Seen when trying to connect the Evolution mail client to a Microsoft Exchange server (via evolution-mapi). As soon as you hit authenticate you will see the following error.
Error:
Property expression “username” isn’t valid. Valid values are: Strings that include ‘@’ where ‘@’ cannot be the last character
During the move.
When the move process has finished.
Note: If your error says
“Property expression “username” isn’t valid. Valid values are: Strings formed with characters from A to Z (uppercase or lowercase), digits from 0 to 9, !, #, $, %, &, ‘, *, +, -, /, =, ?, ^, _, `, {, |, } or ~. One or more periods may be embedded in an alias, but each period should be preceded and followed by at least one of the other characters. Unicode characters from U+00A1 to U+00FF are also valid in an alias, but they will be mapped to a best-fit US-ASCII string in the e-mail address, which is generated from such an alias.” Then click here.
Solution
This is caused because for that particular user there is no entry in the “domain” attribute on the user object.
1. Log onto a domain controller.
2. Start > Administrative tools> Active Directory Users and Computers.
3. Locate the user > Right click > Properties > Account Tab.
4. Put the domain name in the domain section. (use the drop down).
5. Now when you try and move the mailbox you will see this error instead.
Error:
The queue in ‘Mailbox Database xxxxxxxx’ database already contains a move request for {username}. While AD reports the mailbox as not being moved. It is possible that someone created the move request recently……..{text removed}…If you believe this to be an abandoned move request you can remove it by running ‘Remove-Move-Request -MoveRequestQueue ‘Mailbox Database xxