Store NDRs

When a message is undeliverable, Exchange returns it to the sender with a NDR. You can also designate that copies of the NDR be sent to a location of your choice. If the NDR cannot be delivered to the sender, a copy of the message is put in the Badmail directory. Messages placed in the Badmail directory cannot be delivered or returned.

To set a storage location for NDRs:

1. Start System Manager
   On the Start menu, point to Programs, point to Microsoft Exchange, and then click System Manager.
2. Navigate to the SMTP virtual server.
   1. Servers
   2. Server
   3. Protocols
   4. SMTP
   5. SMTP virtual servers
   6. SMTP virtual server
3. Right-click the SMTP virtual server, and then click Properties.
4. To specify the mailbox where you want to store copies of the NDRs, on the Messages tab, in Send copy of Non-Delivery report to, type the e-mail address. This should be a valid SMTP e-mail address that recipients of NDRs can respond to when there is a problem in your messaging system.
5. In Badmail directory, type the directory you want to use to store undeliverable messages. The default location is root:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\Mailroot\<vsi #>\Badmail, where <vsi #> is the specific virtual server (the default SMTP virtual server is vsi 1). To select another folder, click Browse. You can designate a different directory, provided it is on the same computer as the SMTP virtual server.

   Warning   Do not select the M: drive (the drive running Exchange Information Store) as a location for your Badmail directory. Selecting this drive will conflict with Exchange's administration and transport services, causing messages to stop flowing.

6. If you have another mail system in your organization that handles the same domain as your SMTP virtual server, in Forward all mail with unresolved recipients to host, type in an alternative host name. When your Exchange server receives e-mail for a user it can't resolve, the e-mail will be forwarded to this host.

   Important   You must install an SMTP connector and be sure the designated host is in the connector's address space. Otherwise, Exchange will not be able to find the host and no mail will be forwarded, generating non-delivery reports. This SMTP virtual server does not have to be the bridgehead server for the connector, provided it can reach the SMTP virtual server that is the bridgehead.

   For example, if an SMTP virtual server and a Unix e-mail server both serve a domain called airlines-10.com, Exchange may receive e-mail intended for Unix users. When Exchange can't find these users, it will know to forward these messages to the designated host in the other system.

   Note   Be sure outside e-mail is directed first to your Exchange organization, to ensure all Exchange e-mail is received and all other e-mail is properly forwarded.