KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q163307: XCON: How to Identify Most MTA Queues by Object Id

Article: Q163307
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): winnt:4.0,5.0,5.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbusage exc4 exc5 exc55
Last Modified: 19-DEC-1999

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 5.5, 4.0, 5.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

The Microsoft Exchange Message Transfer Agent (MTA) logs information related to
its various queues by object ids, beginning with 01 and followed by 6 more
hexidecimal digits.

To identify the queue that an object id corresponds to, you can check a recent
Mtacheck.log for secured queues (queues written to disk).

For queues that are created in computer memory (unsecured) each time the MTA is
started a careful inspection of detailed logs can often be used to identify the
queue's name and purpose.

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

Knowing the purpose and name of a queue associated with one or more errors may
help narrow the problem during troubleshooting.

The following procedure may help if you get an error on one or more objects where
the error refers to a queue that doesn't show up when you check the latest
Mtacheck.log or you get several errors each on a different message object but
always on the same queue object.

Often a description of the queue or its purpose can be determined with the
following procedure.

Preliminary Requirement:

The Application log must still contain the MTA startup sequence with logging for
Field Engineering at Maximum or higher. If the log does not contain the
information, you will need to verify the logging level and restart the MTA.

Methodology:

1. Note the full object id for the queue, for example: 01000034.

2. Highlight the oldest event in the application log.

3. Perform a Find from the View menu with the following criteria:

      Event ID: 2164
      Description: 01000034   (use whatever the id you noted in step 1)
      Search Direction: Up

4. Look for the first 285 Field Engineering event written after the 2164 you
  found above.

  Be careful of the sequence. Often, several 2164's and 285's are written back
  to back. For each pair, the 2164 is written first and then the 285.

5. Look in the Description of the 285 event for the queue's name and purpose.

  In some cases it may appear that 3 queues are created for the same purpose. If
  you look closely you will see that there are different queues to the same
  location for priority 0, 1, and 2 messages.

  For example:

   A priority 1 held-for-delivery/transfer queue for
   /O=MICROSOFT/OU=BOND007/CN=CONFIGURATION/CN=SERVERS/CN=DRNO/ 
   CN=MICROSOFT PRIVATE MDB was created and given the 52 identifier.
   [MTA MAIN BASE 1 213] (8)

  While 285 events are the most common, they are not always present. If you
  don't find a 285, look for any 3535 or 3536 events in place of the 285s.

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbusage exc4 exc5 exc55 
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange500 kbExchange550 kbExchange400 kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : winnt:4.0,5.0,5.5

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1986-2002.