XADM: Move Mailbox Utility Does Not Work When Antivirus API Is In Use

When you attempt to move a mailbox by using the Move Mailbox utility in the Exchange Server Administrator program, if the source server for the mailbox is running an antivirus program that uses the antivirus application programming interface (API), the move mailbox operation may not work and you may receive the following error message:

This issue can occur because, based on the architecture of the antivirus API, any attachments that a mailbox contains that have not been scanned are submitted to the antivirus vendor before those attachments are released to the Move Mailbox utility or to a MAPI client.

The Move Mailbox utility does not recognize this condition when an attachment is being scanned; therefore the Move Mailbox utility generates the error message in the "Symptoms" section of this article.

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Exchange Server 5.5. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: NOTE: When you start this version of the information store, the information store databases are automatically upgraded to a new format. After the databases have been upgraded, you can restore an earlier version of the Store.exe file on the server, but only if it is version 5.5.2652.68 or later. If you restore a Store.exe file earlier than version 5.5.2652.68 after the database has been upgraded, you are no longer able to start the information store. For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: The following files are available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:
For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help to prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

To work around this issue, remove or disable the antivirus programs that are based on the antivirus API before you attempt to use the Move Mailbox utility in the Exchange Server Administrator program. For information about disabling your antivirus program, please contact your antivirus program vendor.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server version 5.5 Service Pack 3. This problem was first corrected in Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack 4.

After this fix to the Store.exe file is applied, the information store determines that the mailbox is being moved and releases the attachment without scanning the attachment. It is recommended that the destination server of the mailbox also contain an antivirus-based solution, because the attachment is not scanned before the attachment is moved.