Adding mailboxes

[maya14]

I have run the Add User Wizard to create user and mailbox but no mailbox appears in Server management/Exchange.
I think that newly created mailbox must first get an email to "activate" the mailbox?
But i'm unable to access any new mailbox that i created through the Add User wizard. Outlook gives error message that i must fist connect to an Exchange server but that's what i'm trying to do.

 

[ShackDaddy]

After you've created the user using the Add User wizard, try logging on to a workstation as that user and connecting to Exchange with Outlook. Or using OWA. The mailboxes get fully provisioned on first access.

That being said, there's a bug I've run into a few times in which there IS a disconnect between the Add User wizard and the Exchange module. Mailboxes really don't get created. Exchange SP2 contains the fix for that.

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[pagy]

I used to have this problem before updating to the latest service packs. I found that if I rebooted the box the mailbox then appears. Or if that didn't work then deleting and re-creating the user after a reboot seemed to do the trick.

Best just to put the latest service packs on it though.

Paul
MCSE


"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
Albert Einstein

 

[twwabw]

Easiest way to insure they show up immediately is to go into Exch Manager > Recipients > Recipient Update Services, and select each update service, choose update now, then rebuild. The mailbox will show up immediately.

 

[maya14]

Thanks for all the tips so far, but why cant i access any newly created mailboxes from Outlook client. I add username and Exchange server in Outlook config as before and it resolves it, but then give error message that i must first connect to an Exchange server and Outlook fails to connect.

 

[ShackDaddy]

Have you tried accessing the mailbox with Outlook Web Access?

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[maya14]

Yes i have. No response from Exchange server with newly created mailboxes.

 

[ShackDaddy]

In the Server Management console, go into the Advanced Config area and go into the Exchange section. Drill down into the server, into the Storage Group, into the Mailbox Store and look at the Mailboxes area. You should be able to see a list of all the mailboxes on the server in the right-hand pane. Are the new mailboxes listed there?

If not, you probably have the problem that I mentioned in the second portion of my initial answer. You will need to install Exchange SP2 on your server and reboot.

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[markdmac]

I too have seen this many times. Install Exchange SP2.

Make sure that you have already done the SBS SP1 and Windows Server 2003 SP1 (I would go to 2 now) as well as the other available updates for XPSP2 and the SharePoint service packs. Give yourself 4 hours to do all the updates with multiple reboots. If you have IMF installed, remove it first or you will have problems installing Exchange SP2 which now includes IMF instead fo it being an add on.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

Check out my scripting solutions at

http://www.thespidersparlor.com/vbscript

Work SMARTER not HARDER. The Spider's Parlor's Admin Script Pack is a collection of Administrative scripts designed to make IT Administration easier! Save time, get more work done, get the Admin Script Pack.

 

[maya14]

I have installed Exch SP2 but i cant access any newly created mailboxes with Outlook or OWA. No mailbox appear in Server Management console.

 

[markdmac]

What SP level is your SBS SERVER at?

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

Check out my scripting solutions at

http://www.thespidersparlor.com/vbscript

Work SMARTER not HARDER. The Spider's Parlor's Admin Script Pack is a collection of Administrative scripts designed to make IT Administration easier! Save time, get more work done, get the Admin Script Pack.

 

[ShackDaddy]

Have you used the User wizard to create new accounts since you loaded SP2? Try that.

SP2 fixes this problem: mailboxes aren't created when user accounts are created. Installing SP2 isn't going to magically cause those mailboxes to appear now. You will have to create those mailboxes manually or delete and recreate the user accounts.

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[maya14]

Yes i used the User wizard to create new user.
Should i create the mailboxes manually then? I have never done that in the past.
Always used the wizards. Even my test SBS box creates a mailbox when i use User wizard.
I have SBS SP1.

 

[ShackDaddy]

Just let me understand where you are at now. You have SBS SP1 and Exchange SP2? And you've used the wizard to create a new user, but it still doesn't create a mailbox for the new user?

There are two different issues right now:

1) creating mailboxes for the users you created in the past.

2) making sure that in the future, using the user-creation wizard will properly generate mailboxes.

I'm trying to resolve #2 first.

For #1, go into Active Directory Users and Computers and find the user that needs a mailbox. Right-click on that user and choose Tasks from the menu, choose Exchange Tasks from the pop-out menu. A wizard will run that will allow you to create a mailbox for that account. It's pretty simple.

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[maya14]

Yes to your question.
I'm trying option 2. I use the User wizard but no mailbox is created. Only the user gets created. I have done this several times before and never had problems picking up the mailbox under Exchange.

 

[maya14]

It seems that new mailboxes are created in the Recovery Storage Group and not in default Mailbox store. Mailboxes don’t appear under Recovery Storage Group but if I look at Exchange General tab of the new user it shows servername/Recovery Storage Group/Mailbox Store.
Why is this happening?

 

[ShackDaddy]

Go into your Exchange Settings and go down into the Server area and select your Recovery Storage Group store. Get properties on it and choose "Do not mount this store at startup." Then dismount the store. It shouldn't be mounted if you've finished mailbox recovery.

When you use the method I mentioned above to create mailboxes using Exchange Tasks, you will be given an option in the wizard of which store to create the user in. It may be that the wizard is defaulting the dropdown menu to the Recovery store. That's one more reason to dismount that store when it's not being used.

Now (before you dismount it) you probably should MOVE each of those mailboxes out of the Recovery store and into your production store. Then dismount the recovery store. Everything will probably work the way it's supposed to after that.

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[maya14]

Thanks for all the feedback.
I cannot create a mailbox when i use the User wizard only when i use AD part it works.With SBS i have to use the wizards.
When i use the wizard it creates Exchange settings in User properties but i cant find the mailbox anywhere.
Recovery Storage group is not mounted.
I know MS 2003 server way of doing things not SBS 2003 so perhaps i'm a bit confused between the two.

 

[ShackDaddy]

So when you use the wizard to create a new user now, where does it say the mailbox is? Not the RSG, right?

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting