DOCUMENT:Q166501  08-MAY-1999  [exchange]
TITLE   :XADM: NDR from Postmaster Incorrectly Formatted by IS
PRODUCT :Microsoft Exchange
PROD/VER:5.0
OPER/SYS:
KEYWORDS:

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The information in this article applies to:

 - Microsoft Exchange Server, version 5.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When a user sends a message to an invalid or non-existent SMTP user, the
originator of the message receives an NDR from postmaster%s_%g@site.org.com
Where the %s_%g matches the wildcard used for the Microsoft Exchange Site's SMTP
proxy address.

CAUSE
=====

When the information store initializes, it queries the Directory Service for the
SMTP proxy address. The information store keeps this address, in whole, in a
global variable that is to be used with the Postmaster address. The information
store incorrectly populates this variable with the entire SMTP proxy address
rather than just the SMTP domain.

WORKAROUND
==========

To avoid this problem, do not use wildcards in the site's global SMTP proxy
address.

RESOLUTION
==========

Apply the fix described in the "Status" section. In the fixed version, the
information store was corrected to parse any characters to the left of the @
sign in the SMTP proxy address store in the Directory. The global variable is
now populated with just the SMTP domain.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server
version 5.0. This problem has been corrected in the latest U.S. Service Pack for
Microsoft Exchange Server version 5.0. For information on obtaining the Service
Pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the
spaces):

   S E R V P A C K




Additional query words: NDR report format bad
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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange500 kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : 5.0
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1999.