smtpsvc event id 429

[swoop1970]

We have a organization what is running Microsoft Windows 2000 and Microsoft Exchange 2000 on approximately 110 servers.
On four of those servers (different dates) the SMTP service is running but the system log shows de following error every 5 seconds:

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Type : Error
Source : smtpsvc
Event id : 429

Virtual Server Invalid Mail Queue Directory. The specified mail queue directory is not valid. Cannot start the SMTP Service.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

If the Microsoft article KB297492 is not the solution try this. We have been solving this problem with the following steps:

1) Uninstall the SMTP service.
2) Reboot the server
3) Install the SMTP service.
4) Reboot the server
5) Install the latest Service Pack of your Operation system
6) Reboot the server
7) Copy de smtpreinstall.exe from the Exchange Service Pack 3 to the Exchange installation directory (driveletter:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\BIN)
8) Start the smtpreinstall.exe from the driveletter:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\BIN directory.
9) When done reboot the server.

We have solved this problem by using does step several times, all with good success.

When you follow these step be aware that it will cost approximately 2 hours. I Hope this will work for you also.

Greetings
Swoop1970