Auto configure for Exchange server 03

[Guest]

What do I need to do so a user is able to log into a new PC with Outlook 2003
installed and is part of an AD enviroment so that the first time Outllok is
opened it creates the profile and logs the user into the Exchange server?

Did I make myself clear enough?

Thanks

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Microsoft uses text files with a .prf extension and a highly structured format to provide information to OUtlook that enables Outlook to create or modify a mail profile. You can create such .prf files with the Custom Installation Wizard or Custom Maintenance Wizard tools in the Office Resource Kit. For more details, including a variety of .prf deployment methods, read the excellent white paper "Configuring Outlook Profiles by Using a PRF File" at http://office.microsoft.com/search/redir.aspx?assetid=HA011403051033&QueryID=pHm7c_60I&respos=3

The page at http://www.slipstick.com/exs/olroam.htm includes information on other profile tools and resources.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Guest]

Sue I ran the Custom Install Wizard and then ran the command to initiate the
custom install, however I must be missing something as the post setup still
runs and requires the user for input specififing what type of email account
and name. Where do I insert the info in the Custom Install Wizard so that
when Outlook runs there are no questions asked and Outlook runs with the
Exchange server and the current account that is logged into the domain on
that specific machine?

Thanks

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

CIW pages 17-19 set up the information necessary for Outlook to create a mail profile.

You can use the MST Viewer tool to examine the .mst file and see whether it does indeed include a .prf file and the necessary registry entries to invoke it.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Guest]

Do I need a PRF file as this is not just for one machine, it is for about 60,
so each one has a different user, I tried the =%USERNAME% and it didn't work,
I also don't see where to specify the shortcuts on the desktop or quicklaunch.

Thanks

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Yes, you need a .prf file. That's the "script" that Outlook uses to get the information needed to create mail profiles. You can export it manually from the CIW to test before deployment.

Do you have more than on Exchange server? Do the mailbox aliases exactly match the WIndows user names?

What shortcuts are you're referring to?

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Guest]

Sue, the two shortcuts are the Desktop and quicklaunch, both are not showing
up after Outlook is installed as they would after shrinkwrap CD install.

Do you have more than on Exchange server? Yes we have two, Exch01 & Exch02

Do the mailbox aliases exactly match the WIndows user names? Yes they are
the same.

Thanks

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Sue, the two shortcuts are the Desktop and quicklaunch, both are not showing

up after Outlook is installed as they would after shrinkwrap CD install.

From my latest book: "For compliance with Windows XP user interface requirements, Outlook 2003 does not install a desktop icon, as previous versions did. You can add such an icon, though, by adding a new registry key. Under the key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace, insert a new key named {00020D75-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}. You do not need to add any values under that key. The next time Windows starts, a desktop icon for Microsoft Office Outlook will appear. The user can double-click it to run Outlook or can right-click it and choose Properties to modify the mail profile settings.A CD install would not include a desktop shortcut. Those have gone away as they're no longer Windows compliant."

You can, of course, use the CIW to deploy registry values.

I haven't see the problem with the Quick Launch. Are you sure it's not there but just hiding because the toolbar isn't wide enough? In any case, you can use the CIW to deploy a new shortcut in %userprofile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch

Do you have more than on Exchange server? Yes we have two, Exch01 & Exch02

Which are you specifying in the CIW?

Do the mailbox aliases exactly match the WIndows user names? Yes they are
the same.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Guest]

I found a custom MST file and a PRF file that were used to deploy Outlook
when we converted and ran through them with the CIW. I then ran the custom
install and get the two shortcuts where I want them, however even though
Outlook should run and configure based on the current user, it doesn't. It
still must be configured manually.

Could this be due to the previous original install at the time of our
conversion to Exchange & Outlook? It seems that no matter what I do or how I
try the profile in Outlook isn't created and the info must be manually
entered.

The PRF file and any other reference to the Exchange server is referenced to
Exch01. When this is entered manually and I do a check name if the users box
is on the other server it does resolove itself automaticlly.

Thanks

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

I'm not at all clear on the timing of your deployment and subsequent running of Outlook. This is the way it's supposed to work:

1) Deploy Outlook with .mst file

PRF file copied to Program Files\Microsoft Office

2) User logs in.

