XCON: MTA Returns NDR for Deleted Mailbox when Message Sent to DL

ID: Q194504

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 5.0, 5.5

SYMPTOMS

The Microsoft Exchange Server message transfer agent (MTA) may return a non- delivery report (NDR) similar to the following when a message has been sent to a distribution list (DL) after a member's mailbox had been deleted, and the membership thus removed implicitly from the DL:


   Your message did not reach some or all of the intended recipients.

      Subject: Test Message
      Sent: 10/1/98 4:38 PM

   The following recipient(s) could not be reached:

      /o=ORG/ou=SITE/cn=RECIPIENTS/cn=DELETED_USER on 10/1/98 4:38 PM
         A required directory operation was unsuccessful
         MSEXCH:MSExchangeMTA:SITE:SERVER

RESOLUTION

Exchange Server 5.0

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. If you are not severely affected by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Microsoft Exchange Server version 5.0 service pack that contains this fix.

To resolve this problem immediately, 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://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp

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

Component: Message Transfer Agent (MTA)


   File Name      Version
   --------------------------
   Address.dll    5.0.1461.71
   Dbserver.sch   5.0.1461.71
   Dcprods.cat    5.0.1461.71
   Ems_rid.dll    5.0.1461.71
   Emsmta.exe     5.0.1461.71
   Infoplog.cfg   5.0.1461.71
   Infotlog.cfg   5.0.1461.71
   Infoxlog.cfg   5.0.1461.71
   Mmiext.dll     5.0.1461.71
   Mtacheck.exe   5.0.1461.71
   Mtamsg.dll     5.0.1461.71
   P2.xv2         5.0.1461.71
   P3.tpl         5.0.1461.71
   P772.tpl       5.0.1461.71
   X400om.dll     5.0.1461.71
   X400omv1.dll   5.0.1461.71

Exchange Server 5.5

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

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

Component: Message Transfer Agent (MTA)


   File Name      Version
   -------------------------
   Dbserver.sch   5.5.2424.0
   Dcprods.cat    5.5.2424.0
   Ems_rid.dll    5.5.2424.0
   Emsmta.exe     5.5.2424.0
   Info4log.cfg   5.5.2424.0
   Infodlog.cfg   5.5.2424.0
   Infollog.cfg   5.5.2424.0
   Infotlog.cfg   5.5.2424.0
   Mtacheck.exe   5.5.2424.0
   Mtamsg.dll     5.5.2424.0
   P2.xv2         5.5.2424.0
   X400om.dll     5.5.2424.0
   X400omv1.dll   5.5.2424.0

STATUS

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

MORE INFORMATION

These NDRs will continue indefinitely when sending e-mail to this DL until the MTA has been cycled. This behavior is due to the fact that the directory does not update the DL's "when-changed" attribute when a DL member's mailbox has been removed by deleting the mailbox itself, thus, implicitly removing it from the DL. The MTA was designed to periodically check the "when-changed" attribute on the DL to see if its DL cache needs to be updated. However, this wasn't accomplishing the desired results since the directory wasn't designed to update the DL's "when-changed" attribute when mailboxes were deleted.

After you apply the fix, the NDR will still occur if someone sends a message to the DL within 10 minutes of the mailbox being deleted, but after the ten minute period, the NDRs will not occur anymore for the deleted mailbox.

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