KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q183270: XCON: X400 Address Replaces SMTP Address When Resending Message

Article: Q183270
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): WINDOWS:5.0,5.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 04-APR-1999

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

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

SYMPTOMS
========

When a message is sent to a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) recipient and
is then sent back to the message originator non-delivered, an X.400 address of
the message recipient may be displayed when attempting to resend the message.

An example would be when sending a message to user@domain.com from the Exchange
client. The message goes to the Internet Mail Service connector and then is sent
back because the domain, domain.com, was not found. When attempting to resend
the message, the TO line will contain the following:

   c=us;a= ;p=Microsoft;o=Site;dda:SMTP=user@domain.com

The message can be sent again, however, and will only be sent back if the same
condition that prevented its original delivery persists.

CAUSE
=====

This problem will occur when a message originates on an Exchange Server computer
(XS1) that has an X.400 Connector or Site Connector to another Exchange Server
computer (XS2) where the actual Internet Mail Service connector resides.

The message leaves XS1 and goes to XS2 to be placed in the outbound queue for the
Internet Mail Service. As the message traverses the X.400 Connector or Site
Connector, it is encapsulated in an X.400 address in order to be handled by the
Exchange Server message transfer agent (MTA). After the message reaches the
Internet Mail Service on XS2, the X.400 address is stripped down to just the
basic SMTP address of user@domain.com.

When the message is undeliverable by the Internet Mail Service, it sends the
message back to the originator (on XS2) by re-encapsulating the message to an
X.400 address for both the originator and the recipient. The result is the X.400
address appears in the TO field when the client attempts to resend the message.

WORKAROUND
==========

This problem is mostly cosmetic in nature. When the client sends a message to
user@domain.com, after it leaves the Outbox, Exchange Server immediately
encapsulates the raw SMTP address to the X.400 address.

When the client goes to resend the message with the encapsulated X.400 address,
the message will still be sent back to the Internet Mail Service for processing
because the X.400 address shows the proper route back to the Internet Mail
Service.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Exchange Server 5.0 and 5.5.

Additional query words: imc ndr send again

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange500 kbExchange550 kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : WINDOWS:5.0,5.5
Issue type        : kbprb

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

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.