Network Engineering

Frequently Asked Questions
Exchange 2003 and Active Directory Administration

Email Client Issues

Recover Deleted Items

Deleted Items are retained by the system for 14 days after being purged from a mailbox. Normally, you can recover a deleted item by selecting the Deleted Items folder and choosing Tools, Recover Deleted Items.

By default, Outlook only allows you to recover items that touched the deleted items folder before being purged. However, items that have been shift-deleted or deleted using a POP/IMAP client do not touch the Deleted Items folder and cannot be recovered by the usual method.

To get around this problem, you can make a registry change on your computer that allows you to recover items deleted from any folder. (The following Microsoft Knowledge Base article explains this feature: Q246153)

To make the registry change:

1. Start Registry Editor (Start - Run - regedit)
2. Browse to and select the following key in the registry:
       HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Exchange\Client\Options
3. On the Edit menu, choose New - DWORD Value and enter the following:
       Value name: DumpsterAlwaysOn
       Value data: 1
4. Quit Registry Editor.
5. Restart Outlook.

After making this change, open the mailbox (by adding it to your profile if necessary) and you should be able to highlight any folder and choose Tools, Recover Deleted Items.

Note: Items that were deleted more than 14 days ago are not recoverable. We perform nightly full backups for system-wide disaster recovery only, and can only keep these backups for 14 days. Items deleted within 14 days should be recoverable via the process described above.

If a mailbox recovery is needed for some reason, Network Engineering will charge an hourly rate to restore the database and recover the mailbox. Such restores are usually not necessary, however.

Please note that items stored in a pst file are not backed up with other Exchange data. Customers need to make their own backups of these files, or store them on a file server that is backed up.

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Total size of mailbox

There are two ways to check the size of a mailbox.

The first method is to add the user's mailbox to your profile in the Outlook client (in MAPI mode), then right-click on the mailbox under the Folder List and choose Properties, Folder Size. The Folder Size button will show you the total size of the mailbox, as well as the size per folder.

The other method is to use Exchange System Manager:

1. Click on Start - Programs - Microsoft Exchange - System Manager
2. Once in the utility, expand the following:
   • Administrative Groups
   • Central Email Services
   • Servers
   • Servername
   • Storage Group
   • Mailbox Store
3. Click on Mailboxes.
4. On the right, you will see a list of all the mailboxes in your store with size, number of items and last login time.

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Clear the Outlook Nickname Cache

The Outlook nickname cache fills in names as you type them on the To: line. Sometimes the information in the cache is incorrect, or can become corrupted. To clear the cache, look for an .nk2 file in your profile directory, and rename it. You can also delete individual entries by use the arrow keys to navigate to the name you want removed and pressing the delete key.

Problem:
The following recipient(s) cannot be reached:
Ed Lim on 3/31/2009 12:17 PM
The e-mail account does not exist at the organization this message was sent to. Check the e-mail address, or contact the recipient directly to find out the correct address.

Solution: This is usually the result of a bad entry in the nickname cache, clear the nickname cache.

For more information, see the following KB article: 287623

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Troubleshoot DL Administration in Outlook

There is a bug in Exchange 2000/2003 with respect to modifying Distribution Lists. The symptom of the problem is that when users try to modify a DL that they have rights to in Outlook, they receive a permission denied error.

The problem is that the Outlook client must be configured to use a Global Catalog server (GC) that is in the same domain as the Distribution List (DL) that is being modified.

When troubleshooting DL problems, follow these steps:

1. First, make sure the user has permissions to modify the DL. On the security tab for the DL, they should have at least:
       Read
       Write
       Add/Remove self as member
2. On the user's machine, find out which GC they are connecting to. To find out, open the Address Book, and under "Show Names in the," right-click on Global Address List. Choose Properties.

