POP Connector failing consistently

[Lee Stone]

Hello

I have run my SBS2003 SP2 for a few years with very little pain at all.

My incoming mail is captured from an external server via POP and distributed
locally using the built-in POP Connector.

In the last few weeks, I have been having problems with the connector
failing every couple of days. The mail just stops coming through. I look at
the running service and it displays "shutting down" but never seems to do
so. Due to the "shutting down" status, I am unable to stop or restart the
service. The only solution is to reboot the server. Upon reboot, the POP
Connector works properly for a day or so until the next failure.

The error log for POP Connector reads as follows:

"
Event Type: Error
Event Source: POP3 Connector
Event Category: Core
Event ID: 1000
Date: 07/07/2008
Time: 05:45:37
User: N/A
Computer: DELLSERVER
Description:
CIMBService::LaunchDownloadManager, CreateProcess(DownloadMgr)
Error: Access is denied.
(-2147024891)
"

I have looked around the net but find little to go on.

Your assistance would be welcome.

Thanks

Lee Stone

[Cliff Galiher]

The POP connector is not maintained and does have issues. In the past
(using webmail access) I've found that there are certain attachment
configurations that can cause the POP3 connector to crash. So it wouldn't
surprise me if a recent spam storm has hit your server and this is why the
problem 'appears' recent.

It sounds like you've been using the POP3 connector as a permanent solution,
which is simply not recommended. This is due to many issues, not just the
one I outlined above. It also has issues with BCC mail, and a few other
sundry bugs that really make it suitable as a 'transitional' tool while you
set up home-hosted SMTP. Is that an option for you? I'd *highly* recommend
it.

Otherwise you should look at purchasing a third-party POP connector for
long-term use. I don't recommend it, but it is an option.

To spare you from reboots though, you can do this:

from a command prompt, type: sc queryex <service name>

Sorry, I don't remember the service name for the pop3 connector...haven't
run it in a few years. But that command will give you detailed info about
the service INCLUDING the PID.

Once you have the PID, you can use task manager to kill the process and then
you can restart it via the services control panel. Hope that helps,

-Cliff

"Lee Stone" <m...@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:%23BESqnE...@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

[Lee Stone]

Cliff

Many thanks for the advice. It was in trying to determine the service name
(it's not clear from the task manager) that I found this newsgroup.

I think I shall bite the bullet and set up SMTP mail in the next few days.

Do you know of a good how-to guide?

Lee

"Cliff Galiher" <cgal...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:2DBC0851-B9E4-427C...@microsoft.com...

[Cliff Galiher]

If there is a guide, I'm not aware of it. But maybe somebody else will
chime in.

I can say, however, that the process is *extremely* easy...almost so much so
that a guide is unnecessary.

1) Run the CEICW. The wizard will set up exchange to receive email and lock
it down from relaying. I'd recommend, of course, that you have all patches
and service packs installed.

2) Open up/forward port 25 on your firewall to allow traffic to exchange

3) Test it and make sure it receives email. You can do this via telnet
(from outside...your home PC for example) or an SMTP test service such as
the one ZoneEdit hosts. I prefer the latter as it less prone to typing
errors. :)

4) Once you know you won't lose email because of misconfiguration you can
update your external DNS with whoever hosts it with a new MX record pointing
to the public IP of your exchange server.

Each of these steps can be researched more thoroughly with a quick google
search, but honestly I doubt it will be necessary. It is all pretty cut and
dry, and you'll be much happier in the long run administrating an SMTP
server instead of that god-awful POP connector. Congratulations!

-Cliff

"Lee Stone" <m...@privacy.net> wrote in message

news:%230tyRpI...@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

[Terence Liu [MSFT]]

Hello Lee,

Thank you for posting here. Let's also thank Cliff for the good workaround.

According to your description, I understand that you POP3 connector often
corrupt and unable to receive email. If I have misunderstood the problem,
please don't hesitate to let me know.

First, there is sure some limitations of the Microsoft POP3 connector. To
receive email thru SMTP is a good workaround.

However, if you want to resolve the POP3 connector issue, I suggest we try
the following steps to see if we can resolve this issue:

1. Please repair the POP3 connector on SBS first:
a. Run IMBREG.exe located in the '\Program files\Microsoft Windows Small
Business Server\Networking\Pop3' folder to re-register the pop3 DLLs.
b. Restart the Microsoft Connector for POP3 Mailboxes Service and the SMTP
virtual server (ESM \Servers \Server name \Protocols \SMTP Default SMTP
Virtual Server.)
c. Run iisreset from a command prompt.

