KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q232602: XCON: MTA Fails to Recover Associations After Network Problems

Article: Q232602
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): winnt:5.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): exc55 EXC55SP3Fix
Last Modified: 30-SEP-1999

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

- Microsoft Exchange Server, version 5.5 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


SYMPTOMS
========

The Microsoft Exchange Server Message Transfer Agent (MTA) may stop processing
messages following disruption of network service and generates events similar to
the following:

  Event ID: 4284
  Category: X.400 Service
  Source: MSExchangeMTA
  Description: An error has occurred during connection/disconnection. Error
  code=8511 [POP4 POP4 DOWN 4 179] (14)

  Event ID: 4287
  Category: X.400 Service
  Source: MSExchangeMTA
  Description: An internal MTA error occurred. Contact Microsoft Product Support
  Services. Error code=8640 [POP4 POP4 DOWN4 18] (14)

  Event ID: 2035
  Category: X.400 Service
  Description: Lost connections to locality 0 (BASE POP4 DOWN(6)

  Event ID: 1209
  Category: X.400 Service
  Description: Session error, invalid source LPI on received message. Invalid
  LPI is 1-16-64 (PLATFORM KERNEL(19) Proc 62)

After network connectivity is restored, the MTA may fail to resume message
processing until the MTA service is restarted.

CAUSE
=====

If your Exchange Server computer encounters a network disconnection or
disruption while there are messages queued in the MTA for delivery, the MTA may
fail to properly recover active associations.

The time interval "n," in seconds, between the logged errors is equal to the
number of seconds set in the X.400 Connector. To check this setting, open the
property pages of the X.400 Connector, select the Override tab, in the
Connection Retry Values frame, and read the Open Interval (sec) setting.

As mail is queued to go across the WAN link, the X.400 Connector attempts to
re-establish the connection every n seconds. Because the WAN connection is down,
the MTA transport is not available; the MTA is logging these two events.

These errors may also be caused by intermittent network problems such as a WAN
connection being temporarily down. This does not necessarily indicate a problem
with Exchange Server or the MTA.

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Exchange Server
version 5.5. For additional information, please see the following article in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q191014 XGEN: How to Obtain the Latest Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or
later:

Component: Message Transfer Agent (MTA)

+---------------------------+
| File name    | Version    | 
+---------------------------+
| Dbserver.sch | N/A        | 
+---------------------------+
| Dcprods.cat  | N/A        | 
+---------------------------+
| Ems_rid.dll  | 5.5.2614.0 | 
+---------------------------+
| Emsmta.exe   | 5.5.2614.0 | 
+---------------------------+
| Info4log.cfg | N/A        | 
+---------------------------+
| Infoblog.cfg | N/A        | 
+---------------------------+
| Infodlog.cfg | N/A        | 
+---------------------------+
| Infollog.cfg | N/A        | 
+---------------------------+
| Infoplog.cfg | N/A        | 
+---------------------------+
| Infotlog.cfg | N/A        | 
+---------------------------+
| Mtacheck.exe | 5.5.2614.0 | 
+---------------------------+
| Mtamsg.dll   | 5.5.2614.0 | 
+---------------------------+
| P2.xv2       | N/A        | 
+---------------------------+
| X400om.dll   | 5.5.2614.0 | 
+---------------------------+
| X400omv1.dll | 5.5.2614.0 | 
+---------------------------+


STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server
version 5.5. This problem was first corrected in Exchange Server 5.5 Service
Pack 3.


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

After the fix is applied, association recovery should occur as expected and
messages should flow after the network is restored.

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

  Q175354 XCON: Repeated Event IDs, 4284, and 4287, Indicate Network Problem

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : exc55 EXC55SP3Fix 
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange550 kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : winnt:5.5
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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

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.