XFOR: SMTP Services Do Not Start Automatically After One Is Stopped

• Microsoft Commercial Internet System version 2.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0, Terminal Server Edition

SYMPTOMS

When you start multiple instances of the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) service, use the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) to stop one instance, and then stop Smtpsvc.dll from a command prompt, all other instances of the SMTP service are stopped. If you then start Smtpsvc.dll from a command prompt, the instance that you stopped using the MMC and any other instances that were initially started after that instance, do not start automatically. The instance that you stopped using the MMC does not normally start automatically, but all other instances normally do.

CAUSE

When you stop an instance of the SMTP service, the service is automatically configured so that it does not start automatically when you start Smtpsvc.dll. The problem described in this article occurs because Smtpsvc.dll does not automatically start any instances of the SMTP service after it encounters one instance that is configured in this manner.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Commercial Internet System version 2.0. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition Service Pack 4.

Additional query words: XFOR mcis

Keywords : NT4SP4Fix
Version : winnt:2.0,4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug