Blank messages in Outlook 2003 (here's a solution)

J

JZC

I have a solution for the "blank message body" problem in Outlook 2003
since nobody else is helping. I don't understand why it's happening
entirely, but it seems to have something to do with using an OST file
+ Cached Exchange Mode + Outlook 2003 + Exchange 2000 (for me, at
least). In light of this, with my current network, I assume this
points to Unicode support on the Exchange (and possibly the client)
side. It would be nice if someone knowledgeable could post a link to
instructions on how to properly configure Exchange to force Unicode
OST's, as I'm sure this info is available and won't cause potential
data loss.

Anyways - for anyone experiencing this problem, here's the solution I
used along with a verbose description of how it started, I hope it
helps for you. Be aware - you may lose mail by using this solution,
but it beats sending out blank messages and receiving blank ones back.
Until someone can propose a better solution, I guess everyone using
Office 2003 is shafted:

I upgraded from Office 2000 -> Office 2003 on a network using Exchange
2000 today.

Immediately after installation, I noticed the SPAM options, so,
intrigued about what OL2003 would detect out of my 11,500 SPAM corpus,
I enabled it and thus was forced to enable Cached Exchange Mode.
Thinking nothing of the outcome, I calmly watched my OST compile (I
assume in Unicode [non-ANSI] mode). I was quite impressed to see
OL2003 flag (in the "Low" setting) about 66% of the SPAM correctly.
Good job, MS. I bet High mode would really kick some serious spammer
tail.

So, I send a message afterward the OST compiles and walk away to a
meeting. When I return there's a reply to my previously sent message
with a wonderful blank message body. I check the sent items folder in
OL2003 and see there is clearly a message in the body. Close OL2003
and connect to OWA and there's a message in the sent message, but no
data in the reply still. Basically, all the replies to all messages
I've sent using OL2003 have nothing in the body – although the sent
message DOES have a body.

I'm baffled. I start hunting around the web for answers, but there is
no solution. I see dozens of posts with the same problem in Usenet,
no solutions. Nobody acknowledges this is a problem, but it's clearly
happening to many people on Exchange networks. So, I start looking
into Unicode settings on the Exchange server, but I found no clear way
to force everyone on my network to go Unicode (we went from Exch5.5 ->
Exch2k, hence why we're using ANSI OST files). Every method suggested
a chance for data loss, and this is not an option on my network.

So, here's the fix for people using Exchange and other non-Exchange
people may consider otherwise. I guess traveling laptop users are
possibly screwed unless you have VPN access to connect to Exchange:
Close Outlook 2003 entirely. Go to Start>Settings>Control
Panel>Mail>Email Accounts button. Choose View or Change Existing
Email Accounts and click Next. Highlight your Exchange account and
click Change. Uncheck the "Use Cached Exchange Mode box. Click the
More Settings button. On the Advanced tab, click the Offline Folder
File Settings button. Click "Disable Offline Use". Click OK, Yes,
Accept, Next, whatever you gotta do to save the settings. As an
additional step, I deleted my .OST file (search your hard drive for
*.ost files if you want to do this step). I don't think this step is
really required and you risk losing your data if you choose to partake
in it.

As always, this is a Usenet most and I'm not an MVP, so use this
information at your own risk. It resolved my issues and Microsoft nor
the MVP's that hit the groups are helping to resolve the
problem...someone has to help.

No disrespect intended to any MVP's (etc.) - you guys and gals have
all been a wonderful help to me in the past, and I hope you continue
to do so in the future.

-s-
 
G

Guest

Unfortunately it does not help if you are using POP3 or HTTPmail

Still looking for a solution for this pronlem using protocols other than exchange.
 

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