Use Policy to connect to Exchange server

[Guest]

I would like to set a policy to connect users to our domain exchange server
automatically on the first start of Outlook, using the %username%
environmental variable. Seems like this should be easy and I see mention of
this policy in the Outlk9 and Outlk11 ADM templates but when I install them,
the options are not there. Currently, the machines here are set up by IS for
each user. Our users do not even add their own printers. I have figured out
how to do this last in AD using logon scripts and would now like to set
Outlook up to connect to the Exchange server for whoever logs on to whatever
machine.

For something that should be so easy, this is sure giving me a headache :>).
PRF and ADM files seem easy enough but I am not having luck getting either
of them to work.
Thanks,

Andi

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

This is done not with a policy setting but with a .prf file, generally
created and distributed with the CIW or CMW tool in the Office Resource Kit.

 

[Guest]

Hi Sue,

I tried playing with .prf files and newprof but was unsuccessful. ( If I do
have to go this route, perhaps you could point me in the direction of some
good documentaiton - perhaps even a book I have to buy as the white paper
from the 2003 rk, while detailed, was perhaps not basic enough for me to
learn from).

**The spreadsheet that details the policies available in the ADM templates
for the 2003 resource kit lists a whole section under "Outlook Corporate Mail
Settings" and indicates that it contains the information I would like to
define (ROW 1520). Am I misreading the spreadsheet ("Office 2003 Group
Policies) ? When I load the template into the GPO in mmc I do see Mail
Services (Corporate or Workgroup configuration) but it contains only about
two items. Because I have been having a hard time with the creation of my
own prf and/or template files, I would really like to track down the options
detailed in the spreadsheet if possible as opposed to going the other routes.

Can anyone help?

Thanks,

Andi

 

[Guest]

Thanks Sue,

I have tried working with NewProf and prf files to no avail. I have also
tried modifying the adm template but that did not work either. Probably
because I have not had time to really study either one.

However, the Spreadsheet that details what is included in the 2003 Adim
templates includes a section titled "Outlook Corporate Mail Settings" (row
1520). Below that are quite a few properties that I am reading should be
included in the policy. Am I reading the spreadsheet wrong? When I open the
template in MMC, it contains a section called "Mail Settings (corporate or
workgroup configuration)", but that only has about 3 items in it.

Being as I am not comfortable currently scripting adm templates and or prf
files, I would really rather use the policy that the spreadsheet I think
indicates should be available.

Can anyone shed further light?

Thanks,

Andi

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

I tried playing with .prf files and newprof but was unsuccessful.

Newprof? Newprof.exe hasn't been used to set profiles since Outlook 2000.

The Office 2003 RK is very detailed on this subject of Outlook mail
profiles. If you need help, provide details on how you configured the
profiles in the CIW or CMW and what mechanism you used to distribute the
..prf files. Custom Maintenance Wizard is the recommended method if Outlook
2003 is already installed.

**The spreadsheet that details the policies available in the ADM templates
for the 2003 resource kit lists a whole section under "Outlook Corporate
Mail
Settings" and indicates that it contains the information I would like to
define (ROW 1520). Am I misreading the spreadsheet ("Office 2003 Group
Policies) ?

You're not reading it carefully enough. Look at the Policy and CIW columns
(N & O). No policy settings are involved.

When I load the template into the GPO in mmc I do see Mail
Services (Corporate or Workgroup configuration)

What .adm file are you using? "Corporate or Workgroup" implies Outlook 2000.

That said, repeating, the administrative templates are irrelevant to this
task. I'll ask someone at Microsoft about this and about the listings in the
spreadsheet for the 'Software\Microsoft\Newprof\ key. I think they're
obsolete.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Guest]

Good morning,

Firstly, please ignore my third post from yesterday. It has appeared my
second got lost but now I see that is not the case.

I see what you are speaking of with the CMW column in the spreadsheet. My
bad. I had ignored that and assumed solely on the basis of the file name
that all contents were policies. I am trying to set the profiles for Outlook
2000 on W2K machines under a W2K3 domain with active directory. This is
something I am trying to learn/do on my own as we are a small shop and there
is no one here who has experience with Active Directory or CIW/CMW. Through
some exhaustive web searching, the best I had been able to come up with so
far was the NewProf and then this spreadsheet info.

Based on your posting, I will do some research with CMW in mind and see if I
can come up with something that way. If you can suggest any specific
resources, I would be most appreciative.

Thanks,
Andi

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

If you are using Outlook 2000, then .prf files and Newprof.exe is the
correct method. See http://www.slipstick.com/exs/olroam.htm and the Office
2000 Resource Kit online at http://office.microsoft.com

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers