OWA 2007 Login page suddenly text only! 1

Yorkshireman2 · Feb 3, 2014

Sometime in recent weeks our OWA changed on its own (so ether an MS update or all Browser client Updates around the world) so when users go to

https://mail.domain.com/owa,

instead of the nice graphic login page they get a text only page; no graphics.
Now, one user reports he doesn't even get that- only a blank page.
He points out that when he types in that address, his browswer is redirected to

https://mail.domain.com/owa/auth/logon.aspx?

url=https://mail.domain.com/owa/&reason=0

I do not remember now if this is any different to the past; I only know it used to work fine until, maybe, a week or two before Xmas 2013.

I just noticed in IIS that if I look at the 'Web sites' view of the tree the right pane shows
Default web site (stopped) identifier: 1
Webmail identifier: 1956345316
Symantec Mail Security for MS Exchange identifier: 3

Why does the webmail site have such a hugely different identifier??
Should it be like this or has it been corrupted somehow?

By the way, the default site was our owa originally but it was damaged by a support agent and Dell support couldn't get it to work so they created webmail site and configured this one with a different ip address and got me to buy a certificate (because we were never able to use outlook's features due to not having a certificate in the server) then they got https working instead of http.

It all worked fine until just before xmas 2013.
I tried copying files from an earlier version directory into the current directory but no different. I stopped the default site in case it was interfering but no difference.

Does this sound familiar- does anybody have the solution??

Yorkshireman2 · Feb 3, 2014

A user just tried using IE9 and he finds that he types this:

https://mail.domain.com/owa/

and he was redirected to this URL

https://mail.domain.com/owa/auth/logon.aspx?replaceCurrent=1&url=https://mail.domain.com/owa/

Is this any clue?

Zelandakh · Feb 8, 2014

Sounds like you have a damaged virtual directory. A remove-owavirtualdirectory and a new-owavirtualdirectory might get you up and running. Oh - have you restarted the server??? ;-)

ShackDaddy · Feb 8, 2014

I think the problem might have been caused by an update that assumed some defaults and might have changed the virtual directory settings to make them more in line with a default configuration.

The identifiers are created when the web site gets created, and the high ones usually just mean that the web site was created manually and not via a script, so it's not something to be concerned about.

If you are going to follow Zelandakh's instructions about the virtual directory removal and recreation, you are going to need to be careful: You will want to specify the Webmail site like this in an escalated Exchange PowerShell session:

new-owavirtualdirectory -website "owa (Webmail)" -owaversion "Exchange2007" -internalurl

https://mail.domain.com/owa

-externalurl

https://mail.domain.com/owa

But before you do that, do you think you could run "get-owavirtualdirectory | fl" in PowerShell and post it here, just so we can understand what the current config looks like? It could be something in there that indicates the issue.

Dave Shackelford
ThirdTier.net

Yorkshireman2 · Feb 8, 2014

Ok will do....

Yorkshireman2 · Feb 8, 2014

Ok... MYSERVER and DOMAIN substitued as necessary for anonimity.

[PS] C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.DOMAIN>get-owavirtualdirectory | fl

