OK my setup is as follows: 1 Moss 2007 server (which also hosts SQL2008) and 1 Exchange 2003 Server. I've followed the instructions here:

http://www.combined-knowledge.com/Downloads/2007/How%20to%20configure%20Email%20Enabled%20Lists%20in%20Moss2007%20RTM%20using%20Exchange%202003.pdf

And gotten to the point where I can get email to go into the C:\inetpub\mailroot\drop folder. My problem is that SharePoint is not picking up anything in the drop directory. I've checked the application pool account and the account that runs the SharePoint Timer and they are the same. I updated the password on both just to be sure. I've given that same user full rights to the Drop folder.

I'm trying a suggestion mentioned here in which the user had to manually start the Incoming Email Service via a stsadm command:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/sharepointadmin/thread/23bdde69-28c6-4f7c-bf06-ffdbcfc4821c

However when I type the following command I get a "Missing operation name or the operation name is invalid" error.

stsadm.exe -o -provisionservice -action start -servicetype Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPIncomingEmailService, Microsoft.SharePoint, Version=12.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=123XYZ..."

If anybody can help with this command or anything else I am possibly missing it would be greatly appreciated!!!

David-
Quick question- are you getting any errors in the event log showing that SharePoint is failing at getting this to work?

Also- Here is a set of instructions for configuring inbound email.  Maybe this will fill in some gaps:

Configure Incoming email

1.     Go to IIS Manager>Default SMTP Virtual Server>Domains

a.     Action> New> Domain…> Alias> Next> (specified domain)> Finish

2.     Go to Central Administration>Operations>Topology and Services>Incoming e-mail settings

a.     Enable sites on this server to receive e-mail? Yes

b.     Incoming E-Mail Server Display Address: (specified domain)

c.      Safe E-Mail Server: Accept mail from all e-mail servers

3.     To test incoming mail go to: SharePoint site> Shared Documents> Settings> Document Library Settings > Communications> Incoming e-mail settings

a.     Incoming Mail: Allow this document library to receive e-mail?  Yes

b.     Incoming Mail: E-mail address: shared

c.      E-Mail Security: Accept e-mail messages from any sender

d.     Send e-mail to shared@(specified domain), wait approximately 5 minutes,  and check the site Shared Documents.

Jeff DeVerter, MCSE
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blog:http://www.social-point.com
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David-
Quick question- are you getting any errors in the event log showing that SharePoint is failing at getting this to work?

Here is the only error I am getting, but I am not sure if this is related to the problem:

Log Name:      Application
Source:        Office Server Search
Date:          1/20/2010 12:01:20 PM
Event ID:      2424
Task Category: Gatherer
Level:         Error
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      SQL2008.xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.local
Description:
The update cannot be started because the content sources cannot be accessed. Fix the errors and try the update again.

Context: Application 'Aegis_SSP', Catalog 'Portal_Content'
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
  <System>
    <Provider Name="Office Server Search" />
    <EventID Qualifiers="32768">2424</EventID>
    <Level>2</Level>
    <Task>3</Task>
    <Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2010-01-20T17:01:20.000Z" />
    <EventRecordID>2533832</EventRecordID>
    <Channel>Application</Channel>
    <Computer>SQL2008.xxxxxxxxxxxx.local</Computer>
    <Security />
  </System>
  <EventData>
    <Data>

Context: Application 'Aegis_SSP', Catalog 'Portal_Content'</Data>
  </EventData>
</Event>

I went through your steps and allowed sending email to the Shared Documents library. I'm still getting the same result. An email goes into the drop folder and it stays there. I tried restarting the SharePoint Timer service and am still getting nothing into the document library.

Does anyone have input on the problem of running the stsadm command to manually start the Incoming Email Service?

OK I figured it out. I was right about manually starting the service but I could not do it from the command line. I had to go into CA -> Services on Server -> Choose the right server and change the radio button to Custom. Incoming Email Service was in there but not started. Started it and WAH LAH.

• Marked as answer by David Zimmer Wednesday, January 20, 2010 6:53 PM

Hi David,

I think the problem with your stsadm command was a simple typo... you added an erroneous dash:

stsadm -o -provisionservice

should read

stsadm -o provisionservice

Also this was probably not causing you a problem but there are various ways of entering the -servicetype parameter. I choose the simplest, as adding the full type name as in your example just complicates things and you could, for example, get the version number wrong. So I would just use

stsadm -o provisionservice -action start -servicetype SPIncomingEmailService

Bear in mind that all this does is start the service, it does not configure any of the settings that are essential to make incoming email work... I don't know of any stsadm commands to configure these, so as far as I know you have to do this through Central Admin. Hopefully this will be addressed in 2010 with the introduction of PowerShell commandlets.

Additional possible solution for some people:

One of the patches in 2014 has introduced the same bug that is known in SP2013, where if the Sandbox quota is < 600 for a site collection containing email enabled lists/libraries, the incoming email doesn't work.

Just found this with help from MS Tech Support.  Teach me for not using quotas in dev/test.