Registry values ImportPRF, FirstRun, First-Run entries set as described in the white paper mentioned earlier.

3) User runs Outlook for the first time.

Outlook sees this is a first run scenario, looks up the .prf file from the ImportPRF value, and processes it to create a new profile or modify an existing profile, depending on what instructions the PRF contains

If you want Outlook to process the same PRF file at some subsequent date, then you must either run it manually or with a command-line switch or reset the registry values for Step #2.

One possibility is that either the PRF file isn't getting copied or the registry values aren't getting set when the user logs in. Both are easy to check on.

The usual solution is you want Outlook to process a PRF file after the user has been using Outlook for a while is to run the Custom Maintenance Wizard and deploy and run the resulting .cmw file. You would *not* want to reinstall Outlook just for the purpose of adding a new mail profile.
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Guest]

Sue I got it to work.

We had a Novell/Groupwise environment 18 months ago. One weekend we pushed
out the Groupwise uninstall and the Outlook install to an AD environment with
2 Exchange servers, when the users logged in everything worked at that time.

This pushed out data resides in a folder on all of our master hard drive
images and would not run correctly when a new system was deployed after the
conversion. Once the user logged into Outlook it would only run you through
the setup, though it didn’t take long, it still adds time to the user setup,
or time to replace a PC or swap out a failed HD.

I needed to make a few changes to the MST & PRF files as well as a few
registry entries. I also deleted the references to Office 11, which being the
only app used in that release at this time, the rest of our apps being Office
2K. I feel that with the references to Office 11 being removed it let the
most recent install run the way it was intended.

Now that I did get it working everything else is a moot point.

Thanks for trying to help

 

[Guest]

Hey Sue, one thing isn't working right.

When I have someone open Outlook for the first time that has mailbox on the
second Exchange server "exch02" the account is not created automaticlly in
Outlook, we need to manually finish setting up. If the user has an account on
the first Exchange Server Outlook opens as needed.

Here is a sample of the PRF where the problem is I feel. Can we just name
the Exchange server by calling it "exch", "exch01" or "exch01, exch02" or
another method rather then using the FQSN of "exch01.agloan.ads"

;***************************************************************
; Section 4 - Default values for each service.
;***************************************************************

[ServiceX]
CachedExchangeMode=0x00000002
CachedExchangeSlowDetect=TRUE

[ServiceEGS]
CachedExchangeConfigFlags=0x00000100
MailboxName=%UserName%
HomeServer=exch01.agloan.ads

[Service1]
OverwriteExistingService=No
UniqueService=Yes
MailboxName=%UserName%
HomeServer=exch01.agloan.ads
AccountName=Microsoft Exchange Server


Thanks

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

If all users are connecting via your internal network, you should be able to use just the computer name, exch01. Is that server operating as a GC? Whatever server name you put in needs to be able to provide the referral to the other one for mailboxes hosted there.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

Hey Sue, one thing isn't working right.

When I have someone open Outlook for the first time that has mailbox on the
second Exchange server "exch02" the account is not created automaticlly in
Outlook, we need to manually finish setting up. If the user has an account on
the first Exchange Server Outlook opens as needed.

Here is a sample of the PRF where the problem is I feel. Can we just name
the Exchange server by calling it "exch", "exch01" or "exch01, exch02" or
another method rather then using the FQSN of "exch01.agloan.ads"

;***************************************************************
; Section 4 - Default values for each service.
;***************************************************************

[ServiceX]
CachedExchangeMode=0x00000002
CachedExchangeSlowDetect=TRUE

[ServiceEGS]
CachedExchangeConfigFlags=0x00000100
MailboxName=%UserName%
HomeServer=exch01.agloan.ads

[Service1]
OverwriteExistingService=No
UniqueService=Yes
MailboxName=%UserName%
HomeServer=exch01.agloan.ads
AccountName=Microsoft Exchange Server


Thanks

I'm not at all clear on the timing of your deployment and subsequent running of Outlook. This is the way it's supposed to work:

1) Deploy Outlook with .mst file

2) User logs in.

3) User runs Outlook for the first time.

If you want Outlook to process the same PRF file at some subsequent date, then you must either run it manually or with a command-line switch or reset the registry values for Step #2.

One possibility is that either the PRF file isn't getting copied or the registry values aren't getting set when the user logs in. Both are easy to check on.

