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Ben Holness
Asked: 2020-11-10 14:42:12 +0800 CST

Email issues to a specific email provider (bellsouth.net) failing with "stat=Data format error"

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I have a site that sends emails to users. One user in particular is not receiving emails. I have looked at the logs and I found:

Nov  9 21:27:22 ******** sendmail[28960]: 0A9LRK37028960: to=**********@bellsouth.net, ctladdr=********** (1000/4), delay=00:00:02, xdelay=00:00:02, mailer=relay, pri=31941, relay=[127.0.0.1] [127.0.0.1], dsn=2.0.0, stat=Sent (0A9LRKwX028961 Message accepted for delivery)

Nov  9 21:27:22 ******** sm-mta[28963]: 0A9LRKwX028961: to=**********@bellsouth.net, ctladdr=******************** (1000/4), delay=00:00:00, xdelay=00:00:00, mailer=esmtp, pri=122066, relay=*************. [***********], dsn=5.6.0, stat=Data format error

There are hundreds of other emails to other email addresses that are working fine.

How do I get more information about "Data Format Error", or what things could I change to see if it resolves the error? Is it possible that the issue is with bellsouth.net?

The email is being sent via a PHP script using phpmailer. It is a multipart text/html with an attachment.

email smtp sendmail

1 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    Suggested debug procedure for deliveries to example.net :

    1. Use mailertable entry below to select dsmtp mailer for deliveries to example.net:

      examle.net  dsmtp:%0

    It will put message to example.net in queue without delivery attempt

    1. As root push queened messages for example.net in verbose mode (with smtp session transcript). Execute the command below in terminal:

      sendmail -v -qRexample.net
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