PC NTMMTA: Err Msg: Unable to Find Specified Instance INI...

• Microsoft Mail Multitasking MTA for Windows NT, version 3.5

SYMPTOMS

When you monitor an instance of External using the Microsoft Mail Multitasking MTA for Windows NT (NT MMTA), the following error may occur:

   Unable to Find Specified Instance INI Section

CAUSE

External cannot read the EXTERNAL.INI file. One possible cause is that the EXTERNAL.INI file was saved as a Unicode file.

Another possible cause for this error may be a missing instance name in the EXTERNAL.INI file. The instance name is required.

RESOLUTION

Save the EXTERNAL.INI as a text file.

Add an Instance name to the EXTERNAL.INI file by doing the following:

• The correct Instance Name was selected from the Mail Service Manager (MSVMGR32.EXE) Edit Service dialog box. If not, either delete and recreate the service from the Microsoft Mail Service Manager dialog box, or change the settings in the EXTERNAL.INI.
• The Instance Name field in the Edit Service dialog box does not contain External -. The Instance Name field should only contain the actual instance name. For example,

        [External - RemoteUsr1]
  

  In this example RemoteUsr1 is the instance name in the EXTERNAL.INI. This should be the entry in the Instance Name field in the Edit Service dialog box. The simplest way to ensure that this is entered correctly when you create the service in the Create Service dialog box is to:

  1. Click the Edit INI... button to open the EXTERNAL.INI file.

  2. Highlight the service name in the EXTERNAL.INI file as explained

        above.
  

  3. Copy the highlighted text to the clipboard by pressing Ctrl+C.

  4. Go back to the Create Service dialog box and click the Instance

        Name field.
  

  5. Press Ctrl+V to paste the text from the clipboard to the Instance

        Name field.
  

MORE INFORMATION

For MONITOR.EXE to run properly from the Monitor button from Microsoft Mail Service Manager, the EXTERNAL.INI settings must be correct. Monitor will flash an error message briefly, then disappear. MONITOR.EXE is installed by default in the \WINNT35 directory.

The Service Manager will allow you to create an External or Dispatch instance without an Instance name specified. These instances can not be run, and when the External or Dispatch instance is launched without an Instance name, the service will appear to start, but no mail is delivered. Also, if a Monitor is started it will flash on the screen quickly and then disappear.