   The GC needs to be set to one that is in the same domain as the DL. For example, if the DL is in the FS_MAIL domain, the GC should be set to:
       gc.nws.oregonstate.edu

3. If it is set to anything else, you will need to apply a registry fix to force it to use the right GC:

   Windows 2000/XP (see q272290 for more info):
   

   • For Outlook 2000, make sure it is SP2.
   • Run regedit.
   • Browse to the Exchange Provider key (create it if not already present):
         HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Exchange\Exchange Provider
   • Right-click on Exchange Provider and choose New, String Value, and enter the name:
         DS Server
   • Open the new key and enter the fully qualified domain name of your GC, in this example:
         gc.nws.oregonstate.edu (for FS_MAIL)
   • When you restart Outlook, right-click on the Global Address List again to make sure it is connecting to the correct GC.
   • You can also create this key on one machine and then export it to a file. You can then send the key to users who are having the problem, and they can simply double-click it to enter the value into their registry. Using a cname to reference your GC is highly recommended, so that should you need to move the GC service, your clients will not need to be reconfigured.

   Windows 95/98 (see Q256976 for more info):
   

   • Run Regedit.
   • Browse to the following key, where {profile_name} is the name of the user's Outlook profile:
         HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\Microsoft\Windows Messaging Subsystem\Profiles\{profile_name}\dca740c8c0421...
   • Modify the value:
         001e6602
   • In Value Data, enter the fully qualified domain name of your GC, in this example:
         gc.nws.oregonstate.edu (for FS_MAIL)
   • When you restart Outlook, right-click on the Global Address List again to make sure it is connecting to the correct GC.

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Troubleshoot slowdown in Outlook 2002

Outlook 2002 is frequently very slow to open folders and messages when the Instant Messenger plug-in is enabled.

To turn off this feature, follow these steps:

1. Click on Tools, Options in Outlook.
2. Choose the Other tab.
3. Uncheck the box for "Enable Instant Messaging in Outlook".
4. Click OK to save changes and restart Outlook

More information about this problem can be found here: MS KB 290025

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Get access to blocked attachments

By default, Outlook 2002 and Outlook 2003 block access to several attachment types that are considered unsafe (.exe, .com, etc.). You can change this behavior by making a modification to the registry.

Outlook 98 and Outlook 2000 with certain security updates will also block access to certain attachments, but you cannot make a registry change to modify this behavior. More information about which versions of Outlook include this security feature can be found here: http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/esecup.htm

Note: Attachment Options from www.slovaktech.com provides users of Outlook 2000 SP3, Outlook 2002 and Outlook 2003 with an added tab in the Outlook Options menu, allowing you to set which attachments are blocked without editing the registry directly:
http://www.slovaktech.com/attachmentoptions.htm

To modify the registry directly (Outlook 2002/2003 only):

1. Quit Outlook if it is running.
2. Run regedit.
3. If the following registry key does not exist, create it:
   Outlook 2002: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Outlook\Security
   Outlook 2003: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Security
4. Right-click on the Security key, and choose New, String Value.
5. Type the following name for the new value:
        Level1Remove
6. Right-click the new string value name, and then click Modify.
7. Enter the extension of the file type that you want to open in Outlook 2002. For example:
        .exe
   To specify multiple file types, use the following format:
        .exe;com
8. Click OK.
9. Quit regedit and restart your computer.

This information comes from the following Microsoft KB article: 290497

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Outlook setup fails when network is correct

When attempting to configure a MAPI profile on a Windows XP box, you may see one of the following errors:

"The Microsoft Exchange address book was unable to log on to the Microsoft Exchange server computer. Contact your system administrator if the problem persists."

"Your logon information is incorrect."

"Outlook could not logon."

This happens even when you are sure that the machine is configured for WINS, you are able to ping the netbios name of the server, you have tried the fully qualified domain name of the Exchange server in the check name box, etc.

The problem could be that TCP/IP is corrupted. See the following Knowledge Base article for more information:

     268575

To resolve this issue, uninstall TCP/IP, reboot, and reinstall TCP/IP.