The usual solution is you want Outlook to process a PRF file after the user has been using Outlook for a while is to run the Custom Maintenance Wizard and deploy and run the resulting .cmw file. You would *not* want to reinstall Outlook just for the purpose of adding a new mail profile.

 

[Guest]

The GC resides on another Server aaccorp3.agloan.ads, I think the Server name
should only reference the server but not the FQSN, what do you think?

If all users are connecting via your internal network, you should be able to use just the computer name, exch01. Is that server operating as a GC? Whatever server name you put in needs to be able to provide the referral to the other one for mailboxes hosted there.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

Hey Sue, one thing isn't working right.

When I have someone open Outlook for the first time that has mailbox on the
second Exchange server "exch02" the account is not created automaticlly in
Outlook, we need to manually finish setting up. If the user has an account on
the first Exchange Server Outlook opens as needed.

Here is a sample of the PRF where the problem is I feel. Can we just name
the Exchange server by calling it "exch", "exch01" or "exch01, exch02" or
another method rather then using the FQSN of "exch01.agloan.ads"

;***************************************************************
; Section 4 - Default values for each service.
;***************************************************************

[ServiceX]
CachedExchangeMode=0x00000002
CachedExchangeSlowDetect=TRUE

[ServiceEGS]
CachedExchangeConfigFlags=0x00000100
MailboxName=%UserName%
HomeServer=exch01.agloan.ads

[Service1]
OverwriteExistingService=No
UniqueService=Yes
MailboxName=%UserName%
HomeServer=exch01.agloan.ads
AccountName=Microsoft Exchange Server


Thanks

I'm not at all clear on the timing of your deployment and subsequent running of Outlook. This is the way it's supposed to work:

1) Deploy Outlook with .mst file
PRF file copied to Program Files\Microsoft Office

2) User logs in.
Registry values ImportPRF, FirstRun, First-Run entries set as described in the white paper mentioned earlier.

3) User runs Outlook for the first time.
Outlook sees this is a first run scenario, looks up the .prf file from the ImportPRF value, and processes it to create a new profile or modify an existing profile, depending on what instructions the PRF contains

If you want Outlook to process the same PRF file at some subsequent date, then you must either run it manually or with a command-line switch or reset the registry values for Step #2.

One possibility is that either the PRF file isn't getting copied or the registry values aren't getting set when the user logs in. Both are easy to check on.

The usual solution is you want Outlook to process a PRF file after the user has been using Outlook for a while is to run the Custom Maintenance Wizard and deploy and run the resulting .cmw file. You would *not* want to reinstall Outlook just for the purpose of adding a new mail profile.

I found a custom MST file and a PRF file that were used to deploy Outlook
when we converted and ran through them with the CIW. I then ran the custom
install and get the two shortcuts where I want them, however even though
Outlook should run and configure based on the current user, it doesn't. It
still must be configured manually.

Could this be due to the previous original install at the time of our
conversion to Exchange & Outlook? It seems that no matter what I do or how I
try the profile in Outlook isn't created and the info must be manually
entered.

The PRF file and any other reference to the Exchange server is referenced to
Exch01. When this is entered manually and I do a check name if the users box
is on the other server it does resolove itself automaticlly.

Thanks
:

Sue, the two shortcuts are the Desktop and quicklaunch, both are not showing
up after Outlook is installed as they would after shrinkwrap CD install.

From my latest book: "For compliance with Windows XP user interface requirements, Outlook 2003 does not install a desktop icon, as previous versions did. You can add such an icon, though, by adding a new registry key. Under the key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace, insert a new key named {00020D75-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}. You do not need to add any values under that key. The next time Windows starts, a desktop icon for Microsoft Office Outlook will appear. The user can double-click it to run Outlook or can right-click it and choose Properties to modify the mail profile settings.A CD install would not include a desktop shortcut. Those have gone away as they're no longer Windows compliant."

You can, of course, use the CIW to deploy registry values.

I haven't see the problem with the Quick Launch. Are you sure it's not there but just hiding because the toolbar isn't wide enough? In any case, you can use the CIW to deploy a new shortcut in %userprofile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch

Do you have more than on Exchange server? Yes we have two, Exch01 & Exch02

Which are you specifying in the CIW?

