Importing SMTP or Custom Recipients into Exchange

Troubleshooting Outlook Startup Issues

This document contains strategies for isolating Outlook startup problems, as well as some reprints of Microsoft Knowledge Base articles.

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Contents

1. Exchange Server Configuration Issues
2. Troubleshooting Startup of Windows Client Using TCP/IP
3. Improving Windows Client Startup Times
4. Changing the RPC Binding Order

Exchange Server Configuration Issues

Outlook ships with an Exchange client. You can use this program to determine if your configuration problem is unique to Outlook.

Locate the Exchng32.exe file in the \Program Files folder. The exact location will vary depending on the operating system. By default, Exchng32.exe is either in the Microsoft Exchange or the Windows Messaging subfolder. The file size is 83,776 bytes with a date of 11/17/96. Start Exchng32.exe with the same profile as you used with Outlook.

If your problem does not persist with the Exchange client, the problem may be with Outlook or one of its associated files. You may have to remove and re-install Outlook using the Add/Remove Programs icon in Control Panel.

If the problem continues with Exchng32.exe, you should suspect a server or profile issue and use the following steps to continue troubleshooting:

• Resolve your mailbox name with the server by clicking the Check Names button in the properties sheet for Exchange Server.
• If possible, configure a profile without the Exchange Server and see if the problem persists.
• If possible, change the delivery location and see if the problem persists.

NOTE: Before you change the delivery from a Mailbox location to a Personal Folder, make sure you move any existing mail messages from the Inbox folder.

XCLN: Troubleshooting Startup of Windows Client Using TCP/IP

Last reviewed: March 31, 1998

Article ID: Q155048

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Exchange Windows 3.x client, versions 4.0 and 5.0

Microsoft Exchange Windows 95 client, versions 4.0 and 5.0

Microsoft Exchange Windows NT client, versions 4.0 and 5.0

SUMMARY

When you start the Microsoft Exchange client, one of the more common reasons for slow startup is the failure to resolve the Microsoft Exchange Server TCP/IP host name. This document discusses the steps for eliminating host name resolution issues on client computers with TCP/IP running. Start troubleshooting by going to the Microsoft Exchange Server properties of the user profile. With the correct server name and mailbox entered, click the Check Name button to get an idea of how much time it is taking to resolve the name. If the time to resolve is greater than 30 to 40 seconds, continue the troubleshooting steps in this article to help improve startup times.

MORE INFORMATION

In the Microsoft Exchange Server properties of the client profile, type the IP address instead of the server name and click Check Name. This will not only test name resolution, but also will do a basic RPCPING to the computer running Microsoft Exchange Server.

If the IP address fails to resolve to the correct Exchange Server name, there is either a problem with Remote Procedure Calls (RPCs) to the computer running Microsoft Exchange Server or a problem with the IP Address of the computer running Microsoft Exchange Server. if the IP address failed, proceed as below:

At an MS-DOS prompt, try to PING the IP address of Exchange Server. If this fails, then there may be a networking issue or a TCP/IP configuration issue that is not allowing connection to the Exchange Server machine. This issue must be resolved before the Exchange client will be able to connect to the Exchange Server over TCP/IP.

If a Ping of the IP address works correctly, but a profile checkname fails to resolve the IP address, then the RPC Binding Order may be incorrect. Ensure the RPC Binding Order includes ncacn_ip_tcp first in the list. See XGEN: Changing the RPC Binding Order

IP Address Resolves? If the IP address quickly resolves to the correct Microsoft Exchange Server name, continue with Host Name Resolution Troubleshooting below:

Host Name Resolution Troubleshooting - Ping Microsoft Exchange Server Name:

At this point, the computer running Microsoft Exchange Server is available for connection via IP address. The next step is to verify host name resolution. At an MS-DOS prompt, ping the Microsoft Exchange Server name.

Ping Server Name Succeeds?

If Pinging the Exchange Server Name works in a timely manner, but client starts up slowly, the RPC binding order may need to be modified.

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

XCLN: Improving Windows Client Startup Times

Ping Server Name Fails?

Run IPCONFIG /all (or WINIPCFG on Windows 95) and check what address is set in the Domain Name Server (DNS) entry field. DNS can be set for all TCP clients by means of dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) or by using the TCP Configuration in Control Panel for the individual computers. Continue with DNS Configuration Troubleshooting below.

DNS Configuration Troubleshooting - Ping DNS IP Address

If IPCONFIG displays an IP address in the DNS Servers field, then the client machine is configured to resolve Host Names via DNS. The next step in trouble shooting is to verify the DNS Server is available. At an MS-DOS prompt, Ping the DNS IP Address. If the DNS does not respond to the request, additional attempts are made at 5, 10, 15, 20, 5, 10, 15, and 20- second intervals. This is the design of DNS and is usually the root cause of slow client startup.

Ping DNS Server Fails?

If the client computer is configured for a DNS server that is not available, DNS either needs to be disabled or needs to be configured for a DNS server that is available at all times.

Ping DNS Server Succeeds?

If the DNS server is available and configured properly, the Microsoft Exchange Server name and IP address need to be added to the DNS database. Once this is done, pinging the Microsoft Exchange Server name will resolve to an IP address by the DNS server, allowing for faster startup times of the Microsoft Exchange client.

Add Microsoft Exchange Server to HOSTS File

The HOSTS file gets read every time a Winsock application attempts to resolve a host name. There are NO #PRE options to preload entries (that is how it is done in LMHOSTS). You can add the Microsoft Exchange Server entry to the HOSTS file and try again without having to restart Windows. The HOSTS file on Windows 95 is located in the Windows directory and on Windows NT in Windows\System32\Drivers\<and so on>.

Name Resolution

Below is the order of host name resolution over TCP/IP:

1. HOSTS file

2. DNS Server 3. NetBIOS Cache 4. WINS server 5. Broadcast 6. LMHOSTS file

XCLN: Improving Windows Client Startup Times

PSS ID Number: Q136516

Article last modified on 06-11-1997

4.0 5.0

WINDOWS

The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Windows client, versions 4.0 and 5.0

- Microsoft Exchange Windows NT client, versions 4.0 and 5.0

- Microsoft Exchange Windows 95 client, versions 4.0 and 5.0

SYMPTOMS

When you start a Microsoft Exchange Windows client, the main application window may take a relatively long time to load after the startup screen appears.

RESOLUTION

You can significantly improve startup time by properly configuring the RPC

binding order on the machine running the Microsoft Exchange client:

1. Use the Microsoft Exchange Setup Editor to adjust the RPC binding order. The Setup Editor is installed on the server, with the Microsoft Exchange Administrator program.

2. In the Setup Editor, choose the Modify Setup Program Options command on the File menu. This brings up the Setup Program Options property sheet.

3. Select the Binding Order property page. Modify the RPC protocols according to your network configuration and delete those protocols not being used.

For example, if the client is communicating with the Microsoft Exchange Server using the TCP/IP protocol, use the Setup Editor to remove all the protocols defined except the TCP/IP protocol.

The Setup Editor must be run against a client installation share point. After you use the Setup Editor to make changes, users must run SETUP.EXE from the client installation share point and install or reinstall the client as necessary.

MORE INFORMATION

When the Microsoft Exchange client starts up, it uses the first protocol in the RPC binding order to attempt to communicate with the Microsoft Exchange Server. If this attempt fails, the Microsoft Exchange client then uses the next protocol in the binding order, and so on, until it has established communication with the server or it has run out of protocols. In the latter case, an error message is displayed and the user is asked if he or she would like to work offline.

Hence, if the protocol installed on the client machine is at the top of the binding order, the client will establish communication with the server in the first attempt and will not have to time out and go down the binding order. This can significantly reduce the startup time.

NOTE: The information in this article only applies to setting the RPC binding order for the 16-bit Windows, Windows NT, and Windows 95 clients. It does not apply to the MS-DOS client as a different setup method is employed.

XGEN: Changing the RPC Binding Order

PSS ID Number: Q163576

The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Server version 4.0

- Microsoft Exchange Server version 5.0

SUMMARY

How Microsoft Exchange Server Uses RPC

Microsoft Exchange Server uses RPC built into Windows NT for establishing connections among the Microsoft Exchange Server processes, such as connections between Microsoft Exchange Server Message Transfer Agents (MTAs), and for connecting Microsoft Exchange clients and Servers in the network. Microsoft Exchange Server can use RPC over named pipes, TCP/IP, NetBIOS, and IPX/SPX. When it tries to use RPC, Microsoft Exchange Server proceeds

through the list of the protocols given above and tries to establish RPC binding. The preference order of the transports is defined by the the "RPC BINDING ORDER" which by default is Local RPC, TCP/IP, SPX, Named Pipes, and then Netbios in order of preference.

Changing the RPC Protocol Binding Order

When a Microsoft Exchange client is installed, it sets the default RPC protocol binding order. This setting determines the protocol sequence that it uses to communicate with Microsoft Exchange Server. You can change the RPC binding order before or after the client is installed. Performance can be improved by changing the RPC binding order if the client uses multiple protocols or if the single protocol your client uses is not the first listed in the RPC binding order. If the protocol used is last in the sequence, the Microsoft Exchange client attempts to bind over the protocols listed before it when connecting to the Server. The protocols are represented in the binding order, using the following entries. The string ncacn refers to Network Computing Architecture Connection.

Protocol name RPC protocol string

Local RPC ncalrpc

TCP/IP ncacn_ip_tcp

SPX ncacn_spx

Named pipes ncacn_np

NetBIOS netbios

VINES IP ncacn_vns_spp

For example, the following entry attempts to establish connections over SPX, TCP/IP, and NetBIOS in that order.

RPC_Binding_Order=ncacn_spx,ncacn_ip_tcp,netbios

Clients Running Windows 95, Windows NT Server, and Windows NT Workstation

By default, the Microsoft Exchange client uses the following RPC binding order for Windows 95, Windows NT Server, and Windows NT Workstation when attempting to connect to a Microsoft Exchange Server.

1. TCP/IP

2. SPX

3. Named pipes

4. NetBIOS

5. VINES IP (Windows NT Server and Windows NT Workstation only)

You can change the RPC binding order for clients running Windows 95,

Windows NT Workstation, and Windows NT Server before or after you've installed the Microsoft Exchange Client.

Before installation:

In Setup Editor, select the Binding Order property page.

After installation:

Use the Registry Editor to modify the binding order in

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Exchange\Exchange Provider. For

example, the following entry attempts to establish SPX, TCP/IP, and

NetBIOS connections in the order indicated:

RPC_Binding_Order=ncacn_spx,ncacn_ip_tcp,netbios

Clients Running Windows and Windows for Workgroups

By default, the Microsoft Exchange client uses the following RPC binding order for Windows for Workgroups when attempting to connect to a Microsoft Exchange Server.

1. Named pipes

2. SPX

3. TCP/IP

4. NetBIOS

5. VINES IP

You can change the RPC binding order for clients running Windows and Windows for Workgroups before or after you've installed Microsoft Exchange Client.

Before installation:

In Setup Editor, select the Binding Order property page.

After installation:

In the Exchng.ini file in the Windows directory, edit the [Exchange Provider] section. For example, the following entry in the Exchng.ini file

attempts to establish SPX, TCP/IP, and NetBIOS connections in the order indicated:

[Exchange Provider]

RPC_Binding_Order=ncacn_spx,ncacn_ip_tcp,netbios

Clients Running MS-DOS

By default, the Microsoft Exchange client uses the following RPC binding order for MS-DOS when attempting to connect to a Microsoft Exchange Server.

1. Local RPC

2. Named pipes

3. SPX

4. TCP/IP

5. NetBIOS

You can change the RPC binding order for clients running MS-DOS after you've installed MS-DOS. To change the order, edit the RPC_BINDING_ORDER line in the Mlsetup.ini file. This file is installed automatically on the client or on a network share. For example, the following entry in the Mlsetup.ini file attempts to establish local RPC, named pipes, TCP/IP, and NetBIOS connections in the order indicated:

RPC_Binding_Order=ncalrpc,ncacn_np,ncacn_ip_tcp,netbios

MORE INFORMATION

There is no need to reboot the computer after modifying the Microsoft Exchange binding order. The Microsoft Exchange client will reread the binding when restarting. For troubleshooting purposes, simply change the binding order in the registry (make sure the key has been fully committed to the registry) and then attempt a check names from the properties for the Microsoft Exchange Server Service (control panel/mail). It is unnecessary even to exit out of regedit when trying different bindings.

You MUST use commas between binding order entries or the binding doesn't get read. If, for instance, you use "ncacn_ip_tcp;netbios" and attempt a check names, the following error will immediately be generated:

The name could not be resolved. The Microsoft Address Book was unable to log on to the Microsoft Exchange Server computer. Contact your system

administrator if the problem persists. <ok>

If the entire RPC_binding_Order subkey is deleted, the Microsoft Exchange client will utilize the default binding order. This may be a good quick troubleshooting step if there are concerns about incorrect entries in the binding order.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1997.