You receive a "5.2.1" non-delivery report when you send an e-mail message to a public folder on Exchange Server 2003 or on Exchange 2000 Server (870585)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
  • Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server

SYMPTOMS

When you try to send an e-mail message to a public folder, you receive a non-delivery report (NDR) that is similar to the following:
Your message did not reach some or all of the intended recipients.
Subject: Subject
Sent: Date Time
The following recipient(s) could not be reached:
RecipientName on Date Time
The message reached the recipient's e-mail system, but delivery was refused. Attempt to resend the message. If it still fails, contact your system administrator.

<ExchangeServerName.DomainName.com #5.2.1>

CAUSE

This problem occurs if all the following conditions are true:
  • You are running Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 or Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server in a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 domain environment.
  • Your domain structure is organized in a hierarchical domain topology, with a forest root domain and with child domains.
  • Your user account is a member of a new built-in security group that is included in Windows Server 2003. For example, your account is a member of one or more of the following built-in security groups:
    • Network Configuration Operators
    • Performance Log Users
    • Performance Monitor Users
    • Remote Desktop Users
    • Terminal Server License Servers
    • Windows Authorization Access Group
Exchange Server tries to match the security identifiers (SIDs) of the groups that you are a member of with existing groups in the Active Directory directory service. However, built-in group membership should be exempt from this process.

Exchange Server uses a function call to determine whether a SID matches a known built-in group that is stored in the Exchange store built-in groups array. However, the array does not include the new built-in groups that were introduced in Windows Server 2003.

Consider the following scenario:
  • You are a member of a new Windows Server 2003-specific built-in security group.
  • There is a hierarchical domain topology.
In this scenario, Exchange Server finds more than one match to the built-in group SID. Therefore, Exchange Server considers your alias ambiguous. Both the parent domain and the child domain contain several of the same built-in security groups.

RESOLUTION

Service pack information

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Exchange Server 2003. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

836993 How to obtain the latest service packs for Exchange Server 2003

Exchange Server 2003 hotfix information

A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Only apply it to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services telephone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

Prerequisites

There are two versions of this hotfix for Exchange Server 2003. The hotfix for Exchange 2003 without Service Pack 1 (SP1) installed has no prerequisites. However, you cannot install the pre-SP1 hotfix on a computer that is running Exchange 2003 with Service Pack 1. There is also a post-Exchange 2003 SP1 hotfix. To install the post-Exchange 2003 SP1 hotfix, you must be running Exchange 2003 with Service Pack 1. For more information about how to obtain Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 1, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

836993 How to obtain the latest service packs for Exchange Server 2003

Restart requirement

You do not have to restart your computer after you apply this hotfix. However, Exchange-related services are automatically restarted during the installation process.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File information

Hotfix for Exchange Server 2003 without Service Pack 1 installed The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.
   Date         Time   Version            Size    File name
   --------------------------------------------------------------
   15-Sep-2004  18:36  6.5.6981.0        253,952  Exsmtp.dll       
   15-Sep-2004  01:46  6.5.6981.0         49,664  Mdbevent.dll     
   15-Sep-2004  02:15  6.5.6981.0      3,208,704  Mdbmsg.dll       
   15-Sep-2004  01:47  6.5.6981.0         24,064  Mdbrole.dll      
   15-Sep-2004  18:39  6.5.6981.0         13,312  Mdbtask.dll      
   15-Sep-2004  18:38  6.5.6981.0      5,047,296  Store.exe
Hotfix for Exchange Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 installed The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.
   Date         Time   Version            Size    File name
   --------------------------------------------------------------
   16-Sep-2004  20:32  6.5.7232.35     3,230,720  Mdbmsg.dll       
   16-Sep-2004  20:42  6.5.7232.35     5,132,800  Store.exe

Exchange 2000 Server hotfix information

A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Only apply it to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services telephone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

Prerequisites

The hotfix has the following prerequisites:
  • You must be running Exchange 2000 Server Service Pack 3. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    301378 How to obtain the latest Exchange 2000 Server service pack

  • You must have the Exchange 2000 Server post-Service Pack 3 update rollup installed. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    870540 Availability of the August 2004 Exchange 2000 Server post-Service Pack 3 Update Rollup

Restart requirement

You do not have to restart your computer after you apply this hotfix. However, Exchange-related services are automatically restarted during the installation process.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.
    Date         Time   Version            Size    File name
   --------------------------------------------------------------
   13-Sep-2004  04:47  6.0.6617.6      2,310,144  Mdbmsg.dll       
   12-Sep-2004  05:02  6.0.6617.6      4,685,824  Store.exe

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

This problem was first corrected in Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about how to troubleshoot 5.2.1 errors for public folders, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

300221 External users cannot send messages to public folders in Exchange 2000 Server

For more information about built-in security groups, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

243330 Well-known security identifiers in Windows operating systems

For more information about Microsoft software updates, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

817903 New naming schema for Exchange Server software update packages

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:6/1/2006
Keywords:kbQFE kbHotfixServer kbExchange2003preSP1fix kbExchange2003preSP2fix kbExchange2000preSP4fix kbfix kbBug KB870585 kbAudITPRO
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