Disappearing appointment bug w/ pre-SP2?

[Rich Roller]

This week I heard from a MS Exchange hosting service provider that
there is a known issue with Outlook/Exchange 2003... Calendar items will
sometimes disappear!

Today I heard about 2 users I support indirectly that they've experienced
disappearing appointments.

The service provider said that it is largely fixed by applying SP2 to
Outlook 2003. But they also said that it depends on Cached Exchange Mode
and may also require SP2 for Exchange 2003.

Can anyone confirm any of this? Especially the part "is largely fixed
by applying SP2 to Outlook 2003".

Thank you.

-Rich

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Yes, that's quite true. Microsoft made some significant changes in the way calendar items, particularly those resulting from meetings, are handled in SP2, in order to alleviate this well known problem. Even without the Exchange SP, you should see a difference.

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

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

 

[Rich Roller]

Thanks Sue.

How "well known" is this problem? Can you point me to any articles/docs?

Microsoft's private newsgroup for partners only admitted to a
somewhat-narrow problem when accessing ANOTHER user's calendar (KB839629
post-SP1 hotifx) but I am told that the users were having items disappear in
their OWN calendar.

The Exchange service provider who first alerted me acted as though it were
widespread, but my gut said it must less so, because I haven't seen it as
front-page news in any of the tech rags I see. Or maybe I just missed it??

-Rich

p.s. I've used your excellent Slipstick website/info several times over the
years... thanks!!!

Yes, that's quite true. Microsoft made some significant changes in the way
calendar items, particularly those resulting from meetings, are handled in
SP2, in order to alleviate this well known problem. Even without the
Exchange SP, you should see a difference.

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

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

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Sufficiently well known to be included in the recent webcast on SP2 changes -- http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;908366 -- and to require such significant change in meeting processing that Microsoft took the unusual step of publicizing it to developers long before the SP itself was released.

Very common in Blackberry environments, as I understand it, and reporting in this group and others almost daily.

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

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

 

[Rich Roller]

Thanks Sue. At least one of the 2 reports I heard from one site was
Blackberry related. I'd been suspecting a possible Blackberry link. Thanks
for answering more clearly than MS seemed able/willing to. ;-)

I don't have time to view the webcast right now, but I'll try to later. But
a slight switch in subject (and slightly bad thread ettiquette) but because
you seem to be on top of this...

I noticed in your SP2 webcast article something Junk E-mail overhaul. The
day I applied SP2 myself, I got a spam like I never did before in the 8 mos
I'd been using Junk E-mail filter. (relatively happily)

Subject = "Sell Your Child's Porn Pictures Now!"
Message = "... We also have a vast child porn archive..."

I thought at the time, how could they possibly miss this. Do you think it
has something to do w/ SP2? Could the Junk E-mail filter actually have
gotten less aggressive?

-Rich

Sufficiently well known to be included in the recent webcast on SP2
changes -- http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;908366 --
and to require such significant change in meeting processing that Microsoft
took the unusual step of publicizing it to developers long before the SP
itself was released.

Very common in Blackberry environments, as I understand it, and reporting in
this group and others almost daily.

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

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

 

[Rich Roller]

Sue,

Since you seem to have some empirical understanding of this...

Do you have an opinion on whether one can eliminate most/all of the
disappearing-appointment issues just by upgrading Office clients to SP2?
Rather than having to upgrade Exchange to SP2 also or instead?

I'm trying to help my colleagues/customers on what best to do to avoid
calamaties with Outlook calendaring, which could lead to some real
scheduling screw-ups, plus losses in both data and software confidence.

Thanks again!

-Rich

Sufficiently well known to be included in the recent webcast on SP2
changes -- http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;908366 --
and to require such significant change in meeting processing that Microsoft
took the unusual step of publicizing it to developers long before the SP
itself was released.

Very common in Blackberry environments, as I understand it, and reporting in
this group and others almost daily.

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

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

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Did you apply also the latest junk email filter when you applied SP2? I think there's been another update since then, as well.

My own experience is that the Outlook junk filter, when set on high, is very good, sometimes better than what I see on the mail accounts that I let Gmail filter.

The exact algorithms that Microsoft uses are and will remain, of course, unpublished, but we do know that they are based on analysis of the vast quantity of messages that Microsoft has flowing through its Hotmail and MSN servers.
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

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

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Yes, my recollection is that the calendar fixes are all on the Outlook side.

What Exchange 2003 SP2 delivers that's of interest from the standpoint of Outlook performance and functionality is the Offiline Address Book version 4 -- fewer and smaller downloads, plus the ability to use first names for address resolutions from the OAB in organizations with Last, First display names in the GAL.

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

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

 

[Rich Roller]

Sue,

Yesterday I talked with a user who recounted symptoms that seem right on.
He deleted meeting invitation/reply message and the meeting went poof. He
also has a Blackberry, although I'm fuzzy on its relavence/linkage.

The plan seems to be to get Office/Outlook patched to SP2 and hope that that
alone will largely take care of the problem. Doing Exchange SP2 may require
more time/planning so hopefully it's OK to hold off a bit on that.

Thanks for all your help!!!

-Rich

p.s. I'm going away and won't be checking newsgroups until after 11/28.

Sufficiently well known to be included in the recent webcast on SP2
changes -- http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;908366 --
and to require such significant change in meeting processing that Microsoft
took the unusual step of publicizing it to developers long before the SP
itself was released.

Very common in Blackberry environments, as I understand it, and reporting in
this group and others almost daily.

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

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

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

I checked with Microsoft on this, and they say RIM is planning a patch to make Blackberry devices compatible with the new behavior. I don't know about timing, scope, or any other details. You can always try SP2 for that user and, if it doesn't work quite as expected, use the registry value detailed in the KB article I cited earlier to turn off the SP2 behavior.

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

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

 

[Rich Roller]

Sue,

Sorry for the very delayed response!

Supposedly SP2 has been (or is being) applied to both clients & server...
another administrator is doing that. Let's hope that helps.

But if not, you mention you mention some KB article which details a registry
change that might help Blackberry users. The only article I saw from you
is the webcast one... is that the one you mean?

-Rich

I checked with Microsoft on this, and they say RIM is planning a patch to
make Blackberry devices compatible with the new behavior. I don't know about
timing, scope, or any other details. You can always try SP2 for that user
and, if it doesn't work quite as expected, use the registry value detailed
in the KB article I cited earlier to turn off the SP2 behavior.

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

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