Exchange Server error 2140

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Sometimes, when Microsoft Exchange Message Transfer Agent (MTA) service is trying to be started following error message is displayed on your computer screen:

Could not start the Microsoft Exchange Message Transfer Agent service on \\ServerName. Error 2140: An internal Windows NT error occurred.

In order to resolve the preceding error message, when you run the MTA database integrity checker utility (Mtacheck.exe) then in place of resolving the error, the utility displays the following error message:

Database Contains Serious Errors and Cannot be Automatically Repaired

Apart from the aforementioned error message, following events are recorded in the application event log:

Description MSExchangeMTA – A fatal database error occurred, the database recovery operation was not successful, and manual correction will be required. Details can be found in the file: drive: \Exchsrvr\Mtadata\.\MTACHECK.OUT\MTACHECK.LOG. Please contact Microsoft Product Support Services. [DB Server MAIN BASE 1 14] (16)

Description: An MTA database server error was encountered. Error accessing object attribute (AAT) on a Read/Write operation. Filename: drive:\Exchsrvr\Mtadata\.\DB000068.DAT. File operation: 0. Operating system error: 2127. Referenced object: OPEN (00000000 => N/A). Referenced object error 00000000. [0 DB Server OPERATOR 22] (14)

Description: An MTA database server error was encountered. Failed to read attribute information (AAT) for object 01000068. Database server error code: 2127. [DB Server OPERATOR 22 29] (14)

Description: An MTA database server error was encountered while attempting to unlock an object which is not locked. Called from MTA. Procedure 460. Object at fault: 06000174. [DB Server DISP: ROUTER 16 58] (14)

Description: The MTA is running recovery on the internal message database because the MTA was not shut down cleanly. This operation may take some time. Status updates will be written to the Windows NT Event Log. [%1 %2 %3 %4] (14)

The previously mentioned error message occurs due to the wrong path value of MTA database in Windows registry.

To get rid of the aforementioned error message, you should edit the registry for specifying correct path of MTA database. Following steps help you specify correct value of MTA database location in Windows registry:

1. Click Start > Run. The Open dialog box appears.
2. Type regedit in the Open box and click OK.
3. Locate the following registry entry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeMTA\Parameters\MTA Database Path
4. Double-click the located registry entry and specify the correct MTA database location in the Value data box.
5. Now, locate the following registry entry:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeMTA\Parameters\MTA Run Directory
6. Double-click the located entry and verify the location of MTA Run Directory in the Value data box.
7. Click Exit to close the registry editor.
8. Restart the Exchange Server.

In case, the problem persists even after executing the preceding steps, you can take help of Kernel for Exchange Server recovery software. The software quickly scans the Exchange database file and automatically fixes all the problems. The software performs EDB file recovery and supports MS Exchange Server 5.0, 5.5, 2000, 2003, and 2007. EDB to PST software, restore exchange mailboxes and save them to PST files.