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XCON: How to Troubleshoot MTA Starting Failures

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This article was previously published under Q162384

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Symptoms

This article is intended to be an aide in determining the root cause of failure when the Microsoft Exchange Message Transfer Agent [MTA] fails to start. This article assumes that the other core Microsoft Exchange Services are operational; for example, the System Attendant (SA), Directory service (DS) and Information Store (IS).

Steps

  1. Verify that there is at least 10 megabytes of FREE disk space on the hard disk drive that contains the Exchsrvr\mtadata directory. Inspect the Windows NT Event log for an error similar to the following: 
          3/10/9710:08:43 AMMSExchangeMTAErrorField Engineering
      9411N/ALAUREL The MTA is terminating because the disk where MTADATA is
      located has less then 10MB of space, or an error occurred while trying
      to check for free space on the disk. If disk space is low, free up some
      disk space and restart the MTA. NT Error code returned: 0 (non-zero
      indicates an error while checking for free space) [BASE IL MAIN BASE 1]
      (16) 3
  2. Verify that the files in the MTADATA directory are not read only. To do this:

    1. Start the Windows NT File Manager.
    2. From the View menu, select All File Details. The attribute field is last.
    The only attribute that should appear is 'A', the archive bit. Inspect the Windows NT Event log for an error similar to the following: 
       3/10/9711:41:39 AMMSExchangeMTAErrorField Engineering
   9405N/ALAURELAn unexpected error has occurred which may cause the MTA to
   terminate. Error: Unable to create file EV0.LOG, return code 110.
   [BASE MAIN BASE 1] (16)
  3. Verify that the Windows NT User Account used to start each Microsoft Exchange service is correct. To do this:

    1. Start the Microsoft Exchange Administration program.
    2. Highlight the Configuration object.
    3. From the File menu, select Properties.
    4. Select the Service Account Tab and record the Account name.
    5. From Control Panel - Services, select one of operational services.
    6. Click the Startup button and check the NT User Account used to start the service. This should match the entry recorded in step d.
    7. Select the Microsoft Exchange Message Transfer Agent.
    8. Click the Startup button and check the NT User Account used to start the service. This account should match the entry recorded in step d.
    This should not be the system account. If there is any doubt or Discrepancy, enter the correct service account and enter the password in the required dialog boxes.
  4. Ensure that the registry entries corresponding to the MTA are set correctly.

    1. Verify and record the Directory Name of the Organization, Site, and Server by selecting the appropriate object in the Microsoft Exchange Administrator and from the 'File' menu, selecting 'Properties'.
    2. Start Regedt32.exe for Windows NT 3.51 and 4.0 or Regedit.exe for Windows NT 4.0.
    3. Select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, SYSTEM, CurrentControlSet, Services, MSExchangeMTA, and Parameters.
    4. Select X500 DN VALUE.
    5. Verify that the X500 DN value: 
               o=<organization_name>/ou=<site_name>/cn=Configuration/cn=Servers
         /cn=<server_name>/cn=Microsoft MTA
      is an exact match with the Organization, Site, and Server object Directory Name as displayed in Microsoft Exchange Administrator.
    6. Verify that the value for the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, SYSTEM, CurrentControlSet, Services, MSExchangeMTA, Parameters, MTA Database path corresponds to the drive location where the DAT files are located; typically Exchsrvr\mtadata\.
    7. Verify that the value for the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, SYSTEM, CurrentControlSet, Services, MSExchangeMTA, Parameters, MTA Run Directory corresponds to drive location where the MTA core support Files are located. These files have the following extensions; aat, buf, cat, cfg, env, inp, log, mta, out, sch, tpl, and xv2. These files are typically located in the same exchsrvr\mtadata\ directory where the DAT files are located. The following is an example of a typical Mtadata directory.

