Microsoft KB Archive/894094

= You can take the MTA resource offline, but you cannot bring the MTA resource back online after you restart a Windows-based cluster =

Article ID: 894094

Article Last Modified on 10/25/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
 * Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Standard Edition

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SYMPTOMS
When you restart a Microsoft Windows-based cluster that is running Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, the Exchange 2003 message transfer agent (MTA) resource starts successfully. However, when you follow these steps, the MTA resource may fail:
 * 1) You right-click the MTA resource, and then you click Take Offline.
 * 2) You right-click the MTA resource, and then you click Bring Online.

Additionally, the following event may be logged in the Application event log: Event ID: 3080

Event Type: Warning

Event Source: MSExchangeMTA

Event Category: Internal Processing

Description: A fatal MTA database server error was encountered.



CAUSE
This problem typically occurs after the MTA resource releases a lock too early on an object that is not thread safe. Data is then incorrectly written to the Db000001.dat file. If any valid pointers to MTA queues are incorrectly written, the MTA resource may not start successfully.

Note The Db000001.dat file is located in the Exchsrvr\Mtadata folder.



Service pack information
To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Exchange Server 2003. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

836993 How to obtain the latest service packs for Exchange Server 2003

Hotfix information
A supported hotfix is now 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 service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem, submit a request to Microsoft Online Customer Services to obtain the hotfix. To submit an online request to obtain the hotfix, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6294451

Note If additional issues occur or 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. To create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Prerequisites
This hotfix requires Exchange 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1).

Restart requirement
You do not have to restart your computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information
This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

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 tool in Control Panel.   Date         Time   Version            Size    File name --  15-Feb-2005  22:32  6.5.7232.82     3,591,168  Emsmta.exe



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the &quot;Applies to&quot; section. This problem was first corrected in Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2.



MORE INFORMATION
For more information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

817903 New naming schema for Exchange Server software update packages

Additional query words: XADM Early Lock Release db000001.dat MTA Startup

Keywords: kbqfe kbhotfixserver kbfix kbbug kbexchange2003presp1fix KB894094

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