Problems routing faxes through email
I have a Windows Server 2008 fax server that is giving me some problems when trying to route inbound faxes via email.

Sometimes it will work, and then eventually an inbound fax will get stuck with a status of "Retrying Routing" when viewing it in the Windows XP Fax Console on the client. When this happens, the fax server will record the following 2 events in the Application event log:

Event ID: 32083 Source: Microsoft Fax Task Category: Inbound User: N/A

Unable to route fax C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows NT\MSFax\Queue\1C9889BC4B822.tif to the requested e-mail address.

The following error occurred: 0x80040211
This error code indicates the cause of the error.

Check the SMTP server configuration, and correct any anomalies.

Event ID: 32089 Source: Microsoft Fax Task Category: Inbound User: N/A

The Fax Service failed to execute a specific routing method. The service will retry to route the fax according to the retries configuration. If the retries fail, verify routing method configuration.
Job ID: 0x0401c9889bc4b822.
Received on Device: 'Conexant D850 PCI V.92 Modem'
Sent from: '123123456'
Received file name: 'C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows NT\MSFax\Queue\1C9889BC4B822.tif'.
Routing extension name: 'Microsoft Routing Extension'
Routing method name: 'Route through e-mail'


Sometimes, the fax will eventually go through. Other times, it will fail completely. If it fails completely, the following event is logged in the Application event log and all faxes after this one will fail too.

Event ID: 32078 Source: Microsoft Fax Task Category: Inbound User: N/A

A successfully received fax was not routed automatically. You can find the fax in the Inbox/Incoming archive folder by its Job ID. Job ID: 0x0401c988900827e4. Received on Device: 'Conexant D850 PCI V.92 Modem' Sent from: '987-654-3210'


If I clear all the stuck faxes out of the "Incomming" folder of the fax console, then future faxes might come through successfully (by clear I mean delete them).

I followed the instructions from the following link to get an authenticated user set up instead of using anonymous, but that hasn't helped.

http://blogs.technet.com/sbs/archive/2007/04/02/inbound-fax-routing-may-fail-due-to-the-exchange-intelligent-message-filter-imf.aspx

Any help anyone has would be greatly appreciated as this is getting frustrating.

Thanks!

February 6th, 2009 8:59pm

Hi,

According to your description, I understand that you have problem with routing faxes through email. You may implement the action plan below to address this issue.

Action plan:

================

1. Check Exchange setting.

2. Please follow SBS blog, check Exchange System Manager for the following setting and remove it if it exists:

http://blogs.technet.com/sbs/archive/2007/01/15/fax-fails-because-of-orbs.aspx

3. Disable your antivirus software and retest.

4. If you are running AVG 8 which has SPAM filtering capabilities. Go into Server Manager and configure the associated service to DISABLED:

5. Reboot the server and confirm the service is not running within Server Manager

6. Retest sending faxes to the server and note the results.

If the issue persists, then clean-boot the server and retest again. Use msconfig to disable all third party services and startup programs.

1.Launch MSCONFIG.exe on the server.

2.Under the General tab, select "Selective Startup" and uncheck all of the sub-items except for "Load System Services"

3.Choose the Services tab and then select the "Hide all Microsoft Services" option.

4.Click the "DISABLE ALL" button to disable the list of third-party services.

5.Choose the APPLY and the CLOSE button. Then Restart.

Regards,

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
February 9th, 2009 7:53am

In reference to the link above:

Nick Gu - MSFT said:

2. Please follow SBS blog, check Exchange System Manager for the following setting and remove it if it exists:

http://blogs.technet.com/sbs/archive/2007/01/15/fax-fails-because-of-orbs.aspx



Do you know where I would check the RBL settings in Exchange 2007? That is the email server we are using, and the article there seems to discuss Exchange 2003.

Thanks!
February 9th, 2009 9:15pm

Hi,

Based on my research, you may perform the following steps to achieve your goal:

1. Logon the server that Exchange was installed.

2. Open Exchange Management Console, go to Organization Configuration

3. Then Hub Transport, find the Anti-span tab and double-click on IP Block List Providers

4. On the tab Providers, you can add/edit some list, such as RBL, Real-Time Blackhole Lists, DNSRBL

Regards,

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
February 10th, 2009 2:50am

Ok, here are the results from going through your steps above.

1. I followed the instructions in the SBS blog about the RBL settings. We are not using the anti-SPAM features in Exchange Server 2007, so that tab is not avaialble to me.

