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Q137866: PC NTMMTA: Err Msg: Drive Is Either Local, Used or Greater…

Article: Q137866
Product(s): Microsoft Mail For PC Networks
Version(s): 3.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 20-MAY-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Mail Multitasking MTA for Windows NT, version 3.5 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you run the Windows NT Multitasking MTA (NT MMTA) External Mail program on
either the command line or as a service, the following error may occur in a
Monitor window or in the SESSION.LOG when you use Dynamic Drive connections:

  Drive is either local, used or greater than LASTDRIVE
  Initializing data structures. Could not connect to drive

CAUSE
=====

The drive letter used by the External Mail program to dynamically connect to the
postoffice is unavailable for use. The drive letter may be in use by one of the
following processes:

- A hardware device, such as a drive or CD player.

- The substitute drive assignment is in use.

- The LASTDRIVE statement in the CONFIG.SYS is lower than the drive letter the
  External Mail program is trying to use.

- The network drive assignment is in use by the Dispatch Mail program (see MORE
  INFORMATION below).

- You may also get the same error if you run the MS-DOS External.exe from
  Windows NT and using the Dynadmin table. For the NTMMTA, make sure you are
  running the correct version of External.exe, located in the Mailexe
  \External.NT subdirectory.

RESOLUTION
==========

A supported fix that corrects this problem is now available from Microsoft, but
has not been fully regression tested and should be applied only to systems
experiencing this specific problem.

To resolve this problem, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the
fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and
information on support costs, please go to the following address on the World
Wide Web:

  http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or
later:

  File Name      Version
  ----------------------
  Dispatch.exe   3.5.23

This hotfix has been posted to the following Internet location as Dirsy2k.exe:

  ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/mail/pcmail-public/All-Y2K/


WORKAROUND
==========

Review the current drives used by the system using the Net Use command at the
command prompt to ensure that the device letter selected is not used in the
EXTERNAL.INI file. Check any drives connected to local subdirectories with the
SUBST command.

Confirm that the LASTDRIVE entry in the CONFIG.SYS is higher than the drive
letters used by the External Mail program. Check the DISPATCH.INI file to
confirm that Dispatch is not trying to use a drive letter that is assigned to
the External Mail program. See the More Information section below for additional
information.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Mail Multitasking MTA
for Windows NT version 3.5

MORE INFORMATION
================

When you use dynamic drives, and the External Mail program dynamically
initializes an instance and uses drive E, then pauses until the next cycle of
checking for new mail, it will release its connection to drive E. If Dispatch
initializes in order to check the process table and/or run a scheduled Directory
Synchronization (Dir-Sync) event, it will also use drive E as the next available
drive letter. Dispatch usually releases the drive before the External instance
resumes its cycle; however, the External Mail program may try to resume before
Dispatch is finished with its process. In this case, the External Mail program
will try to use the same dynamic drive Dispatch is currently using (drive E),
resulting in the error above.

This can be prevented by initiating all Dispatch instances before initializing
the External instances. If a Dispatch service needs to be stopped, ensure that
all External instances are stopped, and re-start the Dispatch instance followed
by the External instance.

If the NT MMTA is started through batch files or AT commands, you can organize
the drive letter assignments to ensure that Dispatch should be assigned the
first available drive letters (for example, D, E, F, G, or H). The External
instances should be assigned the available drive letters at the end of the drive
range (for example, U, V, W, X, Y, or Z). This will reduce the possibility that
the drive letters assigned to be used by the External instances for dynamic
connections will be selected as the next available drive.

If the NT-MMTA is being run as a service, Dispatch instances will normally start
before External instances, but you can still have this problem if a dispatch
service is stopped and then restarted manually. You can prevent this by using
the Registry Editor (RegEdit) to add all dispatch instances to the
DependendOnService parameter of:

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MS Mail External -
  (instance)

Key for each External instance. The Dispatch instances must be specified, as they
appear in the Services key name, for example:

  MS Mail Dispatch - (instance)

WARNING: Using the Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious, system- wide
problems that may require you to reinstall Windows NT to correct them. Microsoft
cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of Registry Editor can
be solved. Use this tool at your own risk.

The Windows NT server must be re-booted for these changes to take effect. You can
test the changes after re-booting by:

1. Stop a dispatch instance, and see if all the External instances are
  automatically stopped.

2. Restart all External instances and make sure the Dispatch instance is
  automatically restarted when you re-start the first External instance.

Repeat the above steps for each of the remaining Dispatch instances.

Additional query words: 3.20 3.50 mta

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbZNotKeyword2 kbMailSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbMailMMTA350NT
Version           : :3.5
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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