This was asked on Experts Exchange this morning, and so I thought I’d get it documented. There are loads of reasons why you might want to change a username, display name, and email address. It can be spelt wrong, a user has got married/divorced and changed their surname, or they have simply changed their name.
There are also some clients who don’t create a new user when a member of staff leaves. They just want to rename the old user and change the email address. The advantage of this approach is that all the group membership, and permissions will be correct for the replacement member of staff.
Solution
Step 1 Change the Username, Logon Name and Display Name.
1. On the Exchange server > Start > Run > dsa.msc {enter} > Locate the user in question > Right click and rename.
Note: You can do this on any Domain Controller but for Step 2 we will need to be on an Exchange server, or a machine with the Exchange Management tools installed.
2. As soon as you press {enter} > The rename user dialog will open, and you can change the display name, and the user logon name > OK.
Step 2 – Exchange 2000 / 2003 (Including SBS 2000 / 2003) Change the Email address.
Note: For newer versions of Exchange see below.
1. Whilst still in active Directory Users and Computers > Right click the affected user > Properties.
4. Untick the “Automatically update email…” option > Select the NEW email address >Set As Primary > Apply > OK.
Note: It can take a while for your global address list to update, then your Outlook clients need to get the updated list, sometimes this can take a couple of days! Be patient, the changes have been made.
Step 2 – Exchange 2007 / 2010 (Including SBS 2008 / 2011) Change the Email address.
1. On your Exchange 2007/2010 Server Launch the Exchange Management Console > Recipient Configuration > Mailbox > Locate the user > Properties.
2. E-mail Addresses tab > Add > Type in the new address > OK.
3. Untick the “Automatically update email…” option > Select the NEW email address > Set As Primary > Apply > OK.
Note: It can take a while for your global address list to update, then your Outlook clients need to get the updated list, sometimes this can take a couple of days! Be patient, the changes have been made.
Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links
If you create a new user, give them a mailbox, and they seemingly fail to appear then don’t panic!
Firstly and fore mostly: If you do anything in Exchange: Apply the “cup of coffee rule”, never make a change then go and prove that change works straight away! check it later.
However most of us work in the real world and you have a user who needs to use this mailbox yesterday!
1. Before you do anything send the user you created a ‘Test Email’ from your own account. If you receive an error message then you can investigate further (Note: Set your Outlook client to send you a delivery report on the test email as well). Then check the mailbox Exists (See Check for existence of mailbox sections below).
Check for the Existence of the mailbox (Exchange 2000 /2003)
1. Click Start > All Programs > Microsoft Exchange > System Manager.
2. Expand the Exchange Organisation > Administrative groups > Administrative group name (First Administrative group is the default).
Note: If you cannot see Administrative Groups right click the Very top object > Properties > Tick Display Administrative Groups.
3. Expand Servers > Server-name > Storage Group (First Storage group will be the default) > Mailbox Store > Mailboxes.
4. The Mailbox SHOULD be in the right hand window (Providing you are in the correct administrative group, on the correct server, and in the correct mailbox store!).
Check for the Existence of a mailbox (Exchange 2007/2010)
Remember with Exchange 2007 / 2010 you create the mailbox with the Exchange system Manager anyway!
1. On the Exchange Server, Start > All Programs > Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 > Exchange Management Console.
2. Expand recipient Configuration > Mailbox.
3. The Mailbox should be listed in the centre window.
Check for the Existence of a mailbox (Exchange 2013/2016)
Connect to the Exchange admin center > recipients > mailboxes > locate your user.
Mailbox is there but the user is not listed on the Global Address List
1. Make sure the user is not “Hidden from the Global Address List”
Exchange 2000/2003
On the Exchange Server > Click Start > run > dsa.msc {enter} >Locate the user in question > Right Click the user > Properties > Exchange Advanced Tab > Ensure “Hide from Exchange Address Lists” is NOT ticked.
Exchange 2007/2010
On the Exchange Server > Start > All Programs > Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 > Exchange Management Console Expand recipient Configuration > Mailbox > Locate the Mailbox for the user in question > Right Click the Mailbox > Properties > General Tab > Ensure “Hide From Exchange Address Lists” is NOT ticked.
Exchange 2013/2016
Connect to the Exchange admin center > recipients > mailboxes > locate your user > Edit > Ensure “Hide From Exchange Address Lists” is NOT ticked.
Make sure the user is on the Global Address List on the server.
The easiest way to do this is simply connect to Outlook Web Access, and query the GAL directly (OWA uses the GAL no the OAB like Outlook running in cached mode does).
