XFOR: Troubleshooting Common Exchange Notes Connector Problems

• Make sure that the customer has installed the Exchange Notes Connector and configured it. The initial installation of the Exchange Notes Connector only copies the files to the correct locations on the hard disk. You need to configure the Exchange Notes Connector after you install it. Depending on the version of the Exchange Notes Connector (version 3.2 or 5.5), you either run the Setup program from the Linkage folder or the Notes Configuration utility from the Exchange Connectivity folder.
• Make sure that if you are running the Exchange Notes Connector version 3.2, that you have the latest patch installed. The latest patch can be found at the following location:

  ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/exchange/exchange-public/fixes/Eng/Linkage/Patch827/

  You can download the Lspatch.exe file, which is simply a compressed executable file. Copy and run the lspatch -o -d command in the Linkage folder.
• There is a known problem that can occur if you run more than seven Exchange Server-related services. The following error message is displayed:
  Initialization of the dynamic link library D:\WINNT\system32\USER32.dll has failed. The process is terminating abnormally.
  For additional information about the workaround for this problem, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  158308 XFOR: Err Msg: Initialization of Dynamic Link Library Failed

• The default location for the Notes.ini file is in the Winnt folder. This file is most likely used by the Exchange Notes Connector, barring any changes to the system path or manual modifications of the Notes Client INI file location. You can check this in the Linkage.ini or Exchconn.ini files, or in the properties for the Exchange Notes Connector.
• Ensure that the Notes folder is in the Windows NT System path, or the Exchange Notes Connector will not work. However, if the Exchange Notes Connector seems to start even though the Notes folder is not specified, there may be multiple copies of the Nnotes.dll file on your disk. Remove all copies of this file, except the copy that is in your Notes folder. You must restart the computer for this change to take effect.
• Ensure that the Notes Client can make a successful connection to the target Notes server. Open up the Mail.box (Notes Mail Router) file on the Notes server. Check to make sure that you do not open databases on Local.
• Make sure that the Notes Client 4.52 or later is installed properly with the correct Notes ID assigned to that client. To check this; start the Notes Client, and check in the menu "File" [ASCII 150] "Tools" [ASCII 150] "User Id". When you start the Notes Client and open any Notes database, you should not be presented with the option to specify a password. Note that although other 4.x version Notes Clients might work, they are not supported.
• The permissions on the Mail.box file should theoretically be set to Depositor. However, there may be cases where you need to set the permissions to Manager level, with Delete permissions. The most common way to set the permissions on the Mail.box file is to start the Notes Client on the Notes server with the Notes Server ID or as the administrator, and open the Mail.box file locally. The Remote.exe utility can also simulate a Notes open session that can determine if those databases are accessible from the Exchange Notes Connector server.
• If the Notes Client is unable to make a connection to the Notes server, check the following:
  • Make sure that other Notes users are able to connect.
  • Check the Location document, which is located on the bottom right corner in the Notes Client. It should say "Office," as opposed to "Home." There are also other names possible, edit the Location document to confirm the names.
  • If the Notes server name is different than its Microsoft Windows NT server name, the problem is very likely a name resolution problem. Check all the usual host and network basic input/output system (NetBIOS) name resolution mechanisms.
  • Check the Person document for the Exchange Notes Connector ID as well. Make sure that the mail or home server actually points to the correct Notes server. In some cases, during the creation of the Exchange Notes Connector ID, the mail or home server may be incorrect.
• After you start the Exchange Notes Connector, start the LinkAge Administrator (version 3.2) or Connectivity Administrator (version 5.5). Check the processes to make sure that they are all idle. Check the log browser for information and possible error messages that may be logged by the Exchange Notes Connector.
• Another common problem occurs because of the name of the Notes server that is specified in the Exchange Notes Connector configuration. In Notes, all configuration assumes a fully qualified Notes address, for example, Notes_server/Notes_domain. A common symptom of this problem is the logging of the following entries in the Browse log:
  1998/03/02 05:23:28-LME-NOTES-NTSMEX(0157) 1 41217:Error opening Notes Mail Box: notessna/Dns!!exchange.box
  To try to resolve this problem, simply specify the Notes server name without the Notes domain in the Exchange Notes Connector property [ASCII 150] options. However, use this method with caution. This method is not guaranteed to resolve the problem; there may be other issues occurring concurrently, and this method may cause the resolution of Notes doclinks to Uniform Resource Locator (URL) links to stop working.
• When the Exchange Notes Connector starts, two mail files are created, the Exchange.box and Exchange.bad files (if the Notes server and the Exchange Notes Connector use the default configuration). If the files were created manually, check to make sure that the Exchange Notes Connector ID has Manager level access. Microsoft strongly recommends that you let the Exchange Notes Connector create these files during startup; this eliminates any possible permission or access control list (ACL) errors.
• When a message is sent from Notes to the Exchange Server domain, you may receive an error message that states that a route could not be found for a domain. Check the Foreign Domain document and ensure that the Notes server has been recycled as well.
• There is a small possibility that the Notes domain may actually be the same as the Exchange Server foreign domain. This can only occur with a first time Notes server installation in which the Notes domain is given as "Exchange." Obviously this would conflict with the "Exchange" Foreign Domain. This results in very strange behavior between Exchange Server and Notes, especially with directory synchronization (dirsync).
• If you have checked all of the items above and the Exchange Notes Connector processes are not all "Idle," reset the Notes.ini file. The Notes.ini file is generally located in the Winnt folder. To reset the Notes.ini file, locate the following lines in the file, and delete all the lines in the Notes.ini file except these lines (note that you can also reset the Notes server by changing the KitType to 2):