Name : owa (Webmail)
WebSite : Webmail
DisplayName : owa
DirectFileAccessOnPublicComputersEnabled : True
DirectFileAccessOnPrivateComputersEnabled : True
WebReadyDocumentViewingOnPublicComputersEnabled : True
WebReadyDocumentViewingOnPrivateComputersEnabled : True
ForceWebReadyDocumentViewingFirstOnPublicComputers : False
ForceWebReadyDocumentViewingFirstOnPrivateComputers : False
RemoteDocumentsActionForUnknownServers : Block
ActionForUnknownFileAndMIMETypes : ForceSave
WebReadyFileTypes : {.xlsx, .pptx, .docx, .xls, .rtf, .ppt, .pps,
.pdf, .dot, .doc}
WebReadyMimeTypes : {application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocumen
t.presentationml.presentation, application/vn
d.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessin
gml.document, application/vnd.openxmlformats-
officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet, applicati
on/vnd.ms-powerpoint, application/x-mspowerpo
int, application/vnd.ms-excel, application/x-
msexcel, application/msword, application/pdf}
WebReadyDocumentViewingForAllSupportedTypes : True
WebReadyDocumentViewingSupportedMimeTypes : {application/msword, application/vnd.ms-excel
, application/x-msexcel, application/vnd.ms-p
owerpoint, application/x-mspowerpoint, applic
ation/pdf, application/vnd.openxmlformats-off
icedocument.wordprocessingml.document, applic
ation/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.sprea
dsheetml.sheet, application/vnd.openxmlformat
s-officedocument.presentationml.presentation}
WebReadyDocumentViewingSupportedFileTypes : {.doc, .dot, .rtf, .xls, .ppt, .pps, .pdf, .d
ocx, .xlsx, .pptx}
AllowedFileTypes : {.rpmsg, .xlsx, .xlsm, .xlsb, .tiff, .pptx, .
pptm, .ppsx, .ppsm, .docx, .docm, .zip, .xls,
.wmv, .wma, .wav...}
AllowedMimeTypes : {image/jpeg, image/png, image/gif, image/bmp}
ForceSaveFileTypes : {.vsmacros, .ps2xml, .ps1xml, .mshxml, .gadge
t, .psc2, .psc1, .aspx, .wsh, .wsf, .wsc, .vs
w, .vst, .vss, .vbs, .vbe...}
ForceSaveMimeTypes : {Application/x-shockwave-flash, Application/o
ctet-stream, Application/futuresplash, Applic
ation/x-director}
BlockedFileTypes : {.vsmacros, .msh2xml, .msh1xml, .ps2xml, .ps1
xml, .mshxml, .gadget, .mhtml, .psc2, .psc1,
.msh2, .msh1, .aspx, .xml, .wsh, .wsf...}
BlockedMimeTypes : {application/x-javascript, application/javasc
ript, application/msaccess, x-internet-signup
, text/javascript, application/xml, applicati
on/prg, application/hta, text/scriplet, text/
xml}
RemoteDocumentsAllowedServers : {}
RemoteDocumentsBlockedServers : {}
RemoteDocumentsInternalDomainSuffixList : {}
FolderPathname :
Url : {}
InternalAuthenticationMethods : {Basic, Fba}
LogonFormat : UserName
ClientAuthCleanupLevel : Low
DefaultDomain : DOMAIN.com
BasicAuthentication : True
DigestAuthentication : False
WindowsAuthentication : False
FormsAuthentication : True
GzipLevel : Low
MetabasePath : IIS://myserver.DOMAIN.COM/W3SVC/1956345
316/ROOT/owa
FilterWebBeaconsAndHtmlForms : UserFilterChoice
NotificationInterval : 120
DefaultTheme :
UserContextTimeout : 60
ExchwebProxyDestination :
VirtualDirectoryType :
OwaVersion : Exchange2007
RedirectToOptimalOWAServer : True
DefaultClientLanguage : 0
LogonAndErrorLanguage : 0
UseGB18030 : False
UseISO885915 : False
OutboundCharset : AutoDetect
CalendarEnabled : True
ContactsEnabled : True
TasksEnabled : True
JournalEnabled : True
NotesEnabled : True
RemindersAndNotificationsEnabled : True
PremiumClientEnabled : True
SpellCheckerEnabled : True
SearchFoldersEnabled : True
SignaturesEnabled : True
ThemeSelectionEnabled : True
JunkEmailEnabled : True
UMIntegrationEnabled : True
WSSAccessOnPublicComputersEnabled : True
WSSAccessOnPrivateComputersEnabled : True
ChangePasswordEnabled : True
UNCAccessOnPublicComputersEnabled : True
UNCAccessOnPrivateComputersEnabled : True
ActiveSyncIntegrationEnabled : True
AllAddressListsEnabled : True
RulesEnabled : True
PublicFoldersEnabled : True
SMimeEnabled : True
RecoverDeletedItemsEnabled : True
Path : D:\Exchange Server\ClientAccess\owa
ExtendedProtectionTokenChecking : None
ExtendedProtectionFlags : {}
ExtendedProtectionSPNList : {}
Server : SERVER
InternalUrl :

https://mail.domain.com/owa/

ExternalUrl :

https://mail.domain.com/owa

ExternalAuthenticationMethods : {Fba}
AdminDisplayName :
ExchangeVersion : 0.1 (8.0.535.0)
DistinguishedName : CN=owa (Webmail),CN=HTTP,CN=Protocols,CN=myserv
er,CN=Servers,CN=Exchange Administrative
Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Administrative Gro
ups,CN=DOMAIN,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Se
rvices,CN=Configuration,DC=DOMAIN,DC=com
Identity : MYSERVER\owa (Webmail)
Guid : bc1becb5-2cce-4e15-8149-6a5f51457467
ObjectCategory : DOMAIN.com/Configuration/Schema/ms-Exch-O
WA-Virtual-Directory
ObjectClass : {top, msExchVirtualDirectory, msExchOWAVirtua
lDirectory}
WhenChanged : 2012/Dec/11 7:16:12 PM
WhenCreated : 2012/Dec/11 4:42:09 PM
OriginatingServer : myserver.DOMAIN.COM
IsValid : True

