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Q179072: XFOR: Exchange cc:Mail Connector Causes NFT Error on Clandata

Article: Q179072
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): WinNT:5.0,5.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbusage
Last Modified: 22-MAR-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 5.0, 5.5 
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SYMPTOMS
========

The Microsoft Exchange Connector for Lotus cc:Mail may stop. The cc:Mail
executable Import.exe produces the log file NFTerror.log in the cc:Mail post
office directory. The Windows NT Application log may include multiple
occurrences of the following events:

  Event ID: 59
  Lotus cc:Mail IMPORT from file *.ccm returned result code 1.  Program
  did not complete successfully.

  Event ID: 62
  MSExchangeCCMC
  Lotus cc:Mail IMPORT from file %1 returned result code 4. The Lotus
  cc:Mail post office is locked by another process.  %2

  Event ID: 71
  MSExchangeCCMC
  Lotus cc:Mail EXPORT to file %1 returned result code 4. The Lotus
  cc:Mail Post Office is locked by another process  %2

  Event ID: 59
  Lotus cc:Mail IMPORT from file *.ccm returned result code 1. Program did
  not complete successfully.

  Event ID: 68
  Lotus cc:Mail EXPORT to file msg4987.ccm returned result code 1. Could
  not access the Lotus cc:Mail Post Office.

CAUSE
=====

Microsoft Exchange Connector for Lotus cc:Mail is designed to redirect the
Import/Export console messages to temporary files located in the
Exchsrvr\Ccmcdata directory. However, the file handles used to control these
temporary files may not be generated correctly. When a file handle for a
temporary file incorrectly matches a file handle used for a message content, the
Microsoft Exchange Connector for Lotus cc:Mail writes the screen output to the
header of that message. This writing causes Clandata corruption.

WORKAROUND
==========

If the post office is a hub post office (without any users), then perform the
following steps to restore message flow quickly:

1. Restore the post office from a current backup, before the corruption.

2. If there is no reliable backup, then install a new post office. Be careful to
  match the naming and routing configuration of the production post office.

If the post office has users, then follow these steps:

1. Inform the users that there may be a long period of message outage.

2. Install a new post office and reconfigure the routing.

3. Move each user from the corrupt post office to the new post office.

4. After the new post office is ready, review the cc:Mail temporary directories
  for any corrupt messages.

5. Move the corrupt post office outside its original directory.

6. Move the new post office to the location of the production post office.

7. Restart the Microsoft Exchange Connector for Lotus cc:Mail.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server
version 5.0. This problem has been corrected in the latest U.S. Service Pack for
Microsoft Exchange Server version 5.0. 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

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server version
5.5. This problem has been corrected in the latest U.S. Service Pack for
Microsoft Exchange Server version 5.5. 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
================

When Microsoft Exchange Connector for Lotus cc:Mail is used with DB6 (version
6.x), it is possible for it to mis-write the .Tmp and .Ccm files that are
written for the import process. When Import uses the mis-written .Ccm file, it
corrupts the post office index (Clandata). The next time Import or Export is
cycled, it generates an NFT error in the Nfterror.log file. The corruption
occurs only when the Microsoft Exchange Connector for Lotus cc:Mail spawns
Import or Export that in turn spawns the temporary file in the
Exchsrvr\Ccmcdata\ directory.

The problem with allocating these temporary files is two-fold:

1. The Microsoft Exchange Connector for Lotus cc:Mail may fail to generate a
  valid file handle for the temporary file (resulting in a zero byte temporary
  file).

2. The Microsoft Exchange Connector for Lotus cc:Mail may corrupt the Clandata
  file by creating a valid file handle for the temporary file that actually
  matches the file handle for Import.exe's temporary file used for the actual
  message (Exchsrvr\ccmcdata\import\*.tmp). When a new process uses the handles
  that are duplicated in the process, the handles won't be unique, so at random
  the redirected console messages are written to the cc:Mail post office files.

When this problem occurs, you will also see plain text information similar to the
following in the corrupted file by using debug or VC++. You should not see any
plain text information in the non-corrupted cc:Mail post office files.

  0AFA:3F00  0D 0A 0D 0A 45 78 70 6F-72 74 69 6E 67 20 6D 65
  ....Exporting
  me
  0AFA:3F10  73 73 61 67 65 73 20 69-6E 20 6D 61 69 6C 62 6F   ssages in
  mailbo
  0AFA:3F20  78 20 22 72 61 6E 64 79-79 65 68 5F 65 65 22 20   x
  "randyyeh_ee"
  0AFA:3F30  74 6F 20 66 69 6C 65 20-45 58 50 4F 52 54 5C 4D   to file
  EXPORT\M
  0AFA:3F40  53 47 34 41 32 37 2E 43-43 4D 0D 0A 41 FA 2B 16
  SG4A27.CCM..A.+.
  0AFA:3F50  58 64 44 6A 63 28 E9 7E-ED 83 D5 D0 54 7B DE 25
  XdDjc(.~....T{.%
  0AFA:3F60  89 94 34 11 33 CD E2 0C-82 8B 57 5E 34 D1 39 2A
  ..4.3.....W^4.9*
  0AFA:3F70  AF 38 B2 20 11 8E 85 4F-A6 77 7D 5A C9 F9 3C AB   .8.
  ...O.w}Z..<.

Additional query words: ccmc po corruption nft
======================================================================
Keywords          : kbusage 
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange500 kbExchange550 kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : WinNT:5.0,5.5
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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