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Q150927: XCON: MTA Continuously Dialing RAS Connection

Article: Q150927
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): winnt:4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbinterop kbnetwork
Last Modified: 26-MAR-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Server, version 4.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

The Microsoft Exchange Message Transfer Agent (MTA) might continuously attempt
to initiate a RAS connection after a communications error. The MTA might fail to
wait the full time out period as defined in the Open Interval value.

CAUSE
=====

This is caused by the way that the MTA responds to certain RAS error conditions.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server
version 4.0. This problem was corrected in Microsoft Exchange Server 4.0 U.S.
Service Pack 2. For information on obtaining the service pack, query on the
following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

  S E R V P A C K

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


The Open Interval value is defined on the Messaging Defaults tab of the MTA Site
Configuration properties page in the Microsoft Exchange Administrator program.
The default value is 600 seconds.

This error condition is usually characterized by the following sequence of Event
ID's:

Event ID Description
-------- -----------
9311     A RAS communications error has occurred...
     RAS error code returned: 629
1028     A connection error occurred...
     Error code=29954
1294     An association with entity...
     RAS connection ended abnormally.
289      A connection to...
     RAS could not be opened.

Note: These events will appear in the event log in the reverse order due to the
display characteristics of Windows NT Event Viewer.

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbinterop kbnetwork 
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange400 kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : winnt:4.0

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