Removing Damaged Messages from MS Exchange Outbox

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Windows 95

SYMPTOMS

You may experience one of the following problems:

• Microsoft Exchange stops responding (hangs) when you start it.
• Microsoft Exchange generates a fault error message in Mapisp32 when you start it.

CAUSE

These problems can occur when there is a message in the Outbox that is damaged or has a damaged address. When you start Microsoft Exchange, the Mapi Spooler opens the Outbox and attempts to send the damaged message. Shutting down Microsoft Exchange before a message has been sent returns the message to the Outbox. The message cannot be retrieved once the spooler has attempted to send it.

RESOLUTION

There are two methods for working around this problem:

Method 1

NOTE: Use this method only if the mail service you are using is the Microsoft Mail service.

1. In Control Panel, double-click the Mail And Fax icon.

2. Click the Microsoft Mail service, and then click Properties.

3. On the Delivery tab, click the Enable Outgoing Mail Delivery check box to clear it.

4. Click the Enable Incoming Mail Delivery check box to clear it, and then click OK twice.

5. Start Microsoft Exchange.

6. Open the Outbox and drag the damaged message to the Inbox. Or, delete the message if it is not important.

7. Create a new message.

8. Repeat steps 6-7 for any additional damaged messages, and then quit Microsoft Exchange.

9. Repeat steps 1-4 to enable mail delivery in Microsoft Exchange.

Method 2

NOTE: You can use this method with any mail service.

1. In Control Panel, double-click the Mail And Fax icon.

2. Click Show Profiles, and then click Add.

3. Click the Manually Configure Information Services option button, and then click Next.

4. Enter a name for the profile, and then click Next.

5. Click Add, click Personal Folders, and then click OK.

6. Enter the location for the .pst file. The default location is C:\Exchange\Mailbox.pst.

7. Click OK twice, click Next, and then click Finish.

8. In the "When starting Microsoft Exchange, use this profile" box, click the new profile.

9. Start Microsoft Exchange. If the damaged message is in the Outbox, you should receive an error message titled "Undeliverable." Now that the message has been rejected, you can modify or delete it. After you do so, reset the profile and start Microsoft Exchange again.