How to hide the useless archive folder in Outlook.com

A complete guide is available here. One thing they forgot to mention is the first time you start MFCMAPI.exe:
1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. Click to enable "USE MDB_ONLINE when calling OpenMsgStore".
3. Click OK.

Can't remove folders/files in Outlook deleted items folder

Sigh.... sometimes even my precious Outlook works on my nerves. But at least there is a solution.

Microsoft PerfWiz

The Performance Monitor Wizard simplifies the process of gathering performance monitor logs. It configures the correct counters to collect, sample intervals and log file sizes. This wizard can create logs for troubleshooting operating system or Exchange server performance issues. Download is here.

Microsoft Exchange Server Disaster Recovery Analyzer Tool v1.0

The Microsoft Exchange Server Disaster Recovery Analyzer, is a tool that will programmatically collect configuration data and header information from databases and transaction log files. It analyzes all headers and creates a detailed list of instructions explaining what the problem is, and how to resolve it. You can get it here.

Microsoft Exchange Server Best Practices Analyzer Tool 2.0

The Exchange Server Best Practices Analyzer programmatically collects settings and values from data repositories such as Active Directory, registry, metabase and performance monitor. Once collected, a set of comprehensive best practice rules are applied to the topology. Administrators running this tool will get a detailed report listing the recommendations that can be made to the environment to achieve greater performance, scalability and uptime. Download is here.

Quick way to find hidden mailboxes on Exchange

All the hidden Exchange mailboxes are easily identified by the attribute msExchHideFromAddressLists which is set to a value of TRUE. All we have to do is perform a custom LDAP query against our AD to search for users with the above attribute set accordingly. This can easily be done with Active Directory Users & Computers:

1. Bring up Active Directory Users & Computers.
2. Right-click your domain name at the top, and choose Find.
3. In the Find combo box at the top, select Custom Search.
4. Click the Advanced tab.
5. Paste in the following LDAP query and then click Find Now.

(&(objectclass=user)(msExchHideFromAddressLists=TRUE))

The list of hidden mailboxes will then be displayed. Don't forget that this will include System Mailboxes. Be sure to leave those alone!

Implementing a Exchange 2003 Two Node Cluster with Windows 2003 Enterprise

Here is something I put on this blog for my own use. (So I can find it easier :-)) In the article Marc Grote gives a high level overview about the installation of Exchange 2003 on a Windows 2003 two node Cluster. This article does not explain every necessary step for clustering Exchange, but it should give people an overview about the installation process and some basic handling. The document is here.

Help, I can't make new public folders in Exchange!

Today, a customer came along with some calls in his hand. Houston, we have a problem. With our public folders. Aha... and? Since we ran PFDavAdmin on our structure, users who are Owner or Publishing Editor, can't create new public folders. This sounded somewhat strange because I couldn't think of PFDavAdmin changing this sort of rights. Let's have a look at the Public Folders. And indeed, users being owner couldn't make new subfolders. But the rights on the folders where OK, at least as far as I could see :-)
Perhaps in the Active Directory something is wrong? Started ADSIEdit and scrolled to CN=Microsoft Exchange. Had a check there on security. Nothing. GOOGLE to the rescue. And there I found a link to an article called "You Cannot Create a New Public Folder in Exchange 2000 Server or Exchange Server 2003". 5 minutes later all was fixed. Apparently someone or something unchecked the "Allow inheritable permissions from parent to propogate" box in the security settings of CN=Public Folders. Once checked all rights were inherited and finito. Link to the article is here.

Prepare Microsoft Exchange 5.5 for migration to Microsoft Exchange 2003

How to make sure your Exchange 5.5 directory database is ready for the upgrade to Active Directory and Exchange 2000/3 based messaging. This article will evaluate the ways of making changes in the Exchange 5.5 directory before installing the Active Directory Connector (ADC) tool that synchronizes Exchange 5.5 with Active Directory to ease matching of users and mailboxes. Link to the article is here.