Listserv Errors and Troubleshooting

This page provides troubleshooting information for users experiencing errors or return messages when using Listserv. 

Confirm Listserv Is the Problem

Be sure that Listserv is the problem you are having related to mail. Other kinds of mailing lists may be called a "listserv" but are actually facilitated by software other than Listserv.

Here's how you can tell:

• When sending to a list, the email is sent to an address such as clocks@listserv.syr.edu. If listserv.syr.edu does not appear in the email address, it is not a listserv list.
• Commands are sent to listserv@listserv.syr.edu.
• If neither is true, it is probably not a listserv list on a server we support. It may be an Outlook list, hosted by third parties such as Google Groups, Yahoo Groups, or managed by a multitude of other mailing list software.
• Googling the list name may yield further information.

Not Receiving Email From The List

Users may experience an issue where they are not receiving emails from a Listserv list including command messages. The following questions should be reviewed prior to escalating your issue:

• Are you subscribed to the list? Following the steps on the Subscriber How-To's page to request a list of your subscribed lists. Note that you may also have been subscribed, but not from the email address you were expecting or your email address has changed. 
• Are you set to receive messages? Following the steps on the Subscriber How-To's page to reactivate suspended email delivery. 
• Is your email program or account is filtering the mail? Locate your inbox rules, spam and junk, and/or retention policies within your account. For support of the information above, contact the ITS Help Desk by calling at 315-443-2677, or by emailing help@syr.edu.
• Is your email account functioning otherwise? If not, check with your local support or contact the ITS Help Desk by calling at 315-443-2677, or by emailing help@syr.edu.

If you continue to have trouble, subscribers and list members should contact their list owner(s) for assistance by emailing <listname-request@listserv.syr.edu>. For example, if the listserv is clocks@listserv.syr.edu, send email to <clocks-request@listserv.syr.edu>. 

For list owners, contact the ITS Help Desk by calling at 315-443-2677, or by emailing help@syr.edu.

Unable to Send Email to a Subscribed List

Users may experience an issue where they are not able to send emails from a Listserv list including command messages. The following questions should be reviewed prior to escalating your issue:

• Are you subscribed to the list? Following the steps on the Subscriber How-To's page to request a list of your subscribed lists. Note that you may also have been subscribed, but not from the email address you were expecting or your email address has changed. 
• Are you receiving an error message? Check the errors and return messages section below.
• Are you emailing the correct address? You should check with the owner, or someone else on the list to see if they have received your posting. In order to receive your own postings, you'll need to have the Repro option enabled with the commands found on the Subscriber How-To's page.

For continued issues sending emails to a list, subscribers should contact the list owner(s). Owners may have moderation or approval requirements configured for the list.

List owners continuing to have issues should contact the ITS Help Desk by calling at 315-443-2677, or by emailing help@syr.edu.

Listserv Messages Appear Garbled or Unreadable

Some lists that have been used for a few years may still have some legacy message settings which may result in garbled or unreadable text. 

Subscribers experiencing this issue should contact the list owner(s). Owners may have moderation or approval requirements configured for the list or may simply need to update the list.

List owners should reference the Listserv Owner How-To's page under 'Updating HRD and MSTP Settings'. Continued issues should result in contacting the ITS Help Desk by calling at 315-443-2677, or by emailing help@syr.edu.

Listserv Errors and Return Messages

Email Delivery Failure Messages

Users of Listserv may send email to a list and receive a return email with the message "Email not delivered", "Email delivery failure", "Mailbox full", "Too many hops", and/or a similar. Most likely, your list posting was delivered to the list, with the exception of one or more subscriber resulting in a 'bounced' or indication of failed delivery. Some common reasons include "no such user" and "mailbox full". In most cases, delivery was successful to most list members. 

Solution: Notify the list owner this is happening. To do so, contact the list owner(s) and include the error message by emailing <listname-request@listserv.syr.edu>. For example, if the listname is "clocks", send email to <clocks-request@listserv.syr.edu>. 

Problem Processing Mail Messages

Users of Listserv may send email to a list and receive a return email with the message that an error occurred while processing file 12345678 from somemail@somedomain.com: "Mail has been received for delivery to the XXXXXXXX list from a user that had been served out".

Solution: These e-mails can usually be ignored because they are the result of spam e-mail. Usually, the e-mail sender is someone you would not expect to be sending to the list. Further, the e-mail contents are usually commercial, promotional, or nonsensical in nature. In the unusual instance that the sender and message appear to be legitimate, send e-mail to help@syr.edu, and the results of "serving the user out" can be reversed.

Getting Help

Subscribers and list members should contact their list owner(s) for assistance by emailing <listname-request@listserv.syr.edu>. For example, if the listserv is clocks@listserv.syr.edu, send email to <clocks-request@listserv.syr.edu>.

For support of the information above, contact the ITS Help Desk by calling at 315-443-2677, or by emailing help@syr.edu.