what happens if temp folders are not accessible

until I figure the pictures issue with this blog, let me share something with you.

I discovered the first thing that breaks for a Domino server if it does not have access to the system's temp folders: you cannot upload any file using the HTTP stack. I also suspect uploading files with the Lotus Client also break, though I have not tested.

The temp folders are defined by the system environment variables TEMP and TMP on Windows. In my case these were c:\winnt\temp and c:\winnt\tmp

I have a Domino server with tons of web apps which used to work fine, specially uploading files. After a movement on a newer hardware, I accidentally discovered no file could ever be uploaded to the server. No error msgs in the console, no nothing. Applications looked to be running fine, except this tiny detail :)

Then I started the server as "regular application" and guess what: file uploads were working !

Finally, after three days of alternate searching/working on other stuff and scratching my head, it struck me:
- when I start the server as a service, the LocalSystem account uses above temporary folders.
- when I start the server as "regular application", the server is started in the context of the logged user, thus using other temporary folders.

So, remembering that when uploading files, Domino makes use of the temporary folders to store them until it moves them to the database, it was clear to me that something was wrong with the temp folders for LocalSystem account.

And sure it was !