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Q195908: XADM: Backout of Upgrade Causes Replication to Fail

Article: Q195908
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): WinNT:4.0,5.0,5.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 23-APR-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 4.0, 5.0, 5.5 
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SYMPTOMS
========

If it has been necessary to restore a server computer running Exchange Server
4.0 after a failed attempt to upgrade to Exchange Server 5.5, you may experience
directory replication failures between sites, including the folowing events -

  Event ID 1091 Source:MSExchangeDS Category:Replication

  The directory replication agent (DRA) couldn't connect to the MTA with
  name
  /o=Microsoft/ou=BACKOUT/cn=Configuration/cn=Servers/cn=SERVER1/cn=Micros
  oft DSA:SERVER1.
  Messages could not be sent. Make sure that the MTA on this Microsoft
  Exchange Server computer is running.

  Event ID 3139 Source:MSExchangeDS Category:Replication

  An internal MTA error occurred. An open function mismatch occurred with
  the directory. Entity name: . [XAPI MAIN BASE 1 92] (14)

NOTE: This problem will only be seen on Directory Replication bridgehead
servers.

When you view the properties of this server, it will be reported as an Exchange
Server 5.5 computer because of directory replication backfill. Intrasite
directory replication will be successful, but intersite will fail.

CAUSE
=====

This problem is caused because of the change in the way the directory
replication communicates with the message transfer agent (MTA) in Exchange
Server 4.0 and with the Information Store in Exchange Server 5.0 and Exchange
Server 5.5. Directory replication backfill causes the Exchange Server computer
to function as an Exchange Server 5.5 server computer, whereas the Exchange
Server 4.0 executable files do not support this behavior.

WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this problem, providing an Exchange Server 5.5 server computer
exists in the site, it is possible to have this server participate in directory
replication again by using the Authoritative Restore utility (authrest.exe).

This utility should be used on a directory that was backed up prior to the
upgrade. It is used after restoring the directory to that server before starting
the services. For clarification, see the example scenario in the More
Information section below.

If an Exchange Server 5.5 server computer does not exist in the site, replication
will work. However, you will not be able to create users as the updated schema
will expect Exchange Server 5.5 proxy DLLs, so it will be necessary to either
upgrade again immediately after fixing the original problem, or install a new
Exchange Server 5.5 server computer into the site. Alternatively, editing the
raw-mode values for proxy generators should correct this problem.

For more information, please see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

  Q158336 XADM: Modifying Version Values for Proxy Address Generator.

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

In this example scenario, one site has three servers; A, B, and C. ServerA and
ServerC are running Exchange Server 4.0 Service Pack 4. ServerB is running
Exchange Server 5.5. ServerA is connected through an X.400 Connector to another
server, ServerD, in another site, and all are replicating. Upgrade ServerA to
Exchange Server 5.5 and allow this change to replicate around the site and
between sites. Then remove Exchange 5.5 from ServerA and reinstall 4.0 Service
Pack 4, choose to create a new Site with the same Organization and Site names,
and then restore the Exchange Server 4.0 Service Pack 4 Dir.edb file. Check
replication. Intrasite replication will work, but intersite replication with
ServerD will fail. You will see event 3139 in the Windows NT Event Viewer and
you will see replication messages NDR.

To get this working, you will need to uninstall ServerA, and reinstall Exchange
Server 4.0 Service Pack 4 again. Choose to create a new Site during setup and
use the same Organization and Site names. Then restore the Exchange Server 4.0
Service Pack 4 Dir.edb file. Copy Authrest.exe off the Exchange Server 4.0 CD,
and run the following command from an MS-DOS command prompt on the Exchange
Server computer:

  authrest 1000 1000

Then check intrasite and intersite replication. They should both work correctly.

If the server to be backed out is not a directory replication bridgehead server,
and an Exchange Server 5.5 server computer exists in the site, you will
experience no directory replication problems, although the server will report as
being an Exchange Server 5.5 computer through the Exchange Server Administrator
program. It is recommended to upgrade as soon as possible.

If the site affected is single server, the server will appear as the correct
version locally, but as an Exchange Server 5.5 server computer to the rest of
the organization until the directory replication connector is broken and
recreated.

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange500 kbExchange550 kbExchange400 kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : WinNT:4.0,5.0,5.5
Issue type        : kbprb

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