"The email address '<EmailAddress>' is unknown" error message when you add a user to a Windows SharePoint Services Web site (838109)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services

SYMPTOMS

When you add a user to your Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services Web site, you may receive the following error message:
The email address 'EmailAddress' is unknown.

CAUSE

This issue occurs if both of the following conditions are true:
  • Windows SharePoint Services is configured to use Active Directory account creation mode.
  • The e-mail settings on the server are configured to use the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) service that is installed when you installed E-mail Services on the server to configure the server as a mail server.
In this situation, only the recipients who have mailboxes that are configured to use the Post Office Protocol (POP3) service can retrieve e-mail messages from the server. The SMTP server blocks e-mail messages that are sent to recipients who do not have mailboxes that are configured to use the POP3 service.

WORKAROUND

To work around this issue, configure Windows SharePoint Services to use an SMTP server that permits users to send e-mail messages to the recipients that they have to send e-mail messages to. To do so, follow these steps:
  1. Start SharePoint Central Administration.
  2. Configure Windows SharePoint Services to use a different SMTP server. To do so, follow these steps:
    1. On the Windows SharePoint Services Central Administration page, under Server Configuration, click Configure default e-mail server settings.
    2. On the Configure E-Mail Server Settings page, specify an SMTP server that permits users to send e-mail messages to the recipients that they have to send e-mail messages to.
    3. Click OK.
  3. Configure the virtual server e-mail settings to use a different SMTP server. To do so, follow these steps:
    1. On the Windows SharePoint Services Central Administration page, under Virtual Server Configuration, click Configure virtual server settings.
    2. On the Configure Virtual Server Settings page, click the virtual server.
    3. On the Virtual Server Settings page, under Virtual Server Management, click Virtual server e-mail settings.
    4. In the Mail Settings area, specify an SMTP server that permits users to send e-mail messages to the recipients that they have to send e-mail messages to.
    5. Click OK.

MORE INFORMATION

When you use Active Directory account creation mode, you can automatically create new accounts for users in Active Directory instead of using pre-existing domain accounts. For example, an Internet Service Provider (ISP) may want to permit Windows SharePoint Services Web site owners the ability to create user accounts or invite users to collaborate on a Web site where existing domain accounts for those users do not already exist.

For more information about how to install, configure, and administer Windows SharePoint Services, see the Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services Administrator's Guide. To view the Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services Administrator's Guide, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/SharePoint/Assistance

For more information about Windows SharePoint Services, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/sharepoint/teamservices/default.asp

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:3/10/2004
Keywords:kberrmsg kbprb KB838109 kbAudITPRO
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.