Name : Exadmin (Webmail)
WebSite : Webmail
DisplayName : Exadmin
DirectFileAccessOnPublicComputersEnabled :
DirectFileAccessOnPrivateComputersEnabled :
WebReadyDocumentViewingOnPublicComputersEnabled :
WebReadyDocumentViewingOnPrivateComputersEnabled :
ForceWebReadyDocumentViewingFirstOnPublicComputers :
ForceWebReadyDocumentViewingFirstOnPrivateComputers :
RemoteDocumentsActionForUnknownServers :
ActionForUnknownFileAndMIMETypes :
WebReadyFileTypes :
WebReadyMimeTypes :
WebReadyDocumentViewingForAllSupportedTypes :
WebReadyDocumentViewingSupportedMimeTypes :
WebReadyDocumentViewingSupportedFileTypes :
AllowedFileTypes :
AllowedMimeTypes :
ForceSaveFileTypes :
ForceSaveMimeTypes :
BlockedFileTypes :
BlockedMimeTypes :
RemoteDocumentsAllowedServers :
RemoteDocumentsBlockedServers :
RemoteDocumentsInternalDomainSuffixList :
FolderPathname : \\.\BackOfficeStorage
Url :
InternalAuthenticationMethods : {Basic, Ntlm, WindowsIntegrated}
LogonFormat : FullDomain
ClientAuthCleanupLevel : High
DefaultDomain :
BasicAuthentication : True
DigestAuthentication : False
WindowsAuthentication : True
FormsAuthentication : False
GzipLevel : Off
MetabasePath : IIS://myserver.DOMAIN.COM/W3SVC/1956345
316/ROOT/Exadmin
FilterWebBeaconsAndHtmlForms :
NotificationInterval :
DefaultTheme :
UserContextTimeout :
ExchwebProxyDestination : NotSpecified
VirtualDirectoryType : Exadmin
OwaVersion : Exchange2003or2000
RedirectToOptimalOWAServer :
DefaultClientLanguage :
LogonAndErrorLanguage : 0
UseGB18030 :
UseISO885915 :
OutboundCharset :
CalendarEnabled :
ContactsEnabled :
TasksEnabled :
JournalEnabled :
NotesEnabled :
RemindersAndNotificationsEnabled :
PremiumClientEnabled :
SpellCheckerEnabled :
SearchFoldersEnabled :
SignaturesEnabled :
ThemeSelectionEnabled :
JunkEmailEnabled :
UMIntegrationEnabled :
WSSAccessOnPublicComputersEnabled :
WSSAccessOnPrivateComputersEnabled :
ChangePasswordEnabled :
UNCAccessOnPublicComputersEnabled :
UNCAccessOnPrivateComputersEnabled :
ActiveSyncIntegrationEnabled :
AllAddressListsEnabled :
RulesEnabled :
PublicFoldersEnabled :
SMimeEnabled :
RecoverDeletedItemsEnabled :
Path : \\.\BackOfficeStorage
ExtendedProtectionTokenChecking : None
ExtendedProtectionFlags : {}
ExtendedProtectionSPNList : {}
Server : MYSERVER
InternalUrl :
ExternalUrl :
ExternalAuthenticationMethods : {Fba}
AdminDisplayName :
ExchangeVersion : 0.1 (8.0.535.0)
DistinguishedName : CN=Exadmin (Webmail),CN=HTTP,CN=Protocols,CN=
MYSERVER,CN=Servers,CN=Exchange Administrat
ive Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Administrative
Groups,CN=DOMAIN,CN=Microsoft Exchange,C
N=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=DOMAIN,DC=
com
Identity : MYSERVER\Exadmin (Webmail)
Guid : 837b17af-4ddb-4216-97c7-2a70c0ac807f
ObjectCategory : DOMAIN.com/Configuration/Schema/ms-Exch-O
WA-Virtual-Directory
ObjectClass : {top, msExchVirtualDirectory, msExchOWAVirtua
lDirectory}
WhenChanged : 2012/Dec/11 4:42:11 PM
WhenCreated : 2012/Dec/11 4:42:11 PM
OriginatingServer : myserver.DOMAIN.COM
IsValid : True

