Cannot use "Open Other User's Folder" option in Outlook XP 2

[bones108]

When I attempt to access another user folder in order to assist in resolving email and calendar problems, I get the "Unable to display folder. The (folder name) folder could not be found."

I have been delegated "Exchange Full Administrator" privileges and they have propogated throughout AD quite some time ago. However, the aforementioned message indicates that I have not been given permissions to review the calendar/inbox/Tasks/etc. folders.

There are other Exchange Administrators that I have worked with in previous environments that were able to access any user's folder without having explicit "View mailbox" permissions.

Any assistance in resolving this problem would be greatly appreciated.

 

[dpflkr]

Hello!

In Active Directory, go to the user in question, right click for the properties, click the exchange advanced tab, and click the mailbox rights button and make sure that that account that you are using to access the user's mailbox has full mailbox access rights to the mailbox.

Hope this helps!

 

[jbud]

On several occasions, I have found that the procedure, assigning SELF the 'Associated External Account' permission, will fix this type of problem. See the first 6 steps in the workaround on:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=/servicedesks/bin/kbsearch.asp?Article=319047

 

[bones108]

I have given explicit "Full Mailbox Access" to myself on a few accounts to see if I can access the information, but I still receieve the "Unable to display folder" error. Also, the "SELF" account already has Read, Full Mailbox Access, and Associated External Account.

 

[zoeythecat]

I believe you have to do this:

(1) Go into the users mailbox from Microsoft Outlook
(2) Right click on "Outlook Today" and properties and permissions. Give yourself the permissions you need.
(3) Right click on "Calendar", "Properties", "Permissions", give yourself the same permissions.
(4) Now open up your outlook and attempt to open up the folder and you should be able to do it.

So you have to do this from the outlook client and not so from the server.

 

[bones108]

I have done that to two test accounts without a problem. However, in a production environment, it is rather difficult to trbouelshoot a folder problem without access to their folder, especially with the less technically inclined. I would like to set an administrative permission in ether Exchange System Manager or ADUC to allow for it. So far, I have not found any combination of permissions that will allow me to do that. I do know that it has been done without having to go into Outlook and specifically assigning permissions. Unfortunately, I do not know how they implemented it.

 

[zoeythecat]

Ummmmm.....If you know how to do this without going into Outlook I would love to know about it. If you say "You know there is a way to do this" please share it with all of us.

I'm also in a production environment and this is the way I know it is done.

 

[Davetoo]

If your account has been granted full access to the clients mailbox, then you can view their mailbox from your Outlook.

Go to Tools/Services/Microsoft Exchange Server - Properties/Advanced, press Add and enter the clients mailbox. This will open their mailbox in your Outlook without having to have the client grant explicit permission for each folder.

I'm Certifiable, not certified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[paulha]

You dont need to go through the end user's outlook to set permissions/access to the mailbox/inbox/calendar etc for yourself. You need to be a member of the correct administrative group. I think you need to be a member of the domain admins.

Im not sure though if your interpretation of the eror message "Unable to display folder. The (folder name) folder could not be found" relates to permissions however. I would suggest that there is some form of mailbox corruption going on here, but that is just an opinion, feel free to ignore that one.



Cheers

Paul

 

[zoeythecat]

Hmmmmmm.....I'm part of the Admin group and I can't open other users folders unless I specifically go into the user outlook calendar and set permissions there. Then I can open other users folder or do what Lander noted. This is the way it has always worked as far as I know. Paulha, do you have any articles we can reference your finding?

 

[paulha]

Hello zoeythecat

thats an odd one. I have no explicit permissions to anybodys inbox/folders, but I can open other user's folders without any trouble at all. I thought it was normal until 5 minutes ago?

Currently I am a member of :
Administrators
Domain Admins
Enterprise admins
GP Creator owners
Schema Admins
Exchange domain servers
Exchange services

If you make yourself a member of the above groups, do you get the same functionality that I have regarding user folders ?

Sorry I cant point to any articles, as I have only just noticed that it is potentially odd.

Let me know how you go on with the above, It would be interesting to see what result you get

Cheers

Paul

 

[bones108]

Paulha,

I am a member of all those groups, either already or recently added, and I still cannot access the folders. I still get the &quot;Unable to display the folder. The <folder name> folder could not be found.&quot; I am delegated authority over all Exchange sites as well. This is quite boggling indeed.

 

[zoeythecat]

Ditto for me....Personally I do not think this can be done without logging into the outlook client and setting permissions there.

 

[sgscit]

Folks,

I've got the same problem. TO be able to view an account I have to go into the client, set the permissions and then I can access.

very annoying.

Cheers,

Pete

 

[paulha]

Very odd

try :
Close outlook
right click on the outlook icon on the desktop
properties
Exchange server properties
Type in the name of the person whose mailbox you want to view
Click on check name - if this resolves the name, you should be able to close the properties dialog boxes, double click on the outlook icon and bobs your uncle ?

If it doesent resolve, let me know, I would guess there would be some permissions in esm we could cross check

Cheers

Paul

 

[zoeythecat]

Paulha,

That is not the way it works. If you want to login as the Exchange Administrator then you can get into anybody's mailbox but you cannot open a users folder without going into the users outlook and first given permissions. I have been working with Exchange (5.5 and 2000) for a number of years now and I have never been able to do what you are stating. Do you have any Microsoft Articles that back up your statements? I mean I can go into my outlook profile properties, exchange server properties, and resolve names to anyone in my organization. This however does not mean you can open another users outlook folders unless you already have permissions. I do not see anywhere on Microsoft's knowledgebase that states you can do this without having the permissions first. If you are stating you can do this than you are the first. I would be curious to hear anyone else from this forum that can state they can go into their own outlook and open up another users folders (provided they are part of the Admin groups you listed) without going into the users outlook first and given themselves permissions.

 

[paulha]

Good morning

I very much doubt if I am a first.

As I stated above, I think the issue could possibly be around permissions in ESM now rather than ADUC.

If you want help on resolving this one, let me know, I am also interested to know how come I can access things that you cannot

Cheers

Paul

 

[paulha]

nope, I was right first time

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q262054

and

http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/How_to_get_access_to_all_mailboxes_in_Exchange_2000_Server.html

Cheers

Paul

 

[zoeythecat]

Paulha,

Thanks for the clarification. Sorry for doubting you. The articles pretty much explain how you can do this by going to each user's mailbox rights and allowing the Administrations access.

Thanks again for clearing that up.l

Good info.

Zoey