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Q161949: XCON: MTA Unable to Start on Invalid Object

Article: Q161949
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): 4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbusage
Last Modified: 07-MAY-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

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

After using MTAcheck to validate Exchsrvr\Mtadata, the Microsoft Exchange Server
MTA service may not start, reporting an error on an invalid object.

CAUSE
=====

MTAcheck incorrectly "awakens" invalid objects, due to a missing case statement.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server
version 4.0. This problem was corrected in the latest Microsoft Exchange 4.0
U.S. Service Pack. 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
================

In addition to resolving the invalid objects, this bug fix also added two
command-line parameters to MTAcheck: /RD and /RP. These parameters are useful if
you have inadvertently flooded the MTA with directory replication and public
folder replication messages, preventing e-mail messages from being processed.
Given time, the MTA will eventually work through all the messages.

This circumstance may occur if you configure your replication connectors to
replicate very frequently, or to resynchronize with all other servers several
times during a short period of time. This circumstance may also occur if several
servers are down and unable to accept messages.

To permanently rectify this situation, reconfigure your replication connectors,
and ensure that all servers are up. /RD removes any messages in Exchsrvr\Mtadata
that are directory replication messages. /RP removes any messages in
Exchsrvr\Mtadata that are public folder replication messages. Using these
command-line parameters will affect the directories and public folders across
your Microsoft Exchange Server organization.

If the directory replication messages are removed, the directory thinks that
updates have been sent when they actually were not. The next time servers ask
for updates, each directory will realize that the previous updates did not get
assimilated, and will send the earlier updates again. This may result in a flood
of replication messages to the MTA again. To avoid this, reconfigure your
replication connectors so that replication messages are staggered throughout the
day or night.

If public folder replication messages are removed, the other public folders will
request backfill to bring all replicas to a consistent state. If there is a
large amount of public folder replication messages to many replicas, this may
again result in many messages going through the MTA. To avoid this, reconfigure
you public folder replication schedule to selected times, to evenly distribute
the load on the MTA.
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Keywords          : kbusage 
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange400 kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : 4.0
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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