Exchange 2000/2003
Click Start > All Programs > Microsoft Exchange > System Manager > Expand Recipients >All Global Address Lists > Right Click Default Global Address List > Properties > General Tab > Preview > Check the user is on this list.
Exchange 2007/2010
On the Exchange Server > Start > All Programs > Microsoft Exchange Server > Exchange Management Console > Select Organisation Configuration > Mailbox > Address Lists Tab > Locate the all users Object > Double Click it > Select Preview > Check the user is on this list > OK > Cancel.
Exchange 2013/2016
Connect to the Exchange admin center > organization > address lists > Default Global Address List > Edit > Preview recipients in the global address list includes… > Locate the user.
The User/Mailbox IS listed on the Server But NOT in Outlook.
Remember, if you are looking at the Global Address List in Outlook then you are NOT looking at the Servers Global Address List*. If you are using Outlook you may be in “Cached Mode”, and you are looking at a copy called the “Offline address book” This only gets updated Every 24 hours, and the copy on the server only gets updated every 24 hours at 04:00 (by default). In addition to this there a a few methods by which your Outlook clients get the offline address book.
*Note: Unless you are NOT in cached mode.
Outlook 2003 (and older)* clients get their OAB from a public folder, Outlook 2007 (and newer) clients can get their OAB from ‘Web-based distribution’ (basically form the website on the Exchange (or Exchange CAS) server. So there are three factors stopping you seeing that new user on the GAL (I personally advise you simply wait, however if that’s not an option, read on).
*Exchange Supported versions of Outlook
Support for Outlook 2000 was dropped with Exchange 2007, Exchange 2010 only supports Outlook 2003 (post SP2). Exchange 2013 only supports Outlook 2007 (post SP3 and cumulative update), and Outlook 2010 must be at SP1 with cumulative update.
a. Firstly force update the Offline Address Book.
b. Force your Outlook Client to Download the Offline Address book.
c. Check that the OAB is getting distributed from the Exchange/CAS server.
Update the Offline Address Book from the Global address List
Exchange 2000 / 2003
Click Start > All Programs > Microsoft Exchange > System Manager > Expand Recipients > Offline Address Lists > Right Click the “Default Offline Address Book” > Rebuild > HEED THE WARNING > OK > Right Click it again > Properties, You will see the time it updates (by default) you can change that here..
Exchange 2007 / 2010
1. On the Exchange Server > Start > All Programs > Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 > Exchange Management Console > Select Organisation Configuration > Mailbox > Offline address book tab > Right Click the Default Offline Address Book > Update > HEED THE WARNING > OK > Right Click Again > Properties > You can change the Schedule at which it updates.
Exchange 2013/2016
You can also force the OAB update with the following PowerShell command;
Click Start > All Programs > Microsoft Exchange > System Manager > Expand the Exchange Organisation > Administrative groups > Administrative group name (First Administrative group is the default) > Expand Servers > Server-name > Storage Group (First Storage group will be the default) > Public Folder Database > Ensure it is mounted.
Then expand Folders > Public Folders > OFFLINE ADDRESS BOOK > Make sure it’s displayed as per the image below.
Exchange 2007 / 2010
On the Exchange Server > Start > All Programs > Microsoft Exchange Server > Exchange Management Console > Select Organisation Configuration > Mailbox > Offline address book tab > Right Click the Default Offline Address Book > Properties > Distribution.
Note: Make sure the Generation Server is set to a server that exists, and it’s online.
In the diagram below you can see this server is performing public folder AND web based distribution, this is probably because you ticked this box when you installed the product.
For public folder distribution ensure the public folder database is mounted, and at least one server holds a replica. Also in the properties of the mailbox database, your users are using, make sure it points to the correct public folder database.
For web-based distribution make sure the site is up.
Exchange 2013/2016
Exchange 2013/2016 will only be distributing the OAB via web-distribution. make sure the default website is up.
Force Outlook to Download the New Offline Address Book
For all versions of Outlook (since 2003) you have two choices, either take Outlook out of cached mode* (so it queries the ‘live’ global address list). Or force Outlook to download the latest version of the offline address book.
*Note: Disabling cached mode is not really a fix!
Outlook 2003 Download The Offline Address Book
Tools > SendReceive > Download Address Book > OK.
Outlook 2003 Turn off Cached Mode
Tools > E-mail Accounts > View or change existing email accounts > Next > Select the account > Change > un-tick “Use Cached Exchange Mode” > Next.
Out of the box Evolution can only connect to Exchange 2000 and Exchange 2003, this is because it uses OWA to connect, when Exchange 2007 was released, the way OWA was presented changed a great deal. So if you try and connect to a newer version of Exchange it will error. (Before you email in, I know in 2010, its now called Web App not OWA).
