XCON: MTA Generates 2140 Error Due to Bad or Missing TPL File

 Last reviewed: November 14, 1997
Article ID: Q154385
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Exchange Server, version 4.0, 5.0, and 5.5

SYMPTOMS

When you start the Microsoft Exchange Server Message Transfer Agent (MTA), the following error might occur: 

   Could not start the Exchange Message Transfer Agent service on
   \\servername.
   Error 2140: An internal Windows NT error occurred.
Looking in the Event Viewer, the application log shows the following stop error: 

   Event ID 9400     MSExchangeMTA
   An MTA fatal error has occurred. The file <filename>.TPL could not be
   opened. [BASE MAIN BASE 1] (16)
The MTA will not be able to start at this point.

CAUSE

The 9400 error message will give a filename (Bind.tpl, Rose.tpl, Common.tpl, and so forth). This file should be located in the \Exchsrvr\Mtadata directory and might either be missing or corrupt.

RESOLUTION

  1. Identify the file in the error message and see if it is located in the \Exchsrvr\Mtadata directory.
2. If it is there, rename it in File Manager. 3. Whether it was in the Exchsrvr\Mtdata directory or not, copy a new 
   instance of the file from the \Setup\<Cputype>\Mtadata directory located
   on the Microsoft Exchange Server compact disc.
4. Restart the MTA service.

Additional query words: 2140 mta server down crash 9406
Keywords : XCON kbusage
Version : 4.0 5.0 5.5
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kberrmsg

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Last reviewed: November 14, 1997
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