Do the mailbox aliases exactly match the WIndows user names? Yes they are
the same.

:

Yes, you need a .prf file. That's the "script" that Outlook uses to get the information needed to create mail profiles. You can export it manually from the CIW to test before deployment.

Do you have more than on Exchange server? Do the mailbox aliases exactly match the WIndows user names?

What shortcuts are you're referring to?

Do I need a PRF file as this is not just for one machine, it is for about 60,
so each one has a different user, I tried the =%USERNAME% and it didn't work,
I also don't see where to specify the shortcuts on the desktop or quicklaunch.

Thanks

:

CIW pages 17-19 set up the information necessary for Outlook to create a mail profile.

You can use the MST Viewer tool to examine the .mst file and see whether it does indeed include a .prf file and the necessary registry entries to invoke it.

Sue I ran the Custom Install Wizard and then ran the command to initiate the
custom install, however I must be missing something as the post setup still
runs and requires the user for input specififing what type of email account
and name. Where do I insert the info in the Custom Install Wizard so that
when Outlook runs there are no questions asked and Outlook runs with the
Exchange server and the current account that is logged into the domain on
that specific machine?


:

Microsoft uses text files with a .prf extension and a highly structured format to provide information to OUtlook that enables Outlook to create or modify a mail profile. You can create such .prf files with the Custom Installation Wizard or Custom Maintenance Wizard tools in the Office Resource Kit. For more details, including a variety of .prf deployment methods, read the excellent white paper "Configuring Outlook Profiles by Using a PRF File" at http://office.microsoft.com/search/redir.aspx?assetid=HA011403051033&QueryID=pHm7c_60I&respos=3

The page at http://www.slipstick.com/exs/olroam.htm includes information on other profile tools and resources.


What do I need to do so a user is able to log into a new PC with Outlook 2003
installed and is part of an AD enviroment so that the first time Outllok is
opened it creates the profile and logs the user into the Exchange server?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

If you put in the server name only, not the FQDN, it has to be resolvable either by DNS or from a HOSTS file. That should be easy enough to test.

Can you try using the GC name as the server name to see if it will correctly find mailboxes on both EXCH01 and EXCH02? (I can't try that here -- too small a lab.)

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

The GC resides on another Server aaccorp3.agloan.ads, I think the Server name
should only reference the server but not the FQSN, what do you think?

If all users are connecting via your internal network, you should be able to use just the computer name, exch01. Is that server operating as a GC? Whatever server name you put in needs to be able to provide the referral to the other one for mailboxes hosted there.

Hey Sue, one thing isn't working right.

When I have someone open Outlook for the first time that has mailbox on the
second Exchange server "exch02" the account is not created automaticlly in
Outlook, we need to manually finish setting up. If the user has an account on
the first Exchange Server Outlook opens as needed.

Here is a sample of the PRF where the problem is I feel. Can we just name
the Exchange server by calling it "exch", "exch01" or "exch01, exch02" or
another method rather then using the FQSN of "exch01.agloan.ads"

;***************************************************************
; Section 4 - Default values for each service.
;***************************************************************

[ServiceX]
CachedExchangeMode=0x00000002
CachedExchangeSlowDetect=TRUE

[ServiceEGS]
CachedExchangeConfigFlags=0x00000100
MailboxName=%UserName%
HomeServer=exch01.agloan.ads

[Service1]
OverwriteExistingService=No
UniqueService=Yes
MailboxName=%UserName%
HomeServer=exch01.agloan.ads
AccountName=Microsoft Exchange Server


Thanks



:

I'm not at all clear on the timing of your deployment and subsequent running of Outlook. This is the way it's supposed to work:

1) Deploy Outlook with .mst file
PRF file copied to Program Files\Microsoft Office

2) User logs in.
Registry values ImportPRF, FirstRun, First-Run entries set as described in the white paper mentioned earlier.

3) User runs Outlook for the first time.
Outlook sees this is a first run scenario, looks up the .prf file from the ImportPRF value, and processes it to create a new profile or modify an existing profile, depending on what instructions the PRF contains

If you want Outlook to process the same PRF file at some subsequent date, then you must either run it manually or with a command-line switch or reset the registry values for Step #2.

One possibility is that either the PRF file isn't getting copied or the registry values aren't getting set when the user logs in. Both are easy to check on.

