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Q179441: XCLN: Exchange Server Slows with Message Stuck in User Mailbox

Article: Q179441
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): MACINTOSH:8.0; WINDOWS:4.0,5.0,5.5,8.0; :8.0,8.01,8.02,8.03
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbusage
Last Modified: 09-DEC-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Windows 3.x client, versions 4.0, 5.0, 5.5 
- Microsoft Exchange Windows NT client, versions 4.0, 5.0, 5.5 
- Microsoft Exchange Windows 95/98 client, versions 4.0, 5.0, 5.5 
- Microsoft Exchange Macintosh client, versions 4.0, 5.0, 5.5 
- Microsoft Outlook, Exchange Server Edition, version 8.0, used with:
   - the operating system: Microsoft Windows versions 3.1, 3.11 
- Microsoft Outlook for Macintosh, Exchange Server Edition, version 8.0 
- Microsoft Outlook 97, versions 8.0, 8.01, 8.02, 8.03 
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SYMPTOMS
========

The Exchange Server computer becomes very sluggish. If your are working at the
console on the server, you notice the slowness. Clients sending or receiving
messages also notice a slowdown.

Additional indicators of the problem covered in this article:

1. Store.exe is between 75% and 100% processor utilization.

2. The Performance Monitor counter Write Bytes RPC Clients/sec under the
  MSExchangeIS object stays at a high number (a rate of around 100,000 or
  above).

3. A network trace shows that the network segment is saturated. Most of the
  traffic will be RPC (remote procedure calls).

4. Go to the Private Information Store properties Logons tab. Add the Total Ops
  column. There will be users with 300 to 400 sustained Total Ops.

CAUSE
=====

Some of the Exchange clients have a hung message on the server. When the user
logs on to Exchange, the MAPI spooler on the client constantly tries to pull
this message down. This problem does not prevent other messages from flowing to
the client computer. When 20 to 30 users on the Exchange Server computer are in
the same condition with the hung message, this will consume most of the Exchange
Server computer's resources.


WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this problem, do the following:

1. Go to the Private Information Store properties, Logons tab.

2. Add the Total Ops column and look at the result. Users having 300 to 400
  sustained Total Ops are the users causing the problem.

3. After the users have been located, go to each user's computer. Open the
  e-mail client and look in the user's server mailbox. There should be a
  message there that cannot be pulled to the user's local PST. Delete that
  message. You must do this for all users with a high Total Ops count.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Exchange and Outlook clients
listed above. A supported fix is now available, but has not been fully
regression-tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this
specific problem. Unless you are severely impacted by this specific problem,
Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Service Pack that contains this
fix. Contact Microsoft Technical Support for more information.


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

Additional query words: sluggish hung hanging prodnt

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbusage 
Technology        : kbHWMAC kbOSMAC kbOutlookSearch kbExchangeSearch kbExchangeClientSearch kbZNotKeyword kbZNotKeyword2 kbZNotKeyword3
Version           : MACINTOSH:8.0; WINDOWS:4.0,5.0,5.5,8.0; :8.0,8.01,8.02,8.03
Hardware          : ALPHA PPC x86
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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