Name : Exchange (Webmail)
WebSite : Webmail
DisplayName : Exchange
DirectFileAccessOnPublicComputersEnabled :
DirectFileAccessOnPrivateComputersEnabled :
WebReadyDocumentViewingOnPublicComputersEnabled :
WebReadyDocumentViewingOnPrivateComputersEnabled :
ForceWebReadyDocumentViewingFirstOnPublicComputers :
ForceWebReadyDocumentViewingFirstOnPrivateComputers :
RemoteDocumentsActionForUnknownServers :
ActionForUnknownFileAndMIMETypes :
WebReadyFileTypes :
WebReadyMimeTypes :
WebReadyDocumentViewingForAllSupportedTypes :
WebReadyDocumentViewingSupportedMimeTypes :
WebReadyDocumentViewingSupportedFileTypes :
AllowedFileTypes :
AllowedMimeTypes :
ForceSaveFileTypes :
ForceSaveMimeTypes :
BlockedFileTypes :
BlockedMimeTypes :
RemoteDocumentsAllowedServers :
RemoteDocumentsBlockedServers :
RemoteDocumentsInternalDomainSuffixList :
FolderPathname : \\.\BackOfficeStorage\domain.com\MBX
Url :
InternalAuthenticationMethods : {Basic, Ntlm, WindowsIntegrated}
LogonFormat : FullDomain
ClientAuthCleanupLevel : High
DefaultDomain :
BasicAuthentication : True
DigestAuthentication : False
WindowsAuthentication : True
FormsAuthentication : False
GzipLevel : Off
MetabasePath : IIS://myserver.DOMAIN.COM/W3SVC/1956345
316/ROOT/Exchange
FilterWebBeaconsAndHtmlForms :
NotificationInterval :
DefaultTheme :
UserContextTimeout :
ExchwebProxyDestination : NotSpecified
VirtualDirectoryType : Mailboxes
OwaVersion : Exchange2003or2000
RedirectToOptimalOWAServer :
DefaultClientLanguage :
LogonAndErrorLanguage : 0
UseGB18030 :
UseISO885915 :
OutboundCharset :
CalendarEnabled :
ContactsEnabled :
TasksEnabled :
JournalEnabled :
NotesEnabled :
RemindersAndNotificationsEnabled :
PremiumClientEnabled :
SpellCheckerEnabled :
SearchFoldersEnabled :
SignaturesEnabled :
ThemeSelectionEnabled :
JunkEmailEnabled :
UMIntegrationEnabled :
WSSAccessOnPublicComputersEnabled :
WSSAccessOnPrivateComputersEnabled :
ChangePasswordEnabled :
UNCAccessOnPublicComputersEnabled :
UNCAccessOnPrivateComputersEnabled :
ActiveSyncIntegrationEnabled :
AllAddressListsEnabled :
RulesEnabled :
PublicFoldersEnabled :
SMimeEnabled :
RecoverDeletedItemsEnabled :
Path : \\.\BackOfficeStorage\domain.com\MBX
ExtendedProtectionTokenChecking : None
ExtendedProtectionFlags : {}
ExtendedProtectionSPNList : {}
Server : MYSERVER
InternalUrl :
ExternalUrl :
ExternalAuthenticationMethods : {Fba}
AdminDisplayName :
ExchangeVersion : 0.1 (8.0.535.0)
DistinguishedName : CN=Exchange (Webmail),CN=HTTP,CN=Protocols,CN
=MYSERVER,CN=Servers,CN=Exchange Administra
tive Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Administrativ
e Groups,CN=DOMAIN,CN=Microsoft Exchange,
CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=DOMAIN,DC
=com
Identity : MYSERVER\Exchange (Webmail)
Guid : 8bf4696c-5afa-4579-92e2-fe28518383fd
ObjectCategory : DOMAIN.com/Configuration/Schema/ms-Exch-O
WA-Virtual-Directory
ObjectClass : {top, msExchVirtualDirectory, msExchOWAVirtua
lDirectory}
WhenChanged : 2012/Dec/11 4:42:11 PM
WhenCreated : 2012/Dec/11 4:42:11 PM
OriginatingServer : myserver.DOMAIN.COM
IsValid : True

