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Q180417: XWEB: Error Msg: Sorry! The Microsoft Exchange Server Is Down

Article: Q180417
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): WINDOWS:5.0,5.5; winnt:5.0,5.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbusage
Last Modified: 06-AUG-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 5.0, 5.5 
- Microsoft Exchange Active Server Components, version 5.0 
- Microsoft Outlook Web Access, version 5.5 
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IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you 
modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore 
the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the 
registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS
========

The following error message may be displayed when you attempt to access an
Exchange Server mailbox by means of the Microsoft Outlook Web Access (OWA)
client:

  Sorry! The Microsoft Exchange Server is down or the HTTP service has been
  disabled by an administrator. Please try your request again later.

CAUSE
=====

Several factors may cause this error to occur. This article discusses how to
troubleshoot and resolve these issues.

WORKAROUND
==========

1. Verify that the HTTP service is enabled at the site level. To do this, follow
  these steps:

  a. Start the Exchange Server Administrator program.

  b. Click the Site container in which the server is located, click the
     Configuration container, and then click the Protocols object.

  c. Open the HTTP (Web) Site Settings object, and verify that the Enable
     Protocol option is enabled.

  NOTE: In some cases where the HTTP protocol has been disabled, the Logon.asp
  screen reappears and an error message is not displayed.

2. Verify that the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) protocol is
  enabled at the site or server level and that the Allow Anonymous Access
  option is enabled for the LDAP protocol at the site or server level. To do
  this, follow these steps:

  a. Start the Exchange Server Administrator program.

  b. Click the Site container in which the server is located, click the
     Configuration container, and then click the Protocols object.

  c. Verify that the Protocol Enabled option is enabled.

  d. Open the LDAP (Directory) Site Defaults object, and click the Anonymous
     tab.

  e. Verify that the Allow Anonymous Access option is enabled.

  f. Now that you have verified the site settings, you need to verify the
     server settings. To do this, click the Protocols object of the server that
     you are connecting to.

  g. Open the LDAP (Directory) Settings object, and click the Anonymous tab.

  h. Verify that the Allow Anonymous Access option is enabled.

3. Verify that the MSExchangeWeb registry key contains the correct values for
  the Organization, Site, and Server names of the Exchange Server computer that
  you are connecting to. To do this, follow these steps:

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems
that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot
guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor
incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

  a. Start the Exchange Server Administrator program.

  b. Note the Organization, Site, and Server names that are displayed for the
     server that you are connecting to.

  c. Start the Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe) on the Exchange Server computer.

  d. Select the following registry key:

  \HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeWeb\Parameters

  e. Verify that the following three values match the names found above:

  Enterprise - (Must match the organization name)
  Site - (Must match the site in which the server is located)
  Server - (Must match the server to which you are connecting)

     If any of the above values are incorrect, change them to match the names
     that the Exchange Server Administrator program displays.

     NOTE: These values are not case sensitive.

  f. Quit the Registry Editor.

  g. In Control Panel/Services, stop and restart the World Wide Web Publishing
     Service.

     NOTE: You must start and stop the WWW service with the Control
     Panel/Services. In some reported cases, stopping and starting the WWW
     service in the Internet Service Manager program has not corrected the
     problem.

4. Verify that the WWW Anonymous Logon account (IUSR_<machine name>) on
  the Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) is at least a member of the
  Domain Users and Guests groups. This account must have the proper Windows NT
  credentials to access the IIS and Exchange Server. This may be an issue if
  you are attempting to access an Exchange Server computer that is located in
  another domain. Another alternative is to specify an account from the Domain
  Administrators group as the Anonymous Logon account for the WWW service. To
  change this account, perform the following steps:

  a. Start the Microsoft Internet Service Manager (ISM).

  b. Click the WWW service.

  c. Click the General tab, and then type an existing Windows NT account name
     and password for the Anonymous Logon option.

  d. Click OK, and then quit the Internet Service Manager.

5. Exchange Server version 5.5 introduces a new right (and role) called Search,
  which controls read access of the Exchange Server directory. To enable this
  functionality for an account on any object in the Exchange Server directory,
  you must first define an anonymous account on the General tab of the DS Site
  Configuration object. After you do this, any account can be granted the
  Search permission on any object in the directory. However, the Anonymous
  account must also be explicitly granted Search permissions at the
  Configuration container level.

  To verify whether Search permissions have been enabled within the Exchange
  Server directory, check the Permissions tab of the Organization, Site, and
  Configuration containers. If any account has been given the Search
  permission, you also need to grant this right on the Configuration container
  to the Anonymous account specified in the DS Site Configuration object.

  The other alternative is to remove the Search permission for all accounts from
  each object in the Exchange Server directory that has this permission set.

6. Verify that all Web Access files have been installed on the server and that
  they are the proper versions. This scenario may occur if any MAPI- enabled
  applications (Exchange or Microsoft Outlook clients, UPS systems, and so on)
  were not closed or disabled before running the Setup program. Because
  Exchange Server is forced to use older versions of certain system files such
  as the Mapi32.dll file, the OWA components may not function correctly. To
  verify that the files are correct, perform the following steps:

  a. Run Exchange Server Setup and choose the Reinstall option. This runs
     through the last successful installation and updates any corrupt or
     missing registry entries and system files.

     -or-

  a. If you have made any customizations in the \Webdata directory, you must
     back up the directory.

  b. Run Exchange Server Setup, choose the Add/Remove option, and remove the
     Active Server (5.0) or Outlook Web Access (5.5) components. Complete the
     Setup to uninstall these components.

  c. Run Setup again to add the Active Server or OWA components. This creates a
     clean \Webdata directory.

7. In the Exchange Server Administrator program, in the properties of the
  organization-level container, make sure that the Display Name is the same as
  the Directory Name. Do the same thing with site-level container.



Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbusage 
Technology        : kbOutlookSearch kbZNotKeyword6 kbExchangeSearch kbExchange500 kbExchange550 kbZNotKeyword2 kbOWASearch kbOWA550 kbExchangeActiveServComp500
Version           : WINDOWS:5.0,5.5; winnt:5.0,5.5
Issue type        : kbbug

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