      Directory of C:\exchsrvr\MTADATA 
            07/15/96 12:30a 41,043 ACSE.TPL
      07/15/96 12:30a 35,707 ACSE.XV2
      07/15/96 12:30a 5,894 ADMIN.XV2
      03/10/97 11:36a 0 AP0.LOG
      03/10/97 11:36a 0 AP1.LOG
      03/10/97 11:39a 0 APD.LOG
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,219 BASEFILE.OUT
      03/10/97 11:36a 0 BF0.LOG
      03/10/97 11:36a 0 BF1.LOG
      03/10/97 11:36a 0 BFD.LOG
      07/15/96 12:30a 7,574 BIND.TPL
      03/10/97 11:39a 21,953 CALLS.OUT
      07/15/96 12:30a 4,500 COMMON.TPL
      07/15/96 12:30a 4,415 COMMON.XV2
      02/26/97 11:22a 8,192 DB000001.DAT
      03/10/97 11:39a 8,192 DB000002.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,048 DB000003.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 8,192 DB000004.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 8,192 DB000005.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 8,192 DB000006.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 8,192 DB000007.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,048 DB000008.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,048 DB000009.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,048 DB00000A.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 8,192 DB00000B.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,048 DB00000C.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 8,192 DB00000D.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,048 DB00000E.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,048 DB00000F.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,048 DB000010.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,048 DB000011.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,048 DB000012.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 8,192 DB000013.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,048 DB000014.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 8,192 DB000015.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,048 DB000016.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,048 DB000017.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,048 DB000018.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,048 DB000019.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,048 DB00001A.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,048 DB00001B.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,048 DB00001C.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 8,192 DB00001D.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,048 DB00001E.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,048 DB00001F.DAT
      03/10/97 11:39a 8,192 DB000020.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 8,192 DB000021.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 8,192 DB000022.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 8,192 DB000023.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 8,192 DB000024.DAT
      03/10/97 11:39a 8,192 DB000025.DAT
      03/10/97 11:39a 8,192 DB000026.DAT
      03/10/97 11:39a 8,192 DB00002B.DAT
      03/10/97 11:39a 66,048 DBBITMP.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 10,438 DBFILE.OUT
      07/15/96 12:30a 46,865 DBSERVER.SCH
      07/15/96 12:30a 160,146 DCPRODS.CAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 364 DCTERMF.DAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 15,606 DIRECTRY.AAT
      07/15/96 12:30a 7,245 DIRECTRY.BUF
      07/15/96 12:30a 559 DIRECTRY.OUT
      07/15/96 12:30a 88,436 DSADAP.XV2
      07/15/96 12:30a 91,573 EAI.TPL
      07/15/96 12:30a 32,862 EDI.XV2
      03/10/97 11:39a 348 EV0.LOG
      03/10/97 11:36a 0 EV1.LOG
      03/10/97 11:36a 0 EV2.LOG
      03/10/97 11:36a 0 EVD.LOG
      03/10/97 11:36a 193 GWART0.MTA
      03/10/97 11:27a 193 GWART1.MTA
      07/15/96 12:30a 23,188 INFO4LOG.cfg
      07/15/96 12:30a 53,872 INFOBLOG.cfg
      07/15/96 12:30a 84,661 INFODLOG.cfg
      07/15/96 12:30a 63,093 INFOILOG.cfg
      07/15/96 12:30a 91,598 INFOLLOG.cfg
      07/15/96 12:30a 129,059 INFOPLOG.cfg
      07/15/96 12:30a 16,858 INFORLOG.cfg
      07/15/96 12:30a 236,899 INFOTLOG.cfg
      07/15/96 12:30a 80,828 INFOXLOG.cfg
      03/06/97 11:56a 329 MORFTRAC.OUT
      07/15/96 12:30a 18,785 MSGFILE
      03/10/97 11:42a <DIR> MTACHECK.OUT
      03/10/97 03:01p 0 mtadata.txt
      07/15/96 12:30a 33,864 MTAFILE.OUT
      07/15/96 12:30a 65,365 OXZBOOT.env
      07/15/96 12:30a 18,814 P1.TPL
