HELP!!! any way to test the Exchange system and mailboxes

Bas · Jul 20, 2005

Is there any way to check (verify/repair) Exchange mailboxes??

I have a user who's mail and appointment probelms
Deleted items are EMPTY

(obviosly no one has deleted them!!)

The mail box has 7300 entries... (520mb)
Entourage dosen't seem to have any archiving options like Outlook2003

Can check / repair be done from the server
this be done from the Server - (RDP session as the server is 50 miles away!)

I'm used to looking after Groupwise systems....
But although I supported this site for a year - no real problems
a new guy insists on a couple of MAC's and its a pain!!!

Tom Meunier · Jul 21, 2005

I'm not sure I understand exactly what you're asking. An Exchange mailbox
isn't a monolithic file like in Groupwise. Rather, there is one Exchange
private store database file that holds many mailboxes. You shouldn't have
to perform verify/repair against that database unless you know there is
corruption.

So let's address your questions one at a time. I'll do it inline:

Bas said:
Is there any way to check (verify/repair) Exchange mailboxes??

I have a user who's mail and appointment probelms
Deleted items are EMPTY

Is this a problem? What are the mail and appointment problems that the user
is having? What version of Entourage? What version of Exchange?

(obviosly no one has deleted them!!)

Why is that obvious? Does he want his deleted items back?

The mail box has 7300 entries... (520mb)
Entourage dosen't seem to have any archiving options like Outlook2003

What do you want to archive? There's nothing wrong with having 7300 items
in a 520mb mailbox. Exchange can handle hundreds of 520mb mailboxes. At
any rate, you can certainly archive off whatever mail you like with File >
Export. Here's a nice page showing the options:
http://its.ucsf.edu/information/software/exchange/mac_software/entourage_archive.jsp

Can check / repair be done from the server
this be done from the Server - (RDP session as the server is 50 miles
away!)

Yes, you can do that. Microsoft publishes several support utilities to
repair corrupt databases. If you don't already know what they are and what
specific conditions indicate their use, you'll probably only want to invoke
them as part of a Microsoft support case. What is it that you want to
accomplish? If you want to view the actual mailbox as it exists on the
Exchange server, it's best to log onto it using Outlook, or Outlook Web
Access using Internet Explorer. Sometimes people don't understand that with
Entourage you're viewing a LOCAL COPY of the Exchange info, which may or may
not be exactly what's on the Exchange server. OWA will give you a sanity
check by showing you exactly what is in the Exchange mailbox itself.

Bas · Jul 24, 2005

see in line

Tom Meunier said:
I'm not sure I understand exactly what you're asking. An Exchange mailbox
isn't a monolithic file like in Groupwise. Rather, there is one Exchange
private store database file that holds many mailboxes. You shouldn't have
to perform verify/repair against that database unless you know there is
corruption.

I don't care for techlonogy - just a reliable tool.
Goroupwise / Exchange / Notes - I don't really care how it works

isn't one BIG 16Gb file a monolith ??

Yes, I suspect there is some corruption.
Mail items and specially calender items go missing
Users assistant prints out a daily calander and often these go missing
Looking back over several months worth MANY appointments have gone missing
As a policy only PERSONAL email items are deleted nothing else
the missing items are not in the deleted items

So let's address your questions one at a time. I'll do it inline:

Yes, THEY are missing
Deleted items show empty although neither the user or his assistant has
deleted or emptied items
(other than personal emails)

Is this a problem? What are the mail and appointment problems that the user
is having? What version of Entourage? What version of Exchange?

I'll check Monday

Why is that obvious? Does he want his deleted items back?

Thats what the user(s) say but ....

What do you want to archive?

everything OLDER tahn say 90 days!!!

There's nothing wrong with having 7300 items
in a 520mb mailbox. Exchange can handle hundreds of 520mb mailboxes. At
any rate, you can certainly archive off whatever mail you like with File >
Export. Here's a nice page showing the options:
http://its.ucsf.edu/information/software/exchange/mac_software/entourage_archive.jsp

Sounds like a BACKUP
Does this work a bit like PST file
ie. I set a archive.xxx and items are ADDED to the archive
or do I end up with lots of .xxx files i.e point in-time backup (that would
be useless)

Can't see ANY options for DATE range
Like with PST files I want to archive items