XADM: Clients May Stop Responding After You Remove a Public Folder Server

• Microsoft Outlook, versions 2000, 98
• Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 5.0, 5.5

SYMPTOMS

After you move public folders between servers in the same site, such as from ServerA to ServerB, and then remove ServerA from the site, clients may stop responding (hang) when users attempt to access the public folders.

CAUSE

The public folder server is cached on the client and if the public folders have been moved to another server after the original ServerA has been removed from the site, the clients may hang because they are attempting to access ServerA.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, leave ServerA online until all users have accessed a public folder after it has been moved. Doing so allows the client to attempt to access ServerA, at which time the profile is successfully updated to point to the folders on ServerB. After a folder has been accessed by every client after being moved to ServerB, it is safe to remove ServerA.

If this workaround is not feasible, then the only other option is to have clients re-create their profiles.

MORE INFORMATION

The following method is a safer method for removing a public folder server from the site in a manner that does not affect users.

NOTE: If the server to be removed is also the first server in the site, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base first:

Q152959 How to Remove the First Exchange Server in a Site

1. Add replicas to the new server (public folder server B), which will become the new public folder server.



2. Allow replication to fully finish (preferably 24 hours to be safe).



3. Change the properties of the private information store of ServerA to point to the new public folder server, ServerB.



4. Remove replicas from the original public folder server, ServerA (allow replication to occur).



5. Keep both ServerA and ServerB online and have clients access a public folder homed on ServerB. This updates the client profile to look on ServerB. If a client doesn't access a public folder, that client may stop responding after ServerA is removed.
   
   -or-
   
   Send an e-mail to users with a link to the public folder for them to access. When the users click the link, it hits the public folder, and updates the client profile.
   
   For more information on how to complete this operation in Outlook, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:




Q197361 OL2000: (CW) How to Include Shortcut to Public Folder in Mail

6. Stop the Exchange Server services on ServerA but don't remove it until you have confirmed that users can still access public folders.



7. If no one has difficulty accessing public folders, it is safe to remove ServerA; otherwise, bring ServerA online until all client profiles have been updated.

Additional query words:

Keywords : exc5 exc55
Version : WINDOWS:2000,98; winnt:5.0,5.5
Platform : WINDOWS winnt
Issue type : kbprb