Name : Exchweb (Webmail)
WebSite : Webmail
DisplayName : Exchweb
DirectFileAccessOnPublicComputersEnabled :
DirectFileAccessOnPrivateComputersEnabled :
WebReadyDocumentViewingOnPublicComputersEnabled :
WebReadyDocumentViewingOnPrivateComputersEnabled :
ForceWebReadyDocumentViewingFirstOnPublicComputers :
ForceWebReadyDocumentViewingFirstOnPrivateComputers :
RemoteDocumentsActionForUnknownServers :
ActionForUnknownFileAndMIMETypes :
WebReadyFileTypes :
WebReadyMimeTypes :
WebReadyDocumentViewingForAllSupportedTypes :
WebReadyDocumentViewingSupportedMimeTypes :
WebReadyDocumentViewingSupportedFileTypes :
AllowedFileTypes :
AllowedMimeTypes :
ForceSaveFileTypes :
ForceSaveMimeTypes :
BlockedFileTypes :
BlockedMimeTypes :
RemoteDocumentsAllowedServers :
RemoteDocumentsBlockedServers :
RemoteDocumentsInternalDomainSuffixList :
FolderPathname : \\.\BackOfficeStorage\domain.com\ExchWeb
Url :
InternalAuthenticationMethods : {Basic, Ntlm, WindowsIntegrated}
LogonFormat : FullDomain
ClientAuthCleanupLevel : High
DefaultDomain :
BasicAuthentication : True
DigestAuthentication : False
WindowsAuthentication : True
FormsAuthentication : False
GzipLevel : Off
MetabasePath : IIS://myserver.DOMAIN.COM/W3SVC/1956345
316/ROOT/Exchweb
FilterWebBeaconsAndHtmlForms :
NotificationInterval :
DefaultTheme :
UserContextTimeout :
ExchwebProxyDestination : MailboxServer
VirtualDirectoryType : Exchweb
OwaVersion : Exchange2003or2000
RedirectToOptimalOWAServer :
DefaultClientLanguage :
LogonAndErrorLanguage : 0
UseGB18030 :
UseISO885915 :
OutboundCharset :
CalendarEnabled :
ContactsEnabled :
TasksEnabled :
JournalEnabled :
NotesEnabled :
RemindersAndNotificationsEnabled :
PremiumClientEnabled :
SpellCheckerEnabled :
SearchFoldersEnabled :
SignaturesEnabled :
ThemeSelectionEnabled :
JunkEmailEnabled :
UMIntegrationEnabled :
WSSAccessOnPublicComputersEnabled :
WSSAccessOnPrivateComputersEnabled :
ChangePasswordEnabled :
UNCAccessOnPublicComputersEnabled :
UNCAccessOnPrivateComputersEnabled :
ActiveSyncIntegrationEnabled :
AllAddressListsEnabled :
RulesEnabled :
PublicFoldersEnabled :
SMimeEnabled :
RecoverDeletedItemsEnabled :
Path : \\.\BackOfficeStorage\domain.com\ExchWeb
ExtendedProtectionTokenChecking : None
ExtendedProtectionFlags : {}
ExtendedProtectionSPNList : {}
Server : MYSERVER
InternalUrl :
ExternalUrl :
ExternalAuthenticationMethods : {Fba}
AdminDisplayName :
ExchangeVersion : 0.1 (8.0.535.0)
DistinguishedName : CN=Exchweb (Webmail),CN=HTTP,CN=Protocols,CN=
MYSERVER,CN=Servers,CN=Exchange Administrat
ive Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Administrative
Groups,CN=DOMAIN,CN=Microsoft Exchange,C
N=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=DOMAIN,DC=
com
Identity : MYSERVER\Exchweb (Webmail)
Guid : 60fd44a5-77ca-44bf-8e1f-05a7d761a978
ObjectCategory : DOMAIN.com/Configuration/Schema/ms-Exch-O
WA-Virtual-Directory
ObjectClass : {top, msExchVirtualDirectory, msExchOWAVirtua
lDirectory}
WhenChanged : 2012/Dec/11 4:42:11 PM
WhenCreated : 2012/Dec/11 4:42:11 PM
OriginatingServer : myserver.DOMAIN.COM
IsValid : True