      07/15/96 12:30a 19,100 P1.XV2
      07/15/96 12:30a 36,294 P2.TPL
      07/15/96 12:30a 48,444 P2.xv2
      07/15/96 12:30a 24,020 P3.TPL
      07/15/96 12:30a 27,161 P3.XV2
      07/15/96 12:30a 45,751 P7.TPL
      07/15/96 12:30a 55,958 P7.XV2
      07/15/96 12:30a 37,895 P772.TPL
      07/15/96 12:30a 8,872 P772.XV2
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,043 P7EDI.XV2
      07/15/96 12:30a 13,841 P7IM.XV2
      07/15/96 12:30a 24,761 PLATFILE.OUT
      07/15/96 12:30a 6,310 POP4FILE.OUT
      03/10/97 11:36a 262,158 RAMDUMP0.LOG
      03/10/97 11:36a 262,158 RAMDUMP1.LOG
      03/10/97 11:36a 262,158 RAMDUMP2.LOG
      03/10/97 11:36a 262,158 RAMDUMP3.LOG
      07/15/96 12:30a 1,732 RANDFILE.OUT
      07/15/96 12:30a 23,230 RDI.TPL
      07/15/96 12:30a 22,937 RDI.XV2
      03/10/97 02:34p 31,744 REPLAY.exe
      07/15/96 12:30a 10,808 ROSE.TPL
      07/15/96 12:30a 5,193 ROSE.XV2
      07/15/96 12:30a 1,760 RTSE.TPL
      07/15/96 12:30a 3,960 SCT.INP
      03/10/97 11:36a 53,413 TERM.LOG
      07/15/96 12:30a 7,176 TRCEFILE
      07/15/96 12:30a 9,256 TRCEFILE.cfg
      07/15/96 12:30a 24,525 WIRE.TPL
      07/15/96 12:30a 24,124 X400COM.TPL
      07/15/96 12:30a 28,815 X400COM.XV2
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,143 X500.TPL
      07/15/96 12:30a 4,100 X500.XV2
      07/15/96 12:30a 12,164 X500ATTR.TPL
      07/15/96 12:30a 7,336 X500AUTH.TPL
      07/15/96 12:30a 7,470 X500AUTH.XV2
      07/15/96 12:30a 7,263 X500BDCP.XV2
      07/15/96 12:30a 31,462 X500DAP.TPL
      07/15/96 12:30a 3,525 X500DSP.TPL
      07/15/96 12:30a 7,383 X500DSP.XV2
      07/15/96 12:30a 22,339 X500DSP2.XV2
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,705 X500INFO.TPL
      07/15/96 12:30a 9,673 X500INFO.XV2
      07/15/96 12:30a 956 X500LCLP.XV2
      07/15/96 12:30a 2,419 X500MDUP.XV2
      07/15/96 12:30a 22,965 XAPIFILE
      07/15/96 12:30a 19,185 XAPIFILE.OUT
      07/15/96 12:30a 16,875 XV2FILE.OUT
  5. If the previous steps do not reveal the error, check for possible corruption in the core support files required to start the Microsoft Exchange MTA Services.
    1. Copy new core support files to the MTADATA directory by selecting the core support files from the Microsoft Exchange Server compact disk or Microsoft Exchange Server installation point. From the Microsoft Exchange Server compact disk or installation point, copy all the files except the DAT files from the \setup\<processor type>\mtadata directory to the <drive>\exchsrvr\mtadata directory for the production Server.
    2. In the <drive>\exchsrvr\mtadata directory on the production server, select all the files copied to this location and remove the read-only attribute. To remove the read-only attribute from a file, right-click the file, click Properties, click to clear the Read-only check box, and then click OK.
  6. If the problem persists, the core DAT files may be corrupt or missing. Locate the directory that contains the DAT files. By default, it is the same directory as your directory which has the core support files; exchsrvr\mtadata\. The location may vary depending on the locations selected if and when the Microsoft Exchange Performance Optimizer was executed. View the contents of the MTADATA directory and verify that Db000001.dat through Db000026.dat files exist.

    • If these files are present, run the MTACHECK utility. For information on how to run this utility, refer the the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
      149017� XCON: MTACHECK Event IDs and Command Line Syntax
      If this does not resolve the problem, proceed to step 7.
  7. If the MTA fails to start after completing all the above steps, contact Microsoft Technical Support for assistance.

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Cause

The Microsoft Exchange MTA checks the registry, static files, and DAT files located in the MTADATA directory during initialization and start up.

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More information

For more troubleshooting about the MTA not starting, please refer to the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
147704� XCON: Troubleshooting Tips for Exchange MTA Not Starting

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Keywords: KB162384

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Article Info
Article ID : 162384
Revision : 7
Created on : 10/28/2006
Published on : 10/28/2006
Exists online : False
Views : 397