PC Ext: Some *SPECIAL Mssgs. Cause WinNT & OS/2 MMTAs to Fail

ID: Q194600

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Mail for PC Networks versions 3.2 and 3.5

SYMPTOMS

The OS/2 multitasking message transfer agent (MMTA) stops responding (hangs) with SYS 3175 memory allocation errors when the External program processes *SPECIAL messages.

The Windows NT MMTA hangs with a General Protection Fault on Async.ovl. An OS/2 program caused a protection violation.

At this point, the OS/2 and the Windows NT MMTA stops processing mail, and continue to produce errors even after re-starting.

The MS-DOS version of the External program does not produce the error.

RESOLUTION

A supported fix that corrects this problem is now available from Microsoft, but has not been fully regression-tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem.

To resolve this problem, 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://support.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/default.asp

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

   File Name      Version
   ----------------------
   External.exe   3.5.24

This hotfix has been posted to the following Internet location as Exty2k.exe:

   ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/mail/pcmail-public/All-Y2K/

NOTE: If you contact Microsoft to obtain this fix, a fee may be charged. This fee is refundable if it is determined that you only require the fix you requested. However, this fee is non-refundable if you request additional technical support, if your no-charge technical support period has expired, or if you are not eligible for standard no-charge technical support.

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

   ARTICLE-ID: Q154871
   TITLE     : Determining If Your Product Is Eligible for No-Charge
               Technical Support

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Mail for PC Networks versions 3.2 and 3.5.

Keywords          : MailPCExt 
Version           : WINDOWS:3.2,3.5
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

Last Reviewed: November 4, 1998