Microsoft KB Archive/285366

= High store CPU utilization causes MTA queue to Priv.edb database to grow =

Article ID: 285366

Article Last Modified on 10/26/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack 1
 * Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack 2
 * Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack 3
 * Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack 4

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This article was previously published under Q285366





SYMPTOMS
An Exchange Server client or Exchange Server administrator may notice a delay in the arrival of new messages. If you use Task Manager or Microsoft Windows NT Performance Monitor to examine the Exchange Server computer more closely, the information store process CPU utilization is between 90 and 100 percent and the message transfer agent (MTA) work queue to the private information store continues to grow. Microsoft Outlook client users may report e-mail messages that are stuck in the Outbox. The messages remain in the Outbox until the user clicks another folder or restarts Outlook.

If you use Performance Monitor to look at each individual thread for the information store process (Store.exe), a series of threads is each consuming a portion of the total CPU time. The MTA queue in the Exchange Server Administrator program may also show many messages with the same MTS-ID that are waiting to be delivered to the private information store.



CAUSE
This problem can occur if a user sends a message or meeting request to multiple recipients who are on multiple Exchange Server computers, and the user requests a delivery receipt or read receipt. As each copy of the message is received, the Exchange Server computer sends back the delivery receipt or read receipt (as applicable). Some or all of these delivery receipts or read receipts arrive back at the originator's home server at approximately the same time, which causes several of these messages to be adjacent in the processing order of the MTA queue. The MTA then attempts to deliver the delivery receipts or read receipts to the database a few at a time. At this point, Store.exe attempts to associate the delivery receipt or read receipt with the original message in the originator's mailbox.

For example, four copies of the same delivery receipt or read receipt might be delivered at the same time. Because all four messages are attempting to locate the same message, the messages are all simultaneously trying to navigate the same pages in the database to locate the original message.



RESOLUTION
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 Exchange Server 5.5 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. The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:

Component: JET



WORKAROUND
To work around this problem if it occurs with delivery receipts and read receipts in conjunction with sending mail to a distribution list (DL), set the do not send any reports back to someone who requests them option. On new distribution lists, the Report to Message Originator option is enabled by default. If you are experiencing this problem, consider disabling the Report to Message Originator option on any DLs if a delivery receipt or read receipt is not necessary. This option keeps users who automatically request delivery receipts or read receipts from getting flooded with receipts when those users accidentally request receipts when sending a message to a DL.

To disable the Report to Message Originator option on a DL, in the Exchange Server Administrator program, click to clear the Report to Message Originator check box on the Advanced tab of the DL.

NOTE: When the Hide Membership From Address Book option is selected, the Report to Message Originator option is overridden to ensure the secrecy of the member list of the DL.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server version 5.5.

Additional query words: DR RR XADM

Keywords: kbhotfixserver kbqfe kbbug kbexchange550presp5fix kbfix kbqfe KB285366

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