XCON: MTA Fails to Recover Associations Following Network Problems

ID: Q232602

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

A supported fix that corrects this problem is now available from Microsoft, but it has not been fully regression tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. If you are not severely affected by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Microsoft Exchange Server version 5.5 service pack that contains this fix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information on support costs, please go to the following address on the World Wide Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp

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

NOTE: If this product was already installed on your computer when you purchased it from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and you need this fix, please call the Pay Per Incident number listed on the above Web site. If you contact Microsoft to obtain this fix, and if it is determined that you only require the fix you requested, no fee will be charged. However, if you request additional technical support, and if your no-charge technical support period has expired, or if you are not eligible for standard no-charge technical support, you may be charged a non-refundable fee.

For more information about eligibility for no-charge technical support, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q154871 Determining If You Are Eligible for No-Charge Technical Support

STATUS

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

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 
Version           : winnt:5.5
Platform          : winnt 
Issue type        : kbbug

Last Reviewed: July 12, 1999