Server Side Rule Rendered Client Only When Viewed At Different PC

[jj]

I am responsible for an Outlook 2000 system which is supposed to
handle incoming e-mails automatically. The first step in processing is
handled by several Inbox Rules which move incoming e-mails into
various sub-folders of the Inbox, depending upon keywords in Subject,
presence of an attachment etc. So far so good.

I set-up a rule to reply to any remaining emails automatically, using
the "Have Server Reply Using a Specific Message" option, and then move
the e-mail into a sub-folder of the Inbox. This works fine, the
standard reply gets sent whether or not Outlook is running on the PC
where I set up the rule, and even with that PC switched off, as you'd
expect with something server-based.

However, things get weird if I log into this mail account from another
PC. If I run the Rules Wizard I'm greeted with the "Keep Client or
Sever Rules?" dialog, it doesn't seem to make any difference which
option I choose. The rule is now shown as Client Only. If I log-out of
the mail account on the second PC and go back to the original PC, the
Rules Wizard here now runs the "Client or Server Rules?" dialog, and
again the choice seems to make no difference. However, now the rule is
Cient Only here as well, using a local file stored under my profile on
Drive C:

What was a Server-Side rule has been changed into Client-Only simply
by looking at it on another PC. Can anyone explain this and advise how
I can keep the rule server-based, short of banning myself and
colleagues from calling up the Rules Wizard for this account from any
PC other than the one on which it was set-up? (Which largely defeats
the object of having it server-based in the first place)

 

[jj]

What was a Server-Side rule has been changed into Client-Only simply
by looking at it on another PC.

Found it Looks like it's this known bug:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;222308

"Typically these conflicts occur if you are a roaming user ..." - the
2 PC's are only a few steps apart but presumably this must count as
roaming

" .. and one of the workstations has a clock that is not set to the
correct time or zone" - as far as I can tell this isn't the case, even
allowing for the time-lag when sprinting from one desk to the other


I've followed the advice on renaming the Rules Wizard file but the
problem still occurs, and I don't think I'll be allowed to install
CleanSweep. That leaves manually re-creating the server side reply
rules on each PC, but I thought the whole point of having them
server-sdie was ....

.... oh never mind, at least I know I'm not going mad