But there’s nothing to stop you connecting to Exchange 2007 and Exchange 2010 via MAPI, you just have to add a few packages first.
I originally wrote this a while back for version 10, but I’ve updated it for version 11.10. I’ve left the earlier version 10 notes below.
Solution
Ubuntu Version 11.10
1. If Evolution is not already installed, Launch the Ubuntu Software Manager and search for Evolution > Install.
2. You will need to enter your password.
3. After a few minutes it should get a green tick to say its been installed.
4. In addition you need to locate and install the “Evolution support for the groupware suite”.
7. You can restore form a backup, but I’ve not got one > Continue.
8. Type in your name and email address > Continue.
9. Now change the server to “Exchange MAPI” > Give it the name/IP of your Exchange server and your domain details > Authenticate > Enter your domain password > And it should say successful > Continue.
10. Set your email account requirements > Continue.
11. Give the account a name, by default it will be your email address, but you can change it > Continue.
12. Apply.
13. Before Evolution launches it will ask for your domain password (Mine never changes so I’m ticking the remember password option, you might NOT want to do this) > And I’m setting Evolution as the default email client.
14. An there is my inbox.
15. And it will pull down the GAL from Exchange, as well as your personal contacts.
16. After a short while it will also sync and display your Exchange calendar.
In this example I’m using Ubuntu version 10
1. First you need to add in the “evolution-mapi” package > System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager. (You may need to provide a password to proceed).
2. Locate the “evolution-mapi” package.
3. Mark it for installation.
4. You may have to agree to install some dependant packages > do so.
5. Ensure that evolution-mapi is now ticked and click “Apply”.
6. The packages will download and install.
7. Now you can launch Evolution > It should run the “Setup Assistant” > Forward. (Note: If you’re adding an additional account simply open Evolution > Edit > Preferences > Mail accounts > Add).
8. We are not restoring > Forward.
9. Type in your name and email address, this is going to be or default account so leave the default option ticked > Forward.
10. Change the server type to “Exchange MAPI” > Enter the server name/IP address, your domain user name, and the name of the domain > Authenticate.
11. Enter the correct password for your domain account, tick the option to remember the password (Note: if you domain password changes often you might not want to do that) > OK.
12. All being well, you should see a successful result > OK > Forward.
13. Set the options as you require, these would be my personal preference > Forward.
14. Give the mail account a sensible name > Forward.
15. After a couple of minutes there’s your mailbox.
16. And Your Exchange 2010 Calendar sync’d.
17. And your contacts and address lists. (Note: The Exchange Global Address List, can take a couple of restarts before it starts to sync properly).
Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links
Seen when manually trying to update the Global Address List, with the following powershell command:
[box]Update-GlobalAddressList -identity ‘Default Global Address List'[/box]
Error: WARNING: The recipient “{your domain name}/Microsoft Exchange System Objects/{A Public Folder Name}” is invalid and couldn’t be updated.
or
Error: WARNING: The recipient “{your domain name}/Microsoft Exchange System Objects/OAB Version 2” is invalid and couldn’t be updated. WARNING: The recipient “{your domain name}/Microsoft Exchange System Objects/OAB Version 3a” is invalid and couldn’t be updated. WARNING: The recipient “{your domain name}/Microsoft Exchange System Objects/Offline Address Book – /o={your domain name}V/cn=addrlists/cn=oabs/cn=123” is invalid and couldn’t be updated.
This is commonly seen when an Exchange environment has been migrated from Exchange 2003. And it happens because the Alias names for the particular public folders have spaces in them (or a character that Exchange does not like).
Solution
1. On your Exchange 2007/2010 Server Launch the Exchange Management Console > Toolbox > Public Folder Management Console.
2. If you error is about OAB / Address books skip to step 5, If it’s to do with a public folder that your organisation has created, expand default public folders and locate one of them that’s causing the error (In the example above I’ve highlighted one called “1045 – Greengairs” > Select its parent > Then select it (in the central pane) and open its properties.
3. As soon as you select the “Exchange General” tab, you will get an error popup which indicates the problem, there is a problem with the Alias name, in this example there’s spaces in it remove them.
Error: The properties on this object have invalid data. If you click OK, default values will be used instead and will be saved if you do not change them before hitting Apply or OK on the property page. If you click cancel, the object will be displayed read-only and corrupted values will be retained.
4. Once removed apply the changes.
5. If your error references OAB or address books, expand system Public Folders > OFFLINE ADDRESS BOOK > Check the properties of ALL its child objects > and on the Exchange General tab remove any spaces or unusual characters.
Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links
