OWA stopped working and Exchange 2003 not receiving external mail

[AREJAY]

Howdy,

Here're the specs: Windows Server 2003 SBS with SP1, Exchange Server 2003 with SP2. We can send all day long, but we can't receive anything externally. External in-bound mail doesn't bounce any error messages to the senders.

Internal send/receive work fine.

SMTP Virtual Server seems to be functioning with no problems. Server has been restarted many times, Exchange server services have been restarted many times.

Sonicwall (Firewall) has been taken out of the loop and tested and it's not the firewall.

I read another post about Reverse DNS lookup check box on the message delivery general tab causing MS to create an unpublic hotfix. I can't seem to get a hold of that hotfix to test it.

Any ideas or thought provoking chit-chat is much appreciated.

Thanks!!

 

[ShackDaddy]

Have you tested an SMTP connection to the server from an outside host via telnet to port 25?

Have you used NSLOOKUP to verify that your MX record and the A-record that it points to are in order?

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[AREJAY]

I tried to telnet into port 25 on a laptop on the same subnet, but not part of the domain and hyperterminal just blank stared at me.

MX and A records are accurate.

I just finished copying my priv & pub files, blew Exchange out of the water, deleted the folders and reinstalled Exchange. Didn't work.

anything else you can think of?

 

[ShackDaddy]

Do a 'netstat -a' on the server and see if it's even listening on port 25.

The fact that you can't even telnet to it from inside means that something is wrong with the network portion of your setup. Did you run the Configure Email and Internet Connection Wizard on the server, or did you try and set things up manually?

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[AREJAY]

Yeah, I ran the Config e-mail & Internet connection wizard when I first set up this server, then again (twice) today.

I ran the netstat -a on the server and smtp is listed as "listening" along with nameserver http kerberos pop3 nntp epmap imap ldap https and a bunch of others. I rerouted our internet connection around the firewall, but only proved that the firewall wasn't the issue.

I have to have this server back up by morning, so I may simply rebuild it from the ground up. It's such a small network I could have the drives reformatted and the OS reinstalled faster than troubleshooting anymore. I'm currently backing all 7 users e-mail to PST files, just in case I can't find a solution in the next couple of hours.

Thanks for your help - if you have any other ideas please shoot em back. I haven't formatted the drives yet.

 

[ShackDaddy]

Is the IISAdmin service running? Sort your services screen by startup type and see if there's anything set to Automatic that's not running.

What's going on in the Application log? Turn on maximum logging on the MSExchangeTransport/SMTP Protocol area.

Try telneting to port 25 on the loopback address on the server. I mean, run it from a command prompt on the server like this: 'telnet loopback 25'. You should get an SMTP message.

Check the SMTP Virtual Server and make sure it's listening on the address that it's supposed to be.

Are there multiple IP's bound to the same interface on the server? Are there more than one interface?

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[AREJAY]

All logs are silent on this issue. All logs (app, system, etc.) are set for maximum logging. The IISAdmin is running I've tried restarting that one too a couple of times today.

I read another post today on this site (see thread 1312713) or go here

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=1312713&page=1

about how when enabling the reverse DNS lookup on the sender ID filter blows up their server the same way mine is. The resolution was a call to Microsoft where after 4 hours they gave the tek-tips poster an undocumented hotfix. I've posted to that thread asking for the hotfix, but haven't heard from them. Probably out fighting holiday traffic.

One more PST file to back up.

 

[58sniper]

I'd burn a call to PSS before I'd reload the server. Reloading and adding all the workstations back isn't an answer, IMNSHO.

PSS can certainly get you back up and running.

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Want to know how email works? Read for yourself -

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2821.txt

 

[ShackDaddy]

Getting a hotfix from Microsoft is usually very simple. It has never taken me more than 15 minutes to have it ready to install. I'd go that route immediately if you think that's where you might need to end up.

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[AREJAY]

PSS??

 

[AREJAY]

Hmmm. the only support I've found from MS is their e-mail support. Do you know a number that's open after hours for a hotfix?

 

[ShackDaddy]

Microsoft Product Support Services are the people who answer the phone when you call technical support for help. It's 800-936-4900 for US customers.

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[AREJAY]

I'm on the phone with them now. 6a-6p PST, but someone actually answered.

I'll let you know what happens.

thank you again for your help. I've been a consultant for 10 years now and its these type of problems that bring me back to earth.