  [Notes]
  
  KitType=1 Directory=d:\notes\data WinNTIconPath=d:\notes\data\W32

  Then start the Notes Client again; it prompts you to supply the usual initial Notes Client configuration information.
• Make sure that if there are other Exchange Server sites that are connected by using an Exchange connector (an X.400 Connector, a Site Connector, and so on), those sites have the Notes Proxy Address Generator installed. In general, you need to do this for all of the users in downstream sites who want to communicate to Notes users. There are currently two ways to do this:
  
  
  • Run the Exchange Connectivity (version 5.5) or Linkage (version 3.2) Setup program that is installed on the Exchange Server with the Exchange Notes Connector, and select the option to install a downstream Notes proxy address. You are prompted for a server in that particular site.
    
    -or-
  • Manually run the executables in either the Exchconn\Install or Linkage\Install folders.
  Some users, generally custom recipients, may be missing the Notes proxy address in their list of e-mail addresses. You can force the Notes proxy address for all of the users in the site by issuing the following command from either the C:\Linkage\Install or C:\Exchsrvr\Connect\Exchconn\Install folder, as applicable:

  MEXUPADD /Server= MEXServerName /Org= MEXOrganization /Site= MEXSite /Machine=<i386 or alpha> /Addrtype=NOTES /UPDATE /SF

  NOTE: The above command is one path; it has been wrapped for readability.

Mail Flow Problems

• The two most important files in Notes are the Exchange.box and Mail.box files. Most mail flow problems are related to these two files. The most common problems are permissions or ACL settings problems. Select the Notes database, then from the Notes menu, select, "File" [ASCII 150] "Database" [ASCII 150] "Access Control." Make sure that the Exchange Notes Connector ID has been granted Manager access with Delete Documents selected.
• There is also a small possibility that either or both of the Exchange.box and Mail.box files are corrupted. To correct these mail files, run "Database Tools" from "File" [ASCII 150] "Tools" [ASCII 150] "Server Administration." You can select the database and "Tool." Select "DB Fixup." Consult the Notes administrator for further details before you start this tool. You can start the DB Fixup tool by issuing a command on the Notes server console as well, for example:

  LOAD FIXUP EXCHANGE.BOX

• The easiest way to test mail flow is to send e-mail to an Exchange Server user from another Notes client, and have the Exchange Server user reply to the e-mail. Check the Notes proxy address in the Site Addressing properties in Exchange Server to determine the default naming convention that is used for Exchange Server mailboxes. The default naming convention is the following:

  &d/"Exchange_Server_site"/"Exchange_Server_ organization"@"foreign_domain_for_Exchange_Server_in_Notes"

  NOTE: The above naming convention is one path; it has been wrapped for readability.
  