Name : Public (Webmail)
WebSite : Webmail
DisplayName : Public
DirectFileAccessOnPublicComputersEnabled :
DirectFileAccessOnPrivateComputersEnabled :
WebReadyDocumentViewingOnPublicComputersEnabled :
WebReadyDocumentViewingOnPrivateComputersEnabled :
ForceWebReadyDocumentViewingFirstOnPublicComputers :
ForceWebReadyDocumentViewingFirstOnPrivateComputers :
RemoteDocumentsActionForUnknownServers :
ActionForUnknownFileAndMIMETypes :
WebReadyFileTypes :
WebReadyMimeTypes :
WebReadyDocumentViewingForAllSupportedTypes :
WebReadyDocumentViewingSupportedMimeTypes :
WebReadyDocumentViewingSupportedFileTypes :
AllowedFileTypes :
AllowedMimeTypes :
ForceSaveFileTypes :
ForceSaveMimeTypes :
BlockedFileTypes :
BlockedMimeTypes :
RemoteDocumentsAllowedServers :
RemoteDocumentsBlockedServers :
RemoteDocumentsInternalDomainSuffixList :
FolderPathname : \\.\BackOfficeStorage\domain.com\Public F
olders
Url :
InternalAuthenticationMethods : {Basic, Ntlm, WindowsIntegrated}
LogonFormat : FullDomain
ClientAuthCleanupLevel : High
DefaultDomain :
BasicAuthentication : True
DigestAuthentication : False
WindowsAuthentication : True
FormsAuthentication : False
GzipLevel : Off
MetabasePath : IIS://myserver.DOMAIN.COM/W3SVC/1956345
316/ROOT/Public
FilterWebBeaconsAndHtmlForms :
NotificationInterval :
DefaultTheme :
UserContextTimeout :
ExchwebProxyDestination : NotSpecified
VirtualDirectoryType : PublicFolders
OwaVersion : Exchange2003or2000
RedirectToOptimalOWAServer :
DefaultClientLanguage :
LogonAndErrorLanguage : 0
UseGB18030 :
UseISO885915 :
OutboundCharset :
CalendarEnabled :
ContactsEnabled :
TasksEnabled :
JournalEnabled :
NotesEnabled :
RemindersAndNotificationsEnabled :
PremiumClientEnabled :
SpellCheckerEnabled :
SearchFoldersEnabled :
SignaturesEnabled :
ThemeSelectionEnabled :
JunkEmailEnabled :
UMIntegrationEnabled :
WSSAccessOnPublicComputersEnabled :
WSSAccessOnPrivateComputersEnabled :
ChangePasswordEnabled :
UNCAccessOnPublicComputersEnabled :
UNCAccessOnPrivateComputersEnabled :
ActiveSyncIntegrationEnabled :
AllAddressListsEnabled :
RulesEnabled :
PublicFoldersEnabled :
SMimeEnabled :
RecoverDeletedItemsEnabled :
Path : \\.\BackOfficeStorage\domain.com\Public F
olders
ExtendedProtectionTokenChecking : None
ExtendedProtectionFlags : {}
ExtendedProtectionSPNList : {}
Server : MYSERVER
InternalUrl :
ExternalUrl :
ExternalAuthenticationMethods : {Fba}
AdminDisplayName :
ExchangeVersion : 0.1 (8.0.535.0)
DistinguishedName : CN=Public (Webmail),CN=HTTP,CN=Protocols,CN=M
YSERVER,CN=Servers,CN=Exchange Administrati
ve Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Administrative
Groups,CN=DOMAIN,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN
=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=DOMAIN,DC=c
om
Identity : MYSERVER\Public (Webmail)
Guid : 39a36abc-8ce6-4a80-b7e9-1e4ad3c2e404
ObjectCategory : DOMAIN.com/Configuration/Schema/ms-Exch-O
WA-Virtual-Directory
ObjectClass : {top, msExchVirtualDirectory, msExchOWAVirtua
lDirectory}
WhenChanged : 2012/Dec/11 4:42:12 PM
WhenCreated : 2012/Dec/11 4:42:12 PM
OriginatingServer : myserver.DOMAIN.COM
IsValid : True

[PS] C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.DOMAIN>

ShackDaddy · Feb 9, 2014

I don't don't see anything wrong there. I'd go ahead and recreate the virtual directory.

