KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q176489: XCON: MTA Generates NDRs and Message Loops

Article: Q176489
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): WinNT:5.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 22-OCT-2000

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

- Microsoft Exchange Server, version 5.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


SYMPTOMS
========

After you restart a Microsoft Exchange Server computer that has been offline for
a few hours or days, the Message Transfer Agent (MTA) may start rejecting
messages, holding messages in the queues, or creating message loops. All of
these symptoms contribute to degraded system performance and slow mail flow. The
following error may occur:

  Event ID 200
  Source MSExchangeMTA
  Type Warning
  Category X.400 Service
  Description An error occurred while ASN.1 was decoding an object (dump
  reference 192). [limit exceeded on set of or sequence of 30464 2614
  1spdi 192 MTA XFER-IN 15 97] Event ID 2024 Source MSExchangeIS Private
  TypeError Category MTA Connections Description: Unable to access the
  object manager (OM) object from the Microsoft Exchange MTA for
  MH_T_ALTERNATE_RECIP_ALLOWED, MH_T_CONVERSION_LOSS_PROHIBITED, etc.

CAUSE
=====

This behavior can occur when the MTA Open Interval time is set too low. These
settings are located in a few places depending on the setup. The global setting
can be found by:

1. Opening the Microsoft Exchange Administrator program.

2. Highlight and expand the Exchange Site name.

3. Highlight the Configuration option.

4. Highlight MTA Site Configuration and select File, Properties.

5. Select the Messaging Defaults Tab.

The Administrator may also set the MTA Open Interval time on individual X400 and
Dynamic RAS connectors. The Open Interval Setting is located on each connector's
Override tabs on their respective property pages.

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

The Open Interval time is used to determine how long the MTA should wait before
attempting an association to another MTA. The default is 600 seconds, which
should suffice in most situations. The lowest value that can be entered is 15
seconds; however, if you set the value this low, the above problem will occur if
the MTA has to handle a large volume of messages (such as restarting after a
maintenance period). It is recommend that this setting is never below 30 seconds
on a LAN and 60 seconds on a RAS connection.

Additional query words: ndr stuck queue perfmon
======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange500 kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : WinNT:5.0
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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

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.