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Grayed out Dashboard Due to a Remoting Port Conflict

Author: Luis Fernandes Updated

Overview 

The GFI MailEssentials switchboard application fails to function (in GFI MailEssentials 2010, the dashboard window will be grayed out and a red X will be visible next to all listed services). Also, there will be issues encountered with the GFI MailEssentials Attendant services (failing to start, failing to install, crashing, etc.).

Environment

  • GFI MailEssentials
  • All supported environments

Root Cause

When multiple applications use the same TCP remoting port, the first application that is launched gets exclusivity over that TCP port. When the second application tries to initialize using the same port, a connection refused error may be experienced. This is known as a port conflict.

Resolution

To confirm that you are suffering from this issue, follow the steps below:
  1. Open a command prompt (cmd.exe) and type
    netstat -abn > c:\gfiports.txt
  2. Open gfiports.txt in a text editor and search for 8021
  3. Confirm which service is using this port. If anything other than a GFI MailEssentials service is running on the port, then it confirms that there is a port conflict between the GFI MailEssentials application and a third party application.
To resolve this issue, the GFI MailEssentials TCP remoting port can be changed to an alternate port. GFI MailEssentials 2012 and 2014 allows you to change the port through the switchboard on the Other tab.
  1. Close all GFI MailEssentials applications (Configuration UI, Dashboard, etc.).
  2. Open the following GFI MailEssentials configuration files in a text editor and replace port 8021 with any new free port number (i.e. 8121):
    • ..\GFI\MailEssentials\mecswitchboard.config
    • ..\GFI\MailEssentials\MEC.AutoUpdate.AuSvc.exe.config
    • ..\GFI\MailEssentials\e2k7wiz.exe.config
    • ..\GFI\MailEssentials\MiddleLayer\MEC.CSEC.Attendant.exe.config
    • ..\GFI\MailEssentials\Antispam\MiddleLayer\MEC.Antispam.Attendant.exe.config
    • ..\GFI\MailEssentials\Antispam\Data\rclientsettings.xml
    • ..\GFI\MailEssentials\EmailSecurity\MiddleLayer\MEC.MSEC.Attendant.exe.config
    • ..\GFI\MailEssentials\EmailSecurity\MiddleLayer\MEC.MSec.Remoting.exe.config
    • ..\GFI\MailEssentials\Wwwconf\web.config
  3. Open regedit.exe and navigate to:
    • HKLM > Software > GFI >MailEssentials > Antispam > Config (x86 installations)
    • HKLM > Software > Wow6432node > GFI > MailEssentials > Antispam > Config (x64 installations). 
  4. Change the port number of 8021 to your new port number for the following keys:
    • pftrainingurl
    • pftrainurlews
    • tickmanurl
  5. Re-start the GFI MailEssentials Managed/Antispam Attendant service.
  6. The GFI MailEssentials Dashboard application should now be operating on a remoting port other than 8021. If the Dashboard is still reporting that the Attendant service is not connected, reboot the server to ensure that the port change takes effect.