The Microsoft Exchange Transport service failed to create the Pickup directory or the Replay directory %1. Pickup or Replay will not function until the directory is created. The detailed error is %2.

This Error event indicates that the Microsoft Exchange Transport service on the Hub Transport Server or Edge Transport server can’t create the Pickup directory or the Replay directory at the specified location. If you change the location of the Pickup directory or the Replay directory, the Microsoft Exchange Transport service uses the security credentials of the Network Service user account to create the new directory and apply the correct permissions. If the new directory does not already exist, and the Network Service account has the permissions that are required to create folders and apply permissions at the new location, the new directory is created, and the correct permissions are applied to the directory. If the new directory already exists, the existing folder permissions are not checked.

The Pickup directory location is controlled by the PickupDirectoryPath parameter on the Set-TransportServer cmdlet. By default, the Pickup directory is located at C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\TransportRoles\Pickup. The Replay directory location is controlled by the ReplayDirectoryPath parameter on the Set-TransportServer cmdlet. By default, the Replay directory is located at C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\TransportRoles\Replay.

To resolve this error, verify that the directory that is specified in the error message text has the following permissions assigned to the Network Services user account:

• List Folder/Read Data

• Read Attributes

• Read Extended Attributes

• Create Files/Write Data

• Create Folders/Append Data

• Write Attributes

• Write Extended Attributes

• Delete Subfolders and Files

• Read Permissions

For more information, see the following topics:

• How to Configure the Pickup Directory

• How to Configure the Replay Directory

If you are not already doing so, consider running the tools that Microsoft Exchange offers to help administrators analyze and troubleshoot their Exchange environment. These tools can help you make sure that your configuration is in line with Microsoft best practices. They can also help you identify and resolve performance issues, improve mail flow, and better manage disaster recovery scenarios. Go to the Toolbox node of the Exchange Management Console to run these tools now. For more information about these tools, see Toolbox in the Exchange Server 2007 Help.