5.1.0 NDR when sending or forwarding certain messages with HTML content or MIME-based attachments (924195)

SYMPTOMS

When users send or forward a message with embedded HTML content or MIME-based attachments, they receive a non-delivery report (NDR) with text similar to the following:

The following recipient(s) could not be reached:
Test Recipient on 11/9/2005 11:26 PM
The e-mail address could not be found. Perhaps the recipient moved to a different 
e-mail organization, or there was a mistake in the address. Check the address and 
try again.
<EXVirtualServer1.domain.com #5.1.0>

Additional symptoms may include messages with attachments queuing in the "Local Delivery" queue, or messages arriving to the recipients with attachments stripped.

Note this problem can occur even in the absence of virus scanners. There are no errors in the application or system log.

MIME-based content can be anything composed via POP3, IMAP4, or HTTP clients (not richtext/MDBEF).

CAUSE

Though there can be several different causes for 5.1.0 NDRs, this solution addresses the scenario where the working directory (which is specified in the registry) was removed from the NTFS file system.

The most common reasons that the working directory would be removed is

a) an administrator who had moved all databases, logs, and checkpoints to a different different disk or directory with the belief that the original MDBDATA was no longer used, thereby deleted the original MDBDATA folder manually

or

b) If setup.exe was used to uninstall the Exchange 5.5 administrator program, the setup program will remove the working directory if it detects no files within it. To determine if the setup program removed the working directory, search the "Exchange Server Setup Progress.log file" at the root of the system partition for the string matching the working directory. It will be quite apparent that the setup program checks for lack of files in that folder prior to removing it.

RESOLUTION

Go to the following registry key, since the working directory is defined here: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeIS\ParametersSystem\W orking Directory
Note the value of the string, as it should point to a folder on the file system.
(For installations using the default path, the value of the working directory is typically set to "C:\program files\exchsrvr\mdbdata")
Navigate to the path where you would expect the path (noted from Step 2) to exist. In the above example, it is likely that the MDBDATA folder has been removed, and therefore, the Exchange server cannot perform conversion of certain attachments between MIME and richtext format.
Recreate the folder.

You do not need to restart the information store for this to take effect. After implementing this solution, users may continue to receive the same 5.1.0 NDRs for a period of time, yet these NDRs will be timestamped prior to the time of resolution.

MORE INFORMATION

The Exchange best practices analyzer can also detect whether the working directory folder is missing. The working directory is necessary to store temporary files that are used during the content conversion process (referred to as "IMAIL"). These temporary files are automatically deleted by the information store in a very short timeframe, so this directory appears empty for the majority of the time. More information regarding symptoms received when the working directory is absent is described here: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/Analyzer/28b658a9-2fee-4f1c-a30d-532f7b897a62.mspx

DISCLAIMER

MICROSOFT AND/OR ITS RESPECTIVE SUPPLIERS MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE SUITABILITY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE DOCUMENTS AND RELATED GRAPHICS PUBLISHED ON THIS WEBSITE FOR ANY PURPOSE. THE DOCUMENTS AND RELATED GRAPHICS PUBLISHED ON THIS WEBSITE COULD INCLUDE TECHNICAL INACCURACIES OR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS. CHANGES ARE PERIODICALLY ADDED TO THE INFORMATION HEREIN. MICROSOFT AND/OR ITS RESPECTIVE SUPPLIERS MAY MAKE IMPROVEMENTS AND/OR CHANGES IN THE PRODUCT(S) AND/OR THE PROGRAM(S) DESCRIBED HEREIN AT ANY TIME.

For more information on the terms of use, click on the link below:
http://support.microsoft.com/tou/