Dave Shackelford
ThirdTier.net

Yorkshireman2 · Feb 10, 2014

OK I did this to remove the old one:
[PS] C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.DOMAIN>remove-owavirtualdirectory -identity "owa (W
ebmail)" -confirm

Confirm
Are you sure you want to perform this action?
The Remove-OwaVirtualDirectory cmdlet is removing Outlook Web Access virtual directory
"myserevr.DOMAIN.COM\owa (Webmail)".
[Y] Yes [A] Yes to All [N] No [L] No to All Suspend [?] Help (default is "Y"): y

In IIS, the owa entry disappeared from webmail

Then I tried:
[PS] C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.DOMAIN>new-owavirtualdirectory -website "owa (Webma
il)" -owaversion "Exchange2007" -internalurl
https://mail.MYDOMAIN.com/owa
-externalurl
https://ma
il.MYDOMAIN.com/owa
New-OwaVirtualDirectory : The Web site 'owa (Webmail)' on server 'myserver.MYDOMAIN.COM' does n
ot exist. The name of a Web site is case sensitive.
Parameter name: WebSiteName
At line:1 char:24
+ new-owavirtualdirectory <<<< -website "owa (Webmail)" -owaversion "Exchange2007" -internalurl ht
tps://mail.MYDOMAIN.com/owa -externalurl
https://mail.MYDOMAIN.com/owa

help the owa is gone now and I can't get it to create

Yorkshireman2 · Feb 10, 2014

I just read those original properties and it said the exchange type was 2003 or 2000.
Well,this exchange was put in service after our old windows 2000 server/exchange 2000 died, so it had a legacy active directory that was being replicated to this one (which was at the time a second DC).
This one was then promoted to primary DC and exchange 2007 installed. SO I thought maybe it has to be exchange 2003 or 2000 type.

Therefore I just modified the command a bit like this:
[PS] C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.MYDOMAIN>new-owavirtualdirectory -owaversion "Exchan
ge2003or2000" -Name "owa (Webmail)" -internalurl

https://mail.mydomain.com/owa/

-externalurl http
s://mail.mydomain.com/owa/

BUT I got this...
New-OwaVirtualDirectory : The VirtualDirectoryType parameter is required when the OwaVersion parame
ter is set to Exchange2003or2000.
Parameter name: VirtualDirectoryType
At line:1 char:24
+ new-owavirtualdirectory <<<< -owaversion "Exchange2003or2000" -Name "owa (Webmail)" -internalur
l

https://mail.micropilot.com/owa/

-externalurl

https://mail.micropilot.com/owa/

So i gave up and thought I would try exchange 2007 type again...

[PS] C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.MYDOMAIN>new-owavirtualdirectory -owaversion "Exchan
ge2007" -Name "owa (Webmail)" -internalurl

https://mail.mydomain.com/owa/

-externalurl

https://ma

il.mydomain.com/owa/

BUT I got this:
New-OwaVirtualDirectory : An error occurred while creating the IIS virtual directory 'IIS://lilient
hal.MICROPILOT.COM/W3SVC/1/ROOT/owa' on 'LILIENTHAL'.
At line:1 char:24
+ new-owavirtualdirectory <<<< -owaversion "Exchange2007" -Name "owa (Webmail)" -internalurl http
s://mail.micropilot.com/owa/ -externalurl

https://mail.micropilot.com/owa/

So no further on still have no owa

Yorkshireman2 · Feb 10, 2014

By the way, I ran get-owavirtualdirectory and got this

Name Server OwaVersion
---- ------ ----------
Exadmin (Webmail) MYSERVER Exchange2003or2000
Exchange (Webmail) MYSERVER Exchange2003or2000
Exchweb (Webmail) MYSERVER Exchange2003or2000
Public (Webmail) MYSERVER Exchange2003or2000

so does this mean I HAVE to create the new owa virtual directory in this version, or can i just create it as EXCHANGE2007?

Any help to get the site running again is welcome- nobody has complained about no web mail yet but they will- soon.

Yorkshireman2 · Feb 10, 2014

Ah I just tried [PS] C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.MYDOMAIN>new-owavirtualdirectory -Name "owa (Webmail)
" -owaversion "Exchange2007" -internalurl

https://mail.mydomain.com/owa

-externalurl

https://mail

.mydomain.com/owa

It succeeded BUT made the dorectory in the Default web site!

