XCON: MTA Fails to Convert Message with TNEF in P2 from 1984 X.400 System

• Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 5.0, 5.5

SYMPTOMS

The Microsoft Exchange message transfer agent (MTA) may stop processing messages after receiving a non-delivery report (NDR) from a 1984 X.400 System. The following error messages are logged in the event viewer:

   Event ID: 210
   Source: MSExchangeMTA
   Type: Warning
   Category: X.400 Service
   Description: An internal MTA error occurred. Content conversion for
   message C=US;A= ;P=test+internet;L=<s5b5a62a.027
   @mta.test.microsoft.com> failed. Conversion error: 258, Object at
   fault: 06000038, Original content type: 56010A00, New content type:
   2A864886F7140501. PDU dump reference 1 [MTA DISP:FANOUT 15 112] (14)

   Event ID: 290
   Source: MSExchangeMTA
   Type: Warning
   Category: X.400 Service
   Description: A non-delivery report (reason code unable-to-transfer and
   diagnostic code content-syntax-error) is being generated for message
   C=US;A= ;P=test+internet;L=<s5b5a62a.027@mta.test.microsoft.com>. It
   was originally destined for C=US;A= ;P=TEST+TEST;
   DDA:MS=NETWORK/PO/Admin; (recipient number 1), and was to be redirected
   to C=US;A= ;P=TEST+TEST;DDA:MS=NETWORK/PO/Admin;. [MTA DISP:RESULT 20
   136] (12) 

CAUSE

This condition can occur when a 1984 X.400 System is embedding Transport Neutral Encapsulation Format (TNEF) in the P2 of the message.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Exchange Server version 5.5. For more information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q191014 XGEN: How to Obtain the Latest Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server versions 5.0 and 5.5.

A supported fix is now available, but has not been fully regression-tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. Unless you are severely impacted by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next service pack that contains this fix. Contact Microsoft Product Support Services for more information.

MORE INFORMATION

Here is an example of the message path that can create this condition:

MSMail => Exchange 5.0 SP2 (via MSMail Connector) => Exchange X.400 Connector => Foreign 1984 X.400 System => Internet Gateway => NDR from destination mailer.

This can happen when the 1984 X.400 System delivers the X.400 message from Exchange to an SMTP mailer, and the SMTP mailer NDRs the message back to the sender. When the SMTP mailer NDRs the message, the original message is embedded in the NDR with TNEF. When that NDR travels back to the Exchange MTA, the MTA may fail to convert it. Also, the user who sent the message to the invalid SMTP recipient never receives the NDR.

Additional query words: crash route content conversion failure

Keywords : exc55sp2fix
Version : WinNT:5.0,5.5
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug