Exchange 2000 not receiving mailboxes from AD Users

[cpuphantom]

Hello all,

I just noticed this problem today, and can't find a solution. Basically, when I add a user to the AD Users and Computers that came with Exchange, I enter the username/password just as I always do. Then it asks if I want to create a mailbox in Exchange. I say yes, and its done.

Well, I go look in the mailboxes on Exchange System Manager and nothing is there. The mailbox is never created.

I tried a second experiment and deleted a user (that already had a mailbox) and then when I go to Exchange System Manager and run Cleanup Agent... it doesn't show the user as deleted. Its like the connection between AD and Exchange is now gone.

Please help me with this because I am totally stumped.

Thanks,

Reagan

 

[jbud]

Mailboxes do not get automatically created after a new mailbox-enabled user is added. For Exchange 2000 to create the mailbox: 1. the new user must either log into the mailbox or 2. mail must be sent to the mailbox. Reference:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;284136&Product=exch2k

As for your Clean-Up agent issue, I can think of several causes of this:
1. the domain controller the Recipient Update Server (RUS) is using has not replicated, yet. Do you have more than 1 DC?
2. You may need to use the Update Now or Rebuild options under RUS.

Let us know if that doesn't help.

 

[cpuphantom]

Thanks Jbud,

You hit it right on the money... I didn't realize it was important, but I left out that there are two DC's... although all this is happening on one.

In addition, I had recently replaced the machine I use for Exchange and had moved the users over but did not know about the RUS. I found an article that walked me through changing the DC on the RUS.

I also found an article that said it won't appear until an email is sent to the mailbox. So I have sent an email to the mailbox, and it did appear in the mailboxes list.

However, after I updated the RUS, I still can't open the mailbox. When I open Outlook, and try to point to the mailbox, it tells me that it cannot resolve that name.

But I just did it, maybe it takes a couple minutes to work?

 

[jbud]

At this point, I would try:
1. Are your DCs in the same site? If not, I would consider manually kicking off replication in AD and give it an hour or so to complete (unless you have many, many AD objects or a complex replication topology).
2. re-running the RUS Update Now and waiting some more.

If you're still unable to open the mailbox, I would select the Rebuild option for RUS (which, it will warn you, can take some time). If that doesn't work, take a look at (especially the last, if you're working with disabled users):

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=280401

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;304403

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;278966&Product=exch2k

 

[cpuphantom]

Thanks again.

I got it worked out!