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Find invisible unread items

Sometimes the folder list may show unread items that can't be found in the Inbox. There are several possible explanations:

1. There may be a filter set on the folder. Click on View, Current View, and make sure that "Messages" is selected.
2. The views may be corrupted. Views are stored server-side, so this problem will follow you to other workstations. To resolve it, run Outlook with the following startup flag (see MS KB article 197180 for more information): /cleanviews
3. If you can see the items when you open the mailbox in Outlook Web Access or as the primary mailbox in a profile, but they are invisible when you add the mailbox to another user's profile, then they may be marked as private. In order to view private items, the user needs to be set as a Delegate of the secondary mailbox and given permissions to view items marked as private (under Tools, Options, Delegates). See MS KB article 291015 for more information.

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Calendar appointments may display 1 hour off from their scheduled time. When this happens, the culprit is usually an incorrect time zone setting or daylight savings setting on one of the computers accessing that calendar.

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Disable Read/Not Read Receipts

Outlook 2000 in corporate mode will always send a Read or Not Read receipt message to the sender if it has been requested. It doesn't prompt before sending the receipt, and the behavior is not configurable (see 192929). Unfortunately, that means that spammers can request a read receipt to determine whether or not the recipient's address is valid.

With Outlook 2002, you can configure the client to send receipts always, never, or when prompted. The read receipt options are configured under Tools, Options, Preferences, E-mail Options, Tracking Options.

Outlook Web Access will always send a read receipt if one has been requested, and does not prompt the user.

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Troubleshoot disappearing messages

Often users will complain that their messages are disappearing out of the Inbox, either before they have a chance to read them, or immediately afterwards. The following are a few reasons that this might be happening:

• The e-mail client may be set to display only unread items. In Outlook 2003, go to View - Arrange By - Current View and set it to "Messages" to view all messages. In Outlook 2000, go to View - Current View and set it to "Messages". In Outlook Web Access, look for the dropdown box at the top of the page and set it to "Messages".
• There may be a POP email client somewhere configured to remove mail from the mailbox. Ask the user if they use email on any other machines, like a home machine.
• An Outlook mapi client set to deliver mail to a PST (local folder) will cause all mail to be moved from the Inbox. To find out where Outlook is set to deliver mail to, go to Tools - E-mail Accounts - View or Change (Outlook 2003) or Tools - Services - Delivery (Outlook 2000).
• Look for rules configured to move messages to another folder.
• Junk mail filters may be turned on and set to move mail to another folder or to the deleted items folder. Also, look for third-party junk-mail applications on the machine.

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Known issues in Outlook 2002 SP3 & Outlook 2003

Error message: "A program is trying to access e-mail addresses you have stored in Outlook"

Outlook 2002 SP3 and Outlook 2003 implemented several new security features that caused problems for third-party applications. Generally, you will get a message saying that an application is trying to access the Address Book, and it gives you the choice to allow the access for a few minutes.

The following applications are known to have issues with Outlook 2002 SP3 and possibly with Outlook 2003 (links to updates provided if available):

• IHateSpam. Fix: Apply Update
• SpamNet. Fix: Apply Update
• Norton AntiSpam. Fix: Run LiveUpdate to get the latest version
• Smiley Central, other ActiveX applications. Fix: uninstall or download a newer version
• Palm Pilot Software. Fix: remove palmapp.dot from Word's startup folder.
• PocketMirror. Fix: Download 3.1.6 update or higher
• Palm's Hotsync v4.1.0
• NewsGator. Fix: Download 2.0.3.1 or later
• Acrobat add-in for Word. Fix: disable Word as the email editor or disable the COM add-in in Outlook (To prevent the PDFMaker COM Addin from loading, go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\PDFMOutlook.PDFMOutlook and change the LoadBehavior value from 3 to 2. Restart Outlook. The PDF functions will still be available in Word and the other Office programs.)
• Other Word templates or add-ins may trigger the security warning. Disable the add-in or Word as the editor or delete the template from Word's startup folder.
• Word Macros in normal.dot may cause the warning--rename normal.dot and restart Word.
• Incredimail for Outlook plugin
• NoHTML COM addin. Disable this addin and use the readasplain registry key instead.

