One PC/user "suddenly" unable to connect to Exchange Server 1

[JimPletcher]

SBS 2000 & Windows XP Professional (one server)
We physically moved the entire network into a new building over the weekend. Everything works as expected, except one PC/user is unable to connect to the Exchange Server.

This PC/user can logon to the Domain and access files on the file server. All wiring checks out, we switched LAN cables, and used different LAN outlets for the same PC.

I won't have another opportunity to access the server until tomorrow. I expect to try RPCping and RPC_Binding_Order then.

Anyone have other things to try?

 

[mawilson]

Can you ping the exchange server by name? You might check your DNS settings on the machine. Try ipconfig /flushdns and clear the dns cache.

 

[JimPletcher]

Thanks mawilson!

Yup. First pinged by number, then by name.
as ping 192.168.1.10 (SBS server address)
& ping zero (SBS server named zero)

Did not flush DNS cache though (but will first thing in the morning).

Also, did not hard code the hosts file (I never do, but it can't hurt).

Willing to try anything (except physically moving PCs again - once is enough), I'm stumped.

 

[lanamater]

Can you log on with any user that can connect to Exchange (like a test account or your personal account?)

If you can then it is most likely a permissions problem either in Exchange/AD for that user. If not then it is either a networking problem or client issue. I know this is vague, but it is somewhere to start to troubleshoot.

 

[JimPletcher]

Thanks for the response lanamater!

No user can connect to the Exchange server from this PC.
Although I have not tried to connect the problem user to the Exchange server from another PC, it looks like a client/networking problem. Not the physical network though, it seems to be this specific PC.

I'll be working on it this morning.

Thanks again!

 

[mawilson]

What kind of messages/errors do you get when trying to connect to the exchange server? Do you have OWA running? Can you access it from this PC? It is looking like it may be a client issue.

 

[JillofAllTrades]

Did you try recreating their profile?

 

[Daveish]

Maybe check the event log on the client? It seems unlikely that any particular service could keep you from connecting to exchange, especially since you can access file shares, etc., but it might shed some light...

Can you connect to the server at all, e.g. Start -> Run -> enter in: \\zero (enter)? Are your DNS addresses (or WINS, depending on the client) correct on the client?

 

[JimPletcher]

Thanks again mawilson, and thanks too TKSAdmin & Daveish.

The error message was "Could not connect to your Exchange server. there may be a network problem or your server may be down".

OWA is not running.
DNS addresses OK.
RPC_Binding_Order was OK.
RPC ping seemed to work fine.

I finally got it fixed, although I'll never know what the real problem was, I:
uninstalled Outlook & IM (from the control panel)
removed all references to Outlook in the registry
reinstalled & reconfigured Outlook & IM

Thanks again for your help, problems like this are pretty humbling.
I have another one now with Instant Messaging, but that's another thread.

 

[mattjurado]

For future reference, usually when I see this, I close Outlook. Go to Control Panel>Mail. Remove the Exchange Account, then recreate it. Add this to your troubleshooting logic for clients connected to Exchange, trust me, it works for me 9 out of 10 times.

Matt J.

P.S. Please always take the time to backup any and all data before performing any actions suggested for ANY problem, regardless of how minor a change it might seem. Also test the backup to make sure it is intact.

 

[JimPletcher]

Thanks for the advice mattjurado. That would have been a lot easier than what I did.

I've done this on other occasions, but was too deep in the woods to think of it as a possible solution this time.

Experiencr is a harsh teacher. First you get tested, then you get the lesson!