Messages vanishing from OWA inbox 1

[forbsy]

This is only happening to one user. He just recently noticed that when he launches OWA to view his email, his Inbox is completely empty. All of his sub folders are visible and email within these sub folders is visible. Only the Inbox doesn't have any emails in it.
When he uses Outlook to view his mailbox, everything is visible, including contents of his Inbox.
It seems that when mail arrives in his Inbox, it'll immediately vanish from the OWA view when he views it from Outlook.
This started happening to him about a week ago - and only him. All other users are fine.

Exchange 2003 SP2
IE (different versions 6, 7)

Thanks

Forbsy

 

[FloDiggs]

Make sure that his local Outlook configuration is configured to deliver mail to his Mailbox and not a PST. If it is delivering to a PST, it will remove it from the Exchange Database. If that is what is happening, reconfigure his outlook to deliver to his mailbox, then open the PST, and you can copy all of his mail back in to the Inbox.

 

[forbsy]

FloDiggs, thanks for the response.

When I log onto his Outlook mailbox using his credentials, i'm able to view his Inbox emails. That tells me that his mail is being delivered to his mailbox.

 

[FloDiggs]

No, it could still be delivered to a PST. I've seen this before where a user screwed up the configuration on his laptop, and then wondered where his mail was when he logged into the company's terminal server. I'd put money on the fact that his Outlook is delivering the mail to a local PST file.

 

[FloDiggs]

One other possibility that I just of would be that Outlook was configured to POP his email, and isn't configured to leave the message on the server after it retrieves it.

Best of luck.

 

[forbsy]

Hi FloDiggs,

Excellent suggestions, but I just checked and unfortunately his email is being delivered to his exchange mailbox and not a pst location. I also verified that his mailbox is configured for exchange and not pop/imap.

Thanks again for the suggestions.

Forbsy

 

[FloDiggs]

Well, please let us know when you figure it out. I'd be curious to know the solution. One other thing that might help track the issue down would be to use the Exchange System Manager to see how large his mailbox is. You could then compare that with the Folder Size found in the properties of his Inbox.

 

[BillStreet]

Have you verified that unread messages are not showing?

I have a similar problem where any unread message will show up in the OWA Inbox, but once they are marked read they disappear.

 

[FloDiggs]

That sounds like the key. In OWA 2003, at the top of the window, it shows which folder is the active folder, such as "Inbox". Beside it in parentheses, it indicates the view. If the view is set for Unread Messages, it would seem to make messages disappear after they are read. You can click on it and select an assortment of views. The "Messages" or "Two-Line" views should bring the messages back if that is the problem. I'll see if I can find a link that illustrates it.

Hope that helps.

 

[FloDiggs]

Here is a link. It actually describes Bill's problem exactly.

http://www.laca.org/Services/EMail/Documentation/basic-faq.htm#MessagesDisappear

 

[forbsy]

FloDiggs! You are awesome I cna't believe I didn't notice the view. It was set to unread messages. I feel embarresed. Thanks for solving the problem.

Forbsy

 

[FloDiggs]

Sorry I didn't come up with that sooner. I was stuck on the idea that the mail was being removed from the server. Glad that it worked for you, though.