The usual solution is you want Outlook to process a PRF file after the user has been using Outlook for a while is to run the Custom Maintenance Wizard and deploy and run the resulting .cmw file. You would *not* want to reinstall Outlook just for the purpose of adding a new mail profile.

I found a custom MST file and a PRF file that were used to deploy Outlook
when we converted and ran through them with the CIW. I then ran the custom
install and get the two shortcuts where I want them, however even though
Outlook should run and configure based on the current user, it doesn't. It
still must be configured manually.

Could this be due to the previous original install at the time of our
conversion to Exchange & Outlook? It seems that no matter what I do or how I
try the profile in Outlook isn't created and the info must be manually
entered.

The PRF file and any other reference to the Exchange server is referenced to
Exch01. When this is entered manually and I do a check name if the users box
is on the other server it does resolove itself automaticlly.

Thanks
:

Sue, the two shortcuts are the Desktop and quicklaunch, both are not showing
up after Outlook is installed as they would after shrinkwrap CD install.

From my latest book: "For compliance with Windows XP user interface requirements, Outlook 2003 does not install a desktop icon, as previous versions did. You can add such an icon, though, by adding a new registry key. Under the key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace, insert a new key named {00020D75-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}. You do not need to add any values under that key. The next time Windows starts, a desktop icon for Microsoft Office Outlook will appear. The user can double-click it to run Outlook or can right-click it and choose Properties to modify the mail profile settings.A CD install would not include a desktop shortcut. Those have gone away as they're no longer Windows compliant."

You can, of course, use the CIW to deploy registry values.

I haven't see the problem with the Quick Launch. Are you sure it's not there but just hiding because the toolbar isn't wide enough? In any case, you can use the CIW to deploy a new shortcut in %userprofile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch

Do you have more than on Exchange server? Yes we have two, Exch01 & Exch02

Which are you specifying in the CIW?

Do the mailbox aliases exactly match the WIndows user names? Yes they are
the same.

:

Yes, you need a .prf file. That's the "script" that Outlook uses to get the information needed to create mail profiles. You can export it manually from the CIW to test before deployment.

Do you have more than on Exchange server? Do the mailbox aliases exactly match the WIndows user names?

What shortcuts are you're referring to?

Do I need a PRF file as this is not just for one machine, it is for about 60,
so each one has a different user, I tried the =%USERNAME% and it didn't work,
I also don't see where to specify the shortcuts on the desktop or quicklaunch.

Thanks

:

CIW pages 17-19 set up the information necessary for Outlook to create a mail profile.

You can use the MST Viewer tool to examine the .mst file and see whether it does indeed include a .prf file and the necessary registry entries to invoke it.

Sue I ran the Custom Install Wizard and then ran the command to initiate the
custom install, however I must be missing something as the post setup still
runs and requires the user for input specififing what type of email account
and name. Where do I insert the info in the Custom Install Wizard so that
when Outlook runs there are no questions asked and Outlook runs with the
Exchange server and the current account that is logged into the domain on
that specific machine?


:

Microsoft uses text files with a .prf extension and a highly structured format to provide information to OUtlook that enables Outlook to create or modify a mail profile. You can create such .prf files with the Custom Installation Wizard or Custom Maintenance Wizard tools in the Office Resource Kit. For more details, including a variety of .prf deployment methods, read the excellent white paper "Configuring Outlook Profiles by Using a PRF File" at http://office.microsoft.com/search/redir.aspx?assetid=HA011403051033&QueryID=pHm7c_60I&respos=3

The page at http://www.slipstick.com/exs/olroam.htm includes information on other profile tools and resources.


What do I need to do so a user is able to log into a new PC with Outlook 2003
installed and is part of an AD enviroment so that the first time Outllok is
opened it creates the profile and logs the user into the Exchange server?

 

[Guest]

Sue, I can get the accounts to setup now on either of the exchange servers,
however there is one last problem.

We need to prevent another user who might login to the same workstation from
having their Exchange account setup on that same workstation automatically,
we can do that manually if we need to.

We only want the first account setup to cache and not any others. It is
caching the others now when they open Outlook, it installs and sets up their
account and caches it.

If I can stop the other accounts from caching I will be finished.

Thanks