2. If the connector still cannot work, we have to reinstall POP3 connector:

a. Rename the POP3 folder to POP3.old in the following location:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Windows Small Business Server\Networking

b. Use regedit, locate the "POP3 Connector" key in the following location:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SmallBusinessServer\Network

c. Export the "POP3 Connector" key to the desktop as a backup. Delete the
"POP3 Connector" key and close the registry editor.

d. In Windows Explorer, show hidden and system files by going to "Tools",
"Folder Options" and "Views", and unhide the hidden files, as well as the
system files.

e. Search for and delete all SITxxxxx.tmp folders, you may use SIT*tmp as a
wildcard.

f. Manually execute the POP3.MSI file from the SBS 2003 CD #3, \SBS\POP3
folder. This should show the "Preparing to install" and then some actual
install progress going on.

If you get the error from step f, perform the following to reinstall
Exchange over itself.

Go to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Select "Windows Small Business
Server 2003" and select Change/Remove. This will enter into the Integrated
Setup and the Component Selection screen. Select Networking and Exchange
Server for "reinstall".

3. Rerun the CEICW again to reconfigure POP3 connector.

a. Open Server Management.
b. Click To Do List.
c. Click Connect to the Internet.
d. Proceed to the "Firewall" page and select "Enable Firewall".
e. On the "Services Configuration" page, make sure that "E-mail" service
has been checked.
f. On the "Web Services Configuration" page, check the web services that
you want to publish.
g. On the "Web Server Certificate" page, choose "Create a new Web server
certificate" and key in your public domain name in the box.
h. On the "Internet E-mail" page, choose "Enable Internet e-mail".
i. On the "E-mail Delivery Method" page, choose DNS (Use DNS to route
e-mail) or Smart Host (Forward all e-mail to e-mail server at your ISP) to
route your email, If you select smart host, you need to input the IP
address of your smart host.
j. If you're using POP3 connector, please enable POP3 Connector.
k. Key in your e-mail domain name in "Email Domain Name" page.
l. Finish the wizard.

If we cannot resolve the issue after we perform the steps above, please
help me collect some information for further investigation:

Gather MPS network report on SBS:

a. Download MPSrepot_network from
http://download.microsoft.com/download/b/b/1/bb139fcb-4aac-4fe5-a579-30b0bd9
15706/MPSRPT_NETWORK.EXE

b. Run MPSRPT_NETWORK.exe.

c. The tool will automatically collect the information. This procedure will
take 10~15 minutes.

d. Open Windows Explorer, navigate to the folder:
%SystemRoot%\MPSReports\Network\Reports\Cab\

e. Send the .cab file directly to me at v-te...@microsoft.com

I hope these steps will give you some help.

Thanks and have a nice day!

Best regards,

Terence Liu (MSFT)

Microsoft CSS Online Newsgroup Support

Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security

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--------------------
>From: "Lee Stone" <m...@privacy.net>
>Subject: POP Connector failing consistently
>Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2008 16:55:45 +0100
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>Path: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTNGP01.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl
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[Lee Stone]

"Terence Liu [MSFT]" <v-te...@online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:Qt$f71K4I...@TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl...

> Hello Lee,
>
> Thank you for posting here. Let's also thank Cliff for the good
> workaround.
>

...

For Google's sake - just to let you know that I followed a hunch and
excluded the POP mail directory (C:/Program Files/Microsoft Windows Small
Business Server/Networking/POP3/*.*) from my routine antivirus scan and have
had no problems for the last four days.

Many thanks Cliff and Terance. I will be moving to SMTP mail in the very
near future though...

L

[Terence Liu [MSFT]]

Hello Lee,

Thank you very much for sharing your resolution. I appreciate your time on
this issue.

I'm glad to hear that things are working correctly for you now.

I'd like to make a summary for this post:

Issue:
=============
POP3 connector often corrupt and unable to receive email. Get event error
1000

Cause:
=============
Antivirus scan

Resolutions:
=============
Except the folder C:/Program Files/Microsoft Windows Small Business
Server/Networking/POP3/ from the real time scan of antivirus software.

Additionally, to make the Exchange receive email thru SMTP, we need to run
the CEICW and change the MX record of your email domain.

1. At the E-mail Retrieval Method page of the CEICW, tick Use Exchange,
select E-mail is delivered directly to my server.

2. To change your email domain MX record to resolve to your publish IP
address. You can contact your ISP for detail steps.

Please do not hesitate to post in SBS newsgroup if you need any assistance
in the future. I look forward to working with you again.

Thank you and have a nice day,

Best regards,

Terence Liu (MSFT)

Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security

>References: <#BESqnE4...@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl>
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>In-Reply-To: <Qt$f71K4I...@TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl>
>Subject: Re: POP Connector failing consistently
>Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 23:30:51 +0100
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