552 5.3.4 Message size exceeds fixed maximum message size

What does the error “5.3.4 Message size exceeds fixed maximum message size” mean?

This article details information found for a recipient server running Microsoft Exchange 2003, 2007, and 2010. Please check with your technical resources for message size settings for other versions of Exchange or mail servers not mentioned here.

CAUSE

This error is caused by message or attachment size limits on the receiving server. This error is usually issued by Exchange, however it may also be used by other mail server software.

RESOLUTION

MICROSOFT EXCHANGE 2003

The recipient server administrator can do the following:
 
1. Confirm through a server log that the email delivery attempt was made by McAfee SaaS to the recipient mail server, and that the error was generated in that transaction.
2. Check the following four areas on the Exchange 2003 server for message size limitations:
    a. Global setting
    b. Connector setting
    c. SMTP Virtual Server setting
    d. User Mailbox setting

MICROSOFT EXCHANGE 2007 & 2010

The following three areas usually need to be checked on the recipient Microsoft Exchange 2007 or 2010 mail server to ensure message size limits are set properly:

I. Global Transport Settings - Message Size Limits
    The default message size limit for Exchange Servers is 10MB. In Exchange 2007-2010, you can set the organizational message size limits by doing the following:
        1. Open the Exchange Management Console.
        2. Click on Organization Configuration.
        3. Click on Hub Transport.
        4. Click on Global Settings.
        5. Click on Transport Settings.
        6. Click on the Properties
        7. Click on the General tab
        8. Set the maximum send and receive size limits accordingly.
II. Receive Connector Maximum Message Size Limit
    The maximum message size limit on a receive connector can be modified by doing the following:
        1. Open the Exchange Management Console
        2. Click on Server Configuration
        3. Click on Hub Transport
        4. Select a Hub Transport server
        5. Click on Receive Connectors
        6. Select a receive connector
        7. Click on Properties
        8. Click on the General tab
        9. Set the maximum message size accordingly.
III. Send Connector Maximum Message Size Limit
    You can change the maximum message size limit on send connectors by doing the following:
        1. Open the Exchange Management Console
        2. Click on Organization Configuration
        3. Click on Hub Transport
        4. Click on Send Connectors
        5. Select a send connector
        6. Click on Properties
        7. Click on the General tab
        8. Set the maximum message size accordingly.

 
ADDITIONAL INFO

Exchange 2003
Please see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322679 for more information on the various places message size settings are found on an Exchange 2003 server.

Exchange 2007 – 2010

Managing Message Size Limits:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb124345%28EXCHG.80%29.aspx

Please check with your technical resources for message size settings for other versions of Exchange or mail servers not mentioned here.

System administrators of the intended recipient should evaluate all mailbox, domain, global and firewall policies to determine the root cause of the error.