XADM: Information Store Silently Drops Messages

ID: Q247255

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Exchange Server, version 5.5 SP3

SYMPTOMS

Messages appear to be properly delivered, but are silently deleted by the information store when the message transfer agent (MTA) is not started or the information store loses session to the MTA. In the client, the message appears to be properly delivered because the message leaves the Outbox and becomes visible in the Sent Items folder.

CAUSE

This problem was introduced when fixing the issue outlined in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

Q235455 XCON: Modification in X.400 Blind Copy Implementation

If an MTA session is not available because of insufficient resources in the MTA or because the MTA service is currently stopped, the number of MTA recipients is incorrectly set to zero. This causes the message to be deleted from the queue in the information store.

RESOLUTION

A supported fix that corrects this problem is now available from Microsoft, but it 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 5.5 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: Information Store

File name	Version
Store.exe	5.5.2651.67

The following files are available for download from the Microsoft Download Center. Click the file names below to download the files:

x86: Q248838engi.exe
Alpha: Q248838enga.exe

For more information about how to download files from the Microsoft Download Center, please visit the Download Center at the following Web address

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.asp

and then click How to use the Microsoft Download Center.

NOTE: When you start this version of the information store, the information store databases are automatically upgraded to a new format. After the databases have been upgraded, you can restore an earlier version of the Store.exe file on the server, but only if it is version 5.5.2651.32 or later. If you restore a Store.exe file earlier than version 5.5.2651.32 after the database has been upgraded, you are no longer able to start the information store. For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q244976 XADM: Event ID 1197 and 1005 When Starting the Information Store

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server version 5.5 SP3.

MORE INFORMATION

This problem occurs under the following conditions:

If a message is handed off from the information store to the MTA (information store-side fix).

If the MTA is running as well.

If the system is under stress.

This problem is not in any way related to blind carbon copy (Bcc) messages, although the problem was introduced while modifying Bcc message behavior.

NOTE: This problem does not occur on dedicated message switches (if a message never reaches the information store). Outbound Internet mail is not affected (it never reaches the MTA) but inboud Internet mail is (because it runs through the information store for content conversion).

Additional query words:

Keywords : exc55sp3
Version : winnt:5.5 SP3
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug