Question

SMTP Error 554

Asked by: hcnsupport

We are having problems with several ME users not being able to send mail to our mail server (Vircom's ModusMail 3). The problems all seemed to have started at about the same time June 25 or 26. When using Outlook Express or Outlook to send mail, the user gets an error 554 "transaction failed." We do not show the error on our mail logs. The user can receive mail, just not send.
We have tried a telnet session to our mail server on port 25, but they get the same 554 error--transaction failed. We have had them telnet to another server (not even ours) and they get the same error.
Some of the users have McAfee and others have Norton anti-virus. We have had them disable the mail scanning in both cases and it does not make a difference. The best we can determine, most are not using a firewall. One was using ZoneAlarm and we had them disable it. It did not make any difference.
All are dialup connections and can surf and receive email, just not send mail.
The problem has to be on the client end and not on the server, but we cannot determine the problem.
Was there an ME update around that time that could have caused the problem?
Or is there a virus update that would create this problem?
We have been chasing this problem for a week and have not been able to get it resolved.
Thanks,
Rick

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Asked On
2004-07-01 at 15:47:12ID21045435
Tags

554

,

error

,

smtp

Topic

Windows ME Operating System

Participating Experts
3
Points
0
Comments
13

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Answers

 

by: JonveePosted on 2004-07-03 at 16:40:57ID: 11465735

hcnsupport,

Found a couple of vague references to "error 554  transaction failed", but in both, a virus was implicated!  
This was one of the 'statements':
 ......   Diagnostic-Code: SMTP; 554 TRANSACTION FAILED - Unrepairable Virus Detected. Your mail has not been sent  .......

You may therefore like to try at least one of these free, recommended virus scanners:

           http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php

           http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/com/activescan_principal.htm

           http://housecall.trendmicro.com

You could also try this:
 The 'Stinger' is a utility that cleans the system of virii, that block anti virus software. You can download the 'Stinger' from here. Run it to make sure that 'disabling viruses' are not present.

          http://download.nai.com/products/mcafee-avert/stinger.exe

  Then update and run a full system scan of all files, using a virus scanner.

Jonvee

 

by: BurbblePosted on 2004-07-03 at 17:20:03ID: 11465938

Hmm, I was hesitant to recommend anything here because I am at a loss for what the problem might be, let alone a solution.

If I understand correctly:
The clients with Windows Millenium are unable to access any SMTP servers via port 25, regardless of what application they are using. The transaction does not appear in server logs, implying that the connection requests from the clients are not actually reaching the server.

The only thing I can think of right now is a block of port 25... But that doesn't make sense.

Hmm...

-Burbble

 

by: hcnsupportPosted on 2004-07-04 at 17:44:21ID: 11470159

We had already checked for worms and virus. We did finally determine that it was a problem with Slipstream. Disabling the email acceleration seemed to have solved the problem. We also determined that it was not necessarily an ME issue. We also had a problem with an XP user.
Thanks.

 

by: BurbblePosted on 2004-07-04 at 20:02:17ID: 11470469

Glad you got it working. Just want to clarify something...

I am not exactly sure what Slipstream is or does, but if disabling that acceleration fixed the problem, how did this happen? :

>> We have had them telnet to another server (not even ours) and they get the same error.

Was the other server you tried using the same acceleration option?
Also, it seems odd how the problem just started on a certain date. Was this modification done to the server around that time? And why did the server logs not show anything?

Sorry for all the questions, just want to clarify for the record :-)

-Burbble

 

by: JonveePosted on 2004-07-04 at 23:10:08ID: 11470966

Glad you appear to have solved your problem!     Thanks for the feedback.    
   

 

by: hcnsupportPosted on 2004-07-05 at 10:28:55ID: 11474711

Slipstream is a dialup accelerator (similar to AOL Topspeed, Net Zero's HighSpeed, etc.). It does some caching and image compression. There is also an option to accelerate email. This is where the problem was happening.
The software is installed on the client side, not the server side.
Evidently there was an upgrade for the Slipstream software that started causing the problems around June 25 or 26.

Thanks

 

by: BurbblePosted on 2004-07-05 at 12:01:23ID: 11475246

Oh, I see.

Hmm, I wonder how you could accelerate mail? By definition this should be impossible :-)

Well, no matter, glad you got it resolved.

-Burbble

 

by: JonveePosted on 2004-07-06 at 13:57:25ID: 11485867

hcnsupport,
As you appear to have answered the question yourself, you may wish to retrieve your points.
You could check this link under the heading "Closing Questions"
              http://www.experts-exchange.com/help.jsp#hi70
Thanks.


 

by: BurbblePosted on 2004-07-06 at 20:01:17ID: 11487933

Shouldn't this question be PAQ'd so other people using Slipstream can find it if they start having the same problem?

-Burbble

 

by: JonveePosted on 2004-07-07 at 05:45:36ID: 11490996

DarthMod
Community Support Moderator.

Thanks for the comment!    Have to admit that my initial aim was to return hcnsupport's points, without any more thought about the contents of the issue that had been resolved.   However, Burbble makes a very valid arguement, and upon reflection i am inclined to agree with him, that a better solution would be for the question to be PAQ'd.  It was a particularly difficult issue, and maybe there will be an occasion when someone else with a 'Slipstream' problem will benefit from the comments above [It would still be useful if hcnsupport could regain his points!].    
Apologies for any inconvenience.    Thank you.
Jonvee.

 

by: BurbblePosted on 2004-07-07 at 07:57:54ID: 11492460

k, thanks.

Jonvee, are you DarthMod? Parts of speech are confusing me right now, maybe it's just too early in the morning :-)

-Burbble

 

by: moduloPosted on 2004-07-10 at 04:41:49ID: 11518067

Closed, 500 points refunded.

modulo
Community Support Moderator
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