  This may be changed to simply &d@"foreign_domain_for Exchange_Server_in_Notes", for example, &d@exchange.
• The Exchange Notes Connector can send Notes doclinks from Notes to Exchange Server as OLE objects, as well as in a Rich Text Format RTF attachment. However, for this to work the Notes Client must also be installed and work properly on the workstation of the target Exchange Server user. The Exchange Notes Connector simply passes OLE links along to the recipient, because there is no mechanism for the Exchange Notes Connector to verify whether the recipient has the capability to access the OLE link.
• However, the Exchange Notes Connector checks RTF links for validity on each message that is processed. If the Exchange Notes Connector is not able to access this RTF link, it sends an error message in the message. This can occur if you send a "Database or View Link" that is not a doclink from Notes to Exchange Server with the RTF setting selected. The Exchange Notes Connector does not convert "Database or View Link" objects to any type of RTF attachment.
• There is a third option in the Exchange Server 5.5 Exchange Notes Connector that converts the Notes doclink to a URL shortcut (this option is only applicable for a Notes Domino server). If the Notes server name (the Domain Name System (DNS) entry defined in the Notes server document) cannot be properly resolved, then an RTF link is issued. The rules for problems with RTF links apply as usual.
  
  The following error message may be logged when you attempt to send a Notes doclink from Notes to Exchange Server with the Exchange Notes Connector configured to convert Notes doclinks to URLs:
  1998/08/25 14:30:08- LME-NOTES-NTSMEX(0202) 3 41419:Cannot locate HTTP Server name for CN=snanotes/O=XFOR in HTTP Server section of Notes Address Book, searching Notes Server Network Configuration for enabled TCPIP port
  Note that by default, the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) task for the Notes Domino server is not properly configured to allow the Exchange Notes Connector to resolve and convert doclinks to URLs. Open the server document in Notes. Under Network Configuration, there should be an entry for port Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) enabled, if not, add or enable the port with the correct Net address. Next check the HTTP Server section; under the Basics section, "Bind to host name" is disabled by default. Change "Bind to host name" to enabled. Save the server document. You do not need to restart the task. Also check the Exchange Notes Connector properties to make sure that the Notes server name is the fully qualified name.
• You may experience problems when you send OLE links across the Exchange Notes Connector. In general, these problems occur when a Notes user sends a Notes doclink to an Exchange Server user, and when the Exchange Server user opens the doclink, either the window does not open properly or the window is not displayed properly.
  
  The Exchange Notes Connector does not do anything to doclinks that are sent from Notes, except put a "wrapper" (moniker) around the DOC or OLE object. The Exchange Notes Connector then passes the doclink to Exchange Server. To find out whether problems originate in the Exchange Notes Connector, copy this doclink to the clipboard, and then paste it to your desktop. This forces Notes to generate the first layer of the wrapper, which is what the Exchange Notes Connector passes. Close the Notes Client, and then double-click the link shortcut, which starts Notes and opens the Notes database. If this link shortcut works, but the message link does not work when you send it to Exchange Server, the Exchange Notes Connector may be processing the link incorrectly. However, that is unlikely.
• In some cases, the From header may appear strange, for example:

  From: Ward, Bryan On Behalf Of Bryan Ward/DISA/REGIONB@REGION_B

  This is the result of a problem in the Notes Client configuration of the mailbox. The Notes Client should not send a message on behalf of itself. Open the Notes Client, and open the mail database. Click Calendar to open the calendar. Click Actions, click Calendar Tools, and then click Calendar Profile to find the mail file owner. Make sure that the mail file owner is the fully qualified Notes address of the actual user, and not the user's alias or some other name. It is best to select the mail file owner from the primary name and address book. After you correct the Notes Client configuration, the From header will appear as it usually does.
• The Exchange Notes Connector has built-in message loop detection that is enabled by default. There may be cases where the message looping is intentional, and in these cases you should disable this feature. Under the LME-NOTES section of the .ini file, add the following:

  DISABLETRACECHECKEX = YES | NO

Miscellaneous

• When the Exchange Notes Connector starts, a dialog box is displayed that indicates that the Exchange Notes Connector cannot find the Rpcdce4.dll file. Make sure that the file is in the System path. By default, the LinkAge Setup program installs this .dll file in the Microsoft Windows system folder.
• When the Exchange Notes Connector starts, the following error message may be logged in the Browse log:
  Warning {Not found} - Could not obtain the value of the <INI PARAMETER> keyword in the <LME PROCESS> section. Using the default value '<DEFAULT>'
  You can safely ignore this error message, it simply states that the default values will be used for common settings for the Exchange Notes Connector.
• Sometimes you may be unable to see error messages in the Browse logs. Open "Browse Log," then go to "Options" [ASCII 150] "Set Message Level." Make sure that the "4 Trouble Shooting Messages" option is set.
• The Notes Client version 4.6 has not been fully tested with the Exchange Notes Connector. There may be compatibility issues between the Exchange Notes Connector and the Notes Client and its application programming interface (API). If you use the Notes Client 4.6 and you still experience problems after you have performed the checks in this article, use the Notes Client version 4.52 instead, which has been certified to work with the Exchange Notes Connector.
• Messages that contain graphics that are defined as Notes inline bitmaps are sometimes converted to Monochrome. This is a limitation of the Notes RTF conversion.
• Incoming SMTP mail that is addressed to the SMTP proxy address of a Notes recipient may return an NDR, and the following entries may be logged:

  1998/04/06 13:20:33- LME-NOTES-MEXOUT(01ec) 3 31500:Sender: ed@dd.com, Size: 605, Message ID: c=US;a= ;p=Microsoft;l=LME-OSMIUM98040620202NR1B1YB 1998/04/06 13:20:28 NOTES Transform >> mexe(2916) 1998/04/06 13:20:34- LME-NOTES-MEXOUT(01ec) 2 31040:No valid message recipients in message >> mexout(2366) 1998/04/06 13:20:34- LME-NOTES-MEXOUT(01ec) 3 31501:Report Generated: Sender: System Administrator, Message ID: c=US;a= ;p=Microsoft;l=LME-OSMIUM98040620202NR1B1YB 1998/04/06 13:20:34 >> mexe(3539) 1998/04/06 13:20:36- LME-NOTES-MEXIN(0241) 3 31500:Sender: System Administrator, Size: 817, Message ID: c=US;a= ;p=Microsoft;l=LME-OSMIUM98040620202NR1B1YB 1998/04/06 13:20:34 Microsoft Exchange >> mexe(3247)

  This issue is the result of a missing P2 or 822 header. Although most mail systems do not require the 822 header in an SMTP message, all of the LinkAge (SNADS, Profs, and Notes) connectors expect both a P1 and P2 header.
• After you install the Notes Client, you may receive the following error message:
  DDE server window: NLNOTES.EXE - Application Error
  The instruction at "0x00e3e268" referenced memory at "0xfffffff8". The memory could not be "read".
  Click on OK to terminate the application
  Click on CANCEL to debug the application
  The Notes Client reads the registry for Internet settings. Look for the following registry key:

  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\ProxyOverride

  NOTE: The above registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for readability.
  
  If there is a semicolon (;) along with other information in this value, delete the semicolon from this value, and restart the Notes Client.