docker volumes, then you have a problem. Just the /opt/mailcow_dockerized and the SQL database is not enough.

confusedcatgirl

esackbauer I also used the helper script to create a full backup of my old installation. It also has the encryption keys, which are in the new volumes right now.

That being said, I think I read something about varying patches being an issue as well when migrating. Should I try creating an instance with the old instance folder I have at my hands?

Would it help if I tried an instance with the old instance folder I backed up? I read something about varying patches causing issues with keys.

Also @[deleted], regardless of our level difference, I was a bit unclear with which script, but I said a but further down that the keys are the old ones, referencing to the fact I am using the keys of my old instance, which are IN the volume.

esackbauer

Generally its a bad idea to restore data of a much older version of mailcow onto a freshly installed one.
Try to either install an older version with manual git checkout of the matching version (which might not work because your docker version on your host will be too new), or try to only restore the vmail folders and encryption key after you have manually recreated your users on a fresh recent installation.
And then reindex everything (see the last 2 command lines at the very bottom):
https://docs.mailcow.email/backup_restore/b_n_r-accidental_deletion/?h=doveadm#mail

confusedcatgirl

esackbauer I can try to copy over the old instance folder and see how it works out (wish me luck), cus the docker is at WORST like 2 months apart in version, likely much less than that.

I’ll also try out your second recommendtation, should the first fail, thanks for that.

confusedcatgirl

@esackbauer oh my god, thank you, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I went back with the old installation folder, and after some minor struggles, got it up and running.
My mails are finally readable again. Again, THANK YOU.