2. We are using Trend Micro OfficeScan v8.0, which I completely uninstalled and this had no effect on my situation.

3. We are not using AVG.

4. I launched MSCONFIG on the fax server and selected "Selective Startup". I unchecked "Load startup items", however, I could not uncheck "Use original boot configuration" as this option was greyed out to me. I did follow your instructions regarding the services and that had no effect.

So, the problem still persists. Another interesting note is that sometimes the fax service will completely crash and when a fax is received after the crash, it routes to where. It disappears from the fax console "Incoming" section and fails to route to the public folder. The event log then has the following two events:

Event ID: 1000 Source:Application Error Task Category: (100) User: N/A

Faulting application fxssvc.exe, version 6.0.6001.18000, time stamp 0x4791a273, faulting module msoeacct.dll, version 6.0.6001.18000, time stamp 0x4791ad40, exception code 0xc0000409, fault offset 0x000000000002d5a9, process id 0x7d4, application start time 0x01c98c607e885480.

Event ID: 7031 Source:Service Control Manager Eventlog ProviderTask Category:None User: N/A

The Fax service terminated unexpectedly. It has done this 1 time(s). The following corrective action will be taken in 60000 milliseconds: Restart the service.


So, there is the update. Do you have any further suggestions? Thanks!
February 12th, 2009 8:23pm

Hi,

I did some research regarding 0x80040211 which means that the SMTP settings doesnt work. Please check the following:

1.Check that the authentication mode need to be set to NTLM/Basic at the Exchange

2.Could you attach the transport verbose logs for the receive connector in use to receive this fax? Please send to tfwst@microsoft.com.

Meanwhile, since the service is crashing, to locate the root cause efficiently, we should use adplus to collect and analyze the dump of crash. Unfortunately, we cannot analyze dump file in newsgroup threads. To do so, you will need to contact Microsoft Customer Support Services (CSS) so that a dedicated Support Professional can assist with this request. Thank you for your understanding.

Regards,

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
February 16th, 2009 2:11am

Just to let you know (and so anyone else reading this having the same issue knows), I contacted Microsoft technical support and after a few weeks of troublehooting they determined that this is a bug with the fax service in Windows Server 2008. They had a workaround that they sent me, so I have to run a command from the command line any time the server or service is restarted, but routing works fine now.

Thank you for your help!

Don
  • Marked as answer by dwboley Wednesday, April 08, 2009 1:57 PM
April 8th, 2009 1:57pm

Please, which command do you have to run? What is the workaround?
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April 29th, 2009 10:48am

We have the same problem. Fax routing via e-mail ist not working reliably. Sometimes no faxes ar missed somtimes about 50% faxes are missed.
We using Trend Micro Worry-Free Business Security 5.1 Build 1263. Spam filters are enabled but no content filter,content search disabled for SBSFaxService(at)<internet-domain>, no e-mail reputation for 127.0.0.1. Exchange Anti Spam features are not used. No ORBS and where it is possible no Anti Spam actions vor 127.0.0.1

If you recieve a fax you can see in Windows-fax and -Scan that every fax will have retries fpr routing into mailbox. Then - sometimes it worksand sometimes not.

In recive connector log you only see "one" log-entry per fax. The retries are not visible in log. AsI understand this log -and I also tested it - everyconnection should be logged. But there is only one entryfor one fax. Nothing to see aboutretries.

Inmyopinion, there is no problem withanti spam because then i have to see recejted mails from fax server. But there is nothing to see. It's a bug in fax service und it looks like that MS is unwillingtu provide a fixfor this problem.

So - please is it possible to get the workaround mentioned before.

Thank you for your help.

May 12th, 2009 8:45am

Ok, I wanted to post an update here. Microsoft has confirmed that this is a bug and they are working on a fix. They have a beta of a fix that they hope to get into an update here soon. If you are experiencing the problem you should contact Microsoft Technical Support to obtain the fix. While they do charge for Support up front, if your issue is determined to be bug related I believe you get your money back. I used a TechNet incident with our subscription and was credited that incident back.
  • Proposed as answer by uakansu Friday, August 28, 2009 1:13 PM
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July 20th, 2009 2:45pm

Please what is the command they told you to use? Yes I understand the risks, I'm just frustrated with this.
August 26th, 2009 9:56pm

Just to let you know (and so anyone else reading this having the same issue knows), I contacted Microsoft technical support and after a few weeks of troublehooting they determined that this is a bug with the fax service in Windows Server 2008. They had a workaround that they sent me, so I have to run a command from the command line any time the server or service is restarted, but routing works fine now.

Thank you for your help!

Don
Could you please show us the CLI command. Highly appreciated
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April 2nd, 2015 2:35am

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