User does not exist - calendar issue

[Macinslaw]

We are running an exchange 2000 server with Outlook 2002 clients. I have
only one user who is having an issue:

He will create an appoinment to several users. The appoinments go out fine.
But if he recalls, changes or updates the appointment, an error message gets
generated as an email stating that several users do not exist. The list
fluctuates a little, but there are 2 in the list that are always on the list.
I have racked my brain and cannot find a resolution to this issue. I have
performed a re-install of Office, a repair install of office, deleted cache,
deleted contact list and checked it, defragged, checked for malwayre, used
every search parameter I can think of and I am unable to find anything even
close to tis issue.

Can someone please assist us with this, this user is really on my back about
it, this feature is probably the only one he really knows how to use the
best! LOL

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Nikki Peterson [MVP - Outlook]]

The first thing I would check is:

Is your creating client using his own contacts to select the recipients? If
so,
he may be using old information. Have him delete them from his contacts and
use the GAL. If this is not the case, perhaps he is using his Outlook
"NickNames"
feature to select the clients. Have the client delete the names from his
nickname
cache and try fresh from the GAL.

There is some information on the "NickNames" or "Name Resolution" feature
at the following URL:
http://www.slipstick.com/contacts/index.htm#resolve

Nikki Peterson

 

[Macinslaw]

Thanks so much for the response. My user is using the GAL and I have
personally deleted the nickname cache store 2ce. I will read the article you
point to. Whatever it is, I do not believe that your suggestion will prove
fruitful for I have already performed this operation. But your suggestion is
much appreciated and I welcome any further ideas on this issue.

 

[TechieBird]

Are the problem addresses users who no longer exist? If so, is it possible
that those users were delegates to people who are on the invitee list?

I'm thinking of a situation like this:

- Alice has two assistants, Bob and Carly, who are delegates on her mailbox
and receive her calendar invites
- Carly leaves the company and her mailbox is deleted *but* Alice forgets
to remove Carly from her delegates list
- Dave sends Alice a meeting request. Because she is set up for the
request to go to her delegates, the server tries to send it to Bob and Carly.
- Because Carly doesn't exist on the server, Dave gets a message back from
the server saying her address couldn't be resolved - which confuses him
because he never sent her anything!
- If Alice looks in her list of delegates (Tools > Options > Delegates)
she'll see Bob plus one other account that used to be Carly, but which no
longer has a name showing. If she removes the strange looking account then
the problem should go away.

Of course the problem for Dave is that if he sent the meeting request to 10
people then he doesn't know which of the 10 has a delegate problem - which
makes it interesting to troubleshoot...

I'm not sure if what you're seeing is the same or not, but I hope this is of
some use!

 

[Macinslaw]

Nope, all users exist and have good addresses and none are set up as
delegates, nor have they been set up to have a forward performed.

That was a great suggestion, though. Thanks.

 

[Nikki Peterson [MVP - Outlook]]

Did you ever have to rebuild any active directory accounts for any
of your people? If so, when?

I ask because, when you rebuild an account, the id's change. Even
though everything seems the same, Outlook will recognize that they
are different and "distinct".

If your client is using OLD appointments as templates, and trying to
create new ones (to save typing time), then the system will see the
old information and cry "foul".

To check this, I would sit down with the client and ask them to
make an appointment. Do not say anything, but watch them do it.
You may find your answer.

Nikki Peterson

 

[Macinslaw]

Sasparilla! I think that may be it. As a matter of fact, or entire Exchange
server had to be rebuilt from a backup of the database, then we exported and
re-created all the accounts onto a new machine when we had a devestating
failure. Also, quick question, none of this could be caused from the new
daylight savings time changes could they? As a final note, how do we fix the
1 our off time issue in exchange? Every time we are supposed to do our time
change all appointments are off by an hour for 3 weeks until after the date
passes from the old time change. (sorry to ask another question in the same
area, if need be I'll start a new one.

Thanks so much for this, I believe you may be right. Although....but then
what's the fix? Not to use any old appointments as a template?

 

[Macinslaw]

Hmmm....one more thought....If every user had to be re-imported and a couple
of SID's changed, then what about the groups that were created? Would they
also be using old SID's

 

[Nikki Peterson [MVP - Outlook]]

Because the groups ID did not change, I believe you are ok. (But I'm not
100% sure).

The DST problem is different and will manifest itself in the Off Hours that
you are seeing. I would check all clocks (Client machine, Outlook Time
Zone, Server Time)

The answer is Yes, DO NOT use any old appointments as a template.

Nikki

 

[Macinslaw]

Thanks very much. I did some further checking and found that one user has no
idea if he uses the templates. (By the way, I found another user having the
same issue.) The other user states that any appointment sent to a common
email address comes back regardless of choosing the user singularly or by
group. This user definitely does not use any old appointments as templates.

--DST - All Workstations were updated by WSUS and GPO to be DST compliant
and I personally installed the registry changes for our servers. Only
Exchange is wigged out.

Anyway, I am just at a complete loss. I don't know how to resolve this.

 

[Nikki Peterson [MVP - Outlook]]

At this point, I would start asking on the EXCHANGE discussions list.
Be sure and include all information, including the Exchange version,
the Outlook Client versions, and all symptoms, and what you have
done so far to troubleshoot.

Nikki Peterson

 

[Macinslaw]

Thanks very much for all your assistance regarding this matter. I very much
appreciate it.

-Slaw