SMTP: Mail from SMTP Gateway Has Incorrect Sent Date and Time (192054)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Mail Gateway to SMTP 3.0a
  • Microsoft Exchange Server 4.0
  • Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0
  • Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5
This article was previously published under Q192054

SYMPTOMS

When viewing mail on a Microsoft Exchange Server computer sent from the Microsoft Mail SMTP gateway, the SENT date/time as displayed in the message is not accurate.

CAUSE

The SMTP gateway was incorrectly sending the sent date/time time zone information in the format 
   DOW, DAY  MMM YYYY HH:MM:SS +/-NN
where NN = number of hours offset from GMT. This format is incorrect according to RFC 822, and should be 
   DOW, DAY  MMM YYYY HH:MM:SS +/-NNNN
where NNNN = number of hours and minutes from GMT. As a result, the Microsoft Exchange Internet Mail Service ignored this offset and displayed the SENT date/time as if no time zone information had been sent.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the following fix.

This fix should have the following time stamp: 
   21/08/98  17:05   71,739 SMTPLMN.EXE Microsoft LAN Manager for MS-DOS

   21/08/98  17:05   80,721 SMTPFTP.EXE PC/TCP Kernel from FTP Software, Inc.

   21/08/98  17:05   74,643 SMTPNVL.EXE Novell LAN WorkPlace for DOS

   21/08/98  17:05   76,179 SMTPWIN.EXE Excelan EXOS 205T Intelligent
                                        Ethernet Controller with LAN
                                        WorkPlace Network Software
                                        (version 3.4)

   21/08/98  17:05   80,473 SMTPXLN.EXE WIN/TCP for DOS RunTime (version
                                        4.1) from The Wollongong Group,
                                        Inc.
Change the name of the appropriate EXE file above to Smtpgate.exe, and replace this file on your gateway.

A new command-line option, -Z, has been added to this version. If the -Z command-line parameter is not used, the SMTP gateway will format the time zone in the way it always did. With the fix, the correct format will be used.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft Mail SMTP Gateway version 3.0a. 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 Technical Support for more information.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:12/3/2003
Keywords:kbbug kbfix kbQFE KB192054
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.