So I removed it.
ThenI just noticed a paramater of the command that is named websitename. I thought the "owa (Webmail)" was enough to specify this but it seems not.
So itried with the website name:

[PS] C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.MYDOMAIN>new-owavirtualdirectory -Name "owa (Webmail)
" -websitename "Webmail" -owaversion "Exchange2007" -internalurl

https://mail.mydomain.com/owa

-e
xternalurl

https://mail.mydomain.com/owa

Name Server OwaVersion
---- ------ ----------
owa (Webmail) MYSERVER Exchange2007

That succeeded and owa appeared inside the IIS Webmail section.

BUT Now I cannot connect to the site by browser so there must be some configuration different.

I hope I don't have to mess with the certificate again- I never understood all that and finally a Dell support guy configured the site and we put a cerificate in.
The boss always finds something not working on his cell phone access.

Yorkshireman2 · Feb 10, 2014

Phew- I found the PS actions left the website stopped in IIS so I went through a series of stop/start, iisreset and again.
Now the site is running.

BUT its still the same after all that. Black and white text again- no colour graphics at all.

Hopefully because I can reach it from inside the building, my boss can reach it from his cell phone and others can reach it from outside.

ANy ideas?

ShackDaddy · Feb 11, 2014

This is a hard one to troubleshoot in the forums.

I would go to a normal OWA install and right-click a graphic and look at the path. Then I'd go to your install and determine where the file path is that the OWA files are in and see if all the images are properly in that directory. Then I'd also view the page source in OWA on your system and see if the file paths for the images are any different than a default install of OWA. If they are, that might be a clue.

I'm thinking if that if Dell created that website and the OWA vdir manually, maybe they also did something different with the files directories that it refers to, and a recent update may have changed something to undo their work. But it's hard to tell without actually being local to the server to inspect it.

Dave Shackelford
ThirdTier.net

Yorkshireman2 · Feb 12, 2014

I appreciate the advice- thank you. When (if?) I solve it I will post here to help others.

Thanks for now.

Yorkshireman2 · Feb 15, 2014

Slight update.. I found an identical description of the issue on a new web search and the person said Microsoft stated it was caused by update roll up 12 for exchange 2007 Sp3. this person uninstalled his rollup 12 and his was fixed.

http://social.technet.microsoft.com...hange-2007-sp3?forum=exchangesvrclientslegacy

However, I tried uninstalling roll up12 and ..... same thing, blank page in IE and text only in firefox.

Interestingly I checked the modified date of my owa files and there are some dated december 2013! Thats about the time the rollup 12 would have been installed on the server. I was away at that time and I only heard a complaint about a week before christmas so the timing all fits.

ONLY... my owa still has the problem after uninstalling.

The thread then goes on to say that he had to recreate the owa virtual diretcory AFTER uninstalling roll up 12, so maybe thats the clue.
I shall have to try now recreating the owa virtual diretclry again

I will try to find if anyone has an owa site that I can look at.

Yorkshireman2 · Feb 18, 2014

By the way, one more odd thing- the login.aspx has an underlined title saying Security ('Show explanation') and when I click on it, nothing happens.

But when I try another owa page that works (another company's site) their link 'Show explanation') actually does something; it opens up more text - describing the options.

I wonder if this indicates that scripts are being blocked somehow. Although I don't understand it fully, it seems like the aspx pages run scripts when they load. My company page seems to not run the scripts(or the scripts are being blocked for some reason) yet this other company's site runs the scripts ok.

Curious. I wish I understood.

Yorkshireman2 · Feb 20, 2014

SOLVED
After reading many, many more cases the solution that worked for me is that I uninstalled update rollup 12 for exchange 2007 service pack 3, rebooted, DELETED the owa\8.3.342.1 directory, removed the owa virtual directory, recreated the owa virtual directory, stopped and started the IIS website for my owa. The correct login form appeared in my browser!
The biggest difference in this sequence from what I tried before is that I DELETED the 8.3.342.1 directory before removing/recreating the virtual directory. I'm thinking something was being affected by that old version directory from the roll up; it probably should have disappeared when I uninstalled the roll up 12 but it didn't.

Now re-installing update rollup 12 to see what happens....

ShackDaddy · Feb 20, 2014

Good work. Do let us know whether reinstalling the rollup creates any issues.

Dave Shackelford
ThirdTier.net

Yorkshireman2 · Feb 23, 2014

Works fine with rollup 12 installed again.
Thank you for your help with this (and Zelandakh); I am learning every day and your guidance was vital to put me in the right direction.

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