Some e-mail messages remain in the queue on an Exchange 2003 server

Some e-mail messages remain in the queue on a server that is running Microsoft Exchange Server 2003. Additionally, the message sender receives non-delivery report (NDR) 4.4.7 messages that indicate the delivery failures.

Note This problem does not occur if you restart the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service on the Exchange 2003 server.

This problem occurs because the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service populates an internal property cache with incorrect e-mail message header data. When this problem occurs, the cache in the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service reaches the maximum limit of 65,536 entries. When the cache is fully populated, more entries cannot be added. This behavior causes an error condition in which some messages cannot be sent.

To reset the cache, restart the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service.

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2 (SP2) must be installed before you apply this hotfix. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Restart requirement

You do not have to restart the computer after you apply this hotfix. However, the following services are restarted automatically when you apply this hotfix:

• The Microsoft Exchange Information Store service
• The Internet Information Services (IIS) Admin Service and all dependent services

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace a previously released hotfix.

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 item in Control Panel.

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