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Granting mailbox permissions

Sometimes one Exchange user may have need to view another user's mail folders, calendar, or entire mailbox. There are two ways that these permissions can be assigned in Exchange:

1. Client permissions: the user can grant these permissions themselves by right-clicking on any folder in Outlook and going to Properties - Permissions. From there, they can add anyone from the Global Address Book, and specify the level of permissions they should have. Permissions can also be assigned to a distribution list to grant access to all members of a list. The permissions assigned to a folder are not inherited by subfolders, so this option is really best for assigning access to one or a few folders only. (Note: In Outlook 2003, switch to the Folder List view to assign permissions on the special folders such as Calendar, Contacts and Tasks.)
2. Full mailbox access: gives the user being granted access the ability to add the other person's mailbox to their Outlook profile and open any folder in their mailbox. Only a DCA can assign full mailbox rights. To assign full mailbox access:
   1. Open Active Directory Users & Computers.
   2. Right-click on the user object for the target mailbox and select Properties.
   3. Choose the Exchange Advanced tab.
   4. Select Mailbox Rights.
   5. Add the other user and grant them "Allow" for "Full Mailbox Access", and click OK.
   
   Note: Granting full mailbox access to a user does not give them permission to "Send As" or "Send on Behalf of" another user. It only allows them to open that person's mailbox.

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Repair a PST file

PST files are, unfortunately, a bit prone to corruption.

Microsoft provides a tool called the Inbox Repair tool (scanpst.exe) that you can use to attempt to repair a broken PST. Information on this tool and other 3rd-party tools can be found at www.slipstick.com:
http://www.slipstick.com/problems/scanpst.htm

For information on repairing a PST file that has exceeded the 2GB file size limit, see: http://www.slipstick.com/problems/repair2gbpst.htm

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Problems with network PSTs

Configuring Outlook to work from a PST file stored on a network drive is a configuration unsupported by Microsoft and Network Engineering. PST files have a reputation of instability, and accessing these files through a network connection increases their likelihood of erroneous behavior. In addition to the greater possibility of corruption and error, working from a PST file through a network connection is much slower than working from a PST file stored in a local folder on a workstation. For more information, see the Knowledge Base article: 'Personal folder files are unsupported over a LAN or a WAN link'

Some users find that they reach their allotted mailbox size limit, even after deleting unnecessary email and moving attachments from email messages to file folders. In such cases it is recommended to purchase additional mailbox space or to create a local PST to archive old mail into. To benefit from the regular backups afforded by network storage, while reducing the possibility of PST corruption, a computer administrator can enable a small script to run at logoff that copies the local PST file to a network location. Such a file might look like this, where p: is a network drive:

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Out of office not sending to non-OSU

When you use the Out Of Office Assistant in Outlook to set an Out Of Office (OOO) message, the message will only be sent in response to email from OSU addresses*.

Example:
jane@oregonstate.edu sets an Out Of Office response in Outlook
jeff@oregonstate.edu sends a message to Jane and receives the OOO response
jack@hotmail.com sends a message to Jane and does not receive the OOO response

OSU does not transmit Out Of Office responses to non-OSU addresses due to concern for privacy, security, and spam. OOO messages frequently contain personal details about vacation destinations and schedules, alternate contacts with full names, phone numbers, email addresses, and other internal information. This information is useful for co-workers but potentially harmful if sent to external parties. OOO could also serve as a mechanism for spammers to confirm or acquire new addresses to send to.

It is possible to create automatic rules in Outlook that resemble and even exceed the functionality of the Out Of Office Assistant. These rules can be customized to send different responses to different groups of senders. Take care in considering the audience of an automated response and try to design the rule so that the response is sent primarily to trusted recipients.

For more information on creating automatic-reply rules see the Microsoft documents "Automatically send custom reply messages" and "How to emulate the Out of Office Assistant in Microsoft Outlook" (server side)

* OSU-addresses in relation to the Out Of Office system are defined as any *@*.orst.edu address or any Exchange-based *@oregonstate.edu address

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Recover deleted items from web mail

Yes, you can recover deleted items using webmail. The process only works in the premium client, which only runs in Internet Explorer.

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