Outlook can't find archive folder and...

[sac9829]

Hi

I use Outlook 2003 and currently can't access my archive or personal folders as it gives me a messaging saying that it can't find the files and brings up a window to search for the files on my computer but I can't find them.

My outlook is connected to exchange (SBS 2003) is their some where on the server they might be?

Or is their a way to create a new archive and personal folder and copy a backup of these from the server?

 

[mofusjtf]

I would run a search against your local hard drive for *.pst and then against your server shares for *.pst.

 

[sac9829]

Have done but no luck.

 

[mofusjtf]

Did you select the option to search in hidden folders? The local copy of a PST files is usually stored in c:\documents and settings\<user profile>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook. This is a hidden path.

If they do not show up on either search location you might want to check some backups to see if they were captured in a backup so you can restore the file. If not you might be out of luck.

 

[sac9829]

Yes did turn hidden file search on but no luck.

Their isn't any backups for the cleint machine only for the Server and it appears as if the files were saved on the cleint machine.

Is the my archive or personal folders a good feature to use because of this problem?

 

[wahnula]

If you're using SBS and it is responsible for storing your Outlook data (and I don't understand any reason for any other scenario) then all your Outlook data is stored in the .priv, .pub, and .stm databases on your Exchange server, usually located in the C:\Exchsvr\MDBDATA (I'm not in front of server, you get the idea) unless you've redirected the databases (as I have) to the data array. Sometimes when the databases get out of synch you need to play the log files into the database using the ESEUTIL tool.

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[sac9829]

Ok have found the directory

C:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\MDBDATA

What exactly do I need to do to play the log files into the database?

http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Exchange-ISINTEG-ESEUTIL.html

 

[wahnula]

When in Outlook 2003 on the client, does it say "Connected" or "Disconnected" on the lower right of the window?

I'm not afraid to say when something is beyond my knowledge, and a guided tour of ESEUTIL is just that. I had a problem with Exchange not seeing the databases, called in an outside tech, and he ran ESEUTIL /p on the databases and they were repaired. See this for more info:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa997215(EXCHG.65).aspx

Before you jump to ESEUTIL, can Exchange connect to the databases at the server console? Server Management->Advanced Management->SERVERNAME(Exchange)->Administrative Groups->first administrative group->Servers->SERVERNAME->First Storage Group->Mailbox Store, Public Folders

Note: If Administrative Groups does not appear, it may not be turned on. To turn on Administrative Groups, right-click Exchange Organization in Exchange System Manager, and then click Properties. Click to select the Display Administrative Groups check box.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/821915

If you can see the mailboxes and Public Folders then the problem might not be with Exchange, at least not with the databases.

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[noveyron]

How many users are affected ? If it is all users, yes, we would need to troubleshoot the server.

If it is one user, can you give a bit more info on the problem:

Is this a new user, if not, what changed prior to the problem

What exactly happens when the user opens his outlook

How is the outlook configured?

 

[sac9829]

No just one user is effected.

The user isn't new and hasn't made any recent changes.

Everything else works fine but when they open Outlook they receive the following error message:

The set of folders could not be opened. The file c\.......\Outlook\archive/pst could not be found.

Outlook was confired by the normal way of just entering the email details that are found on the server.

 

[wahnula]

Have you tried logging that user in from another working client PC? As I understand it, Exchange stores all data in the MDBDATA folder on the server, and when local users log in for the first time an offline copy of his/her personal folders are made on the local machine. I would try a repair/reinstall of Outlook on the client machine. Those .pst folders could be corrupted.

Does Outlook say "Connected" to the Exchange Server?

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[sac9829]

I have tried to repair outlook but no improvement.

The user receives the same error when they login on another computer with their login details.

Also the server performance report shows the following errors around the time the problem started:

dsrestor - Event ID 1005
The DSRestore Filter failed to connect to local SAM server. Error returned is <id:997>.

MSExchangeAL - event ID 8026
LDAP Bind was unsuccessful on directory ajssrv01.xxxxxxxxx.local for distinguished name ''. Directory returned error:[0x51] Server Down. DC=xxxxxuser DC=local For more information, click

http://www.microsoft.com/contentredirect.asp.

MSExchangeAL - event ID 8250
The Win32 API call 'DsGetDCNameW' returned error code [0x862] The specified component could not be found in the configuration information. The service could not be initialized. Make sure that the operating system was installed properly. For more information, click

http://www.microsoft.com/contentredirect.asp.

MSExchangeDSAccess - event ID 2102
Process MAD.EXE (PID=3460). All Domain Controller Servers in use are not responding: ajssrv01.xxxxxxxxx.local For more information, click

http://www.microsoft.com/contentredirect.asp.

Any ideas on how to fix the issue.

 

[wahnula]

Try deleting/adding the user from/to the AD through Server Management (although this will also delete their mailbox, but will give you the option of keeping their shared folder). I would create a new user like Bob1 and see if SBS is working correctly.

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[noveyron]

If the user logs on to OWA, can he see mail in there dated prior to the date when the problems started ?

 

[sac9829]

Just checked and yes they can't access any email prior to this but all their old emails are kept in the archive.

 

[noveyron]

So, OWA shows email in the mailbox that were received after the problems started. This suggests an outlook issue, or profile issue, rather than SBS Server

This sounds like the outlook was previously configured to deliver to local pst's? As an aside, try searching the server for the missing .pst, your predecessor may have set up pst's on the server?

To get back to solving your user's immediate problem: Drawing mail out of the server database is not an ideal setup, as you are basically throwing away all the advantages of having your own mailserver. It would be better practice to set up Outlook to leave mail in the server database.

In Control Panel, Mail, are there any profiles set up for this user? (or anybody else)

if yes, can you reconfigure it to hold the mail in the mailbox on the server?

 

[wahnula]

So, OWA shows email in the mailbox that were received after the problems started

Just checked and yes they can't access any email prior to this but all their old emails are kept in the archive.

???

So OWA does not show email after the problem started, correct? noveryon, I think you misread sac9829's answer. Or, sac9829's, you were less than clear with your answer.

Are there any clues in the EventLog? I agree this sounds like a problem with the local Outlook, that's why I recommended creating a new, TEST user to see if they receive email.

The user isn't new and hasn't made any recent changes.

Well, from experience, I don't put anything past my users. I have had them do all sorts of strange things that I (or they) have no clue how it happened. They swear they did not make any changes.

If Exchange was configured to store all mail locally as .pst, then there would be NO old email in OWA. So, something happened, on the console side or the user side, to create this problem. All we can do is eliminate possibilities. [/quote MR OBVIUOS]


Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[noveyron]

Hi Tony

I may well have done. I interpreted the "emails are kept in the archive" as meaning the post problem emails are still on the server and visible via OWA

 

[sac9829]

How can I access the OWA so I can check?

 

[noveyron]

Open a web browser, type in

http://servername/exchange

where servername is the name of your server. Or alternatively you can do ip address/exchange.

Log on with the credentials of the user that is having the problems.