Troubleshooting Exchange 2003: Real-World Tactics

November 2003 | Reading time: 7 min

Exchange Server 2003 remains one of the most widely deployed messaging platforms in enterprise environments. Yet, even seasoned admins face unpredictable behaviour—delayed mail flow, NDRs, or unexpected client connectivity issues.

One recurring issue we encountered was related to the Default SMTP Virtual Server queue backlog. Symptoms often include users reporting outbound emails getting “stuck.” While the queue viewer might show hundreds of messages queued, often it’s a single DNS failure or a smart host configuration error causing the bottleneck.

Diagnostics with Performance Monitor

Performance Monitor (PerfMon) continues to be a go-to tool for Exchange troubleshooting. I typically start by tracking counters like "MSExchangeIS Mailbox\Messages Delivered/min" or "SMTP Server\Local Queue Length." If you notice flatline values during production hours, you may have a stalled store or connector.

Information Store and Database Mounting Failures

In some high-availability setups, we’ve observed cases where the Information Store wouldn’t mount after unexpected shutdowns. The culprit? Transaction logs not replayed correctly due to missing checkpoint files. Eseutil and Isinteg remain essential tools in your Exchange toolkit.

OWA Access Issues and Permissions

One pain point often overlooked is OWA (Outlook Web Access) failures tied to IIS permissions. If users get a 403 Forbidden error, check whether the Exchange virtual directory has inherited NTFS or IIS permissions incorrectly after a patch or GPO update.

 

 

Eduardo Wnorowski is a technology consultant focused on network and infrastructure. He shares practical insights from the field for engineers and architects.