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Q270614: PRB: Exchange Server 5.5 Rejects POP3 Messages in Base64

Article: Q270614
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): 4.0,5.0,5.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 14-MAR-2001

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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 you submit a message that has a Base64 body part to Exchange versions 5.5 and
earlier by using Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3), and the body part contains
extraneous characters after the termination sequence, you may receive the
following error message even if the extraneous characters are otherwise valid:

  The Microsoft Exchange Server received an Internet message that could not be
  processed. To view the original message content, open the attached message.
  <<message.txt>>

CAUSE
=====

Exchange only accepts Base64 encodings that are multiples of 4 in size. The
extraneous characters cause the encoding size to not be a multiple of 4, so
Exchange rejects the encoding.

RESOLUTION
==========

Do not append extra characters to the end of a Base64 sequence that is submitted
to Exchange.

STATUS
======

This behavior is by design.

Additional query words:

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

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