XFOR: IMAP/POP3 Clients Cannot Reply to Migrated Messages

• Microsoft Exchange Server, version 5.5

SYMPTOMS

After the Exchange Migration Wizard is used to migrate mailboxes and messages from Microsoft Mail, Collabra Share, CCMail, Groupwise, or any other supported messaging system, IMAP and POP3 clients will not be able to reply to the original senders of the messages.

CAUSE

When messages are migrated from another messaging system to Exchange, the properties of the original messages are left intact. This includes the address of the sender. For example, if a user migrates a message from a Microsoft Mail mailbox into Exchange and replies to the message with the Microsoft Outlook client, the 10/10/10 MSMail address will be the only option.

IMAP and POP3 clients can only send to SMTP addresses. Because the original message never contained an SMTP address, only the display name of the message originator will be present. The IMAP or POP3 users will need to update their personal address book with the SMTP address of the message originator to enable message replies. If this originator does not have an SMTP address, message replies will only be possible with the Microsoft Exchange or Outlook client.

This behavior is by product design.

WORKAROUND

Typing the correct SMTP address for the original sender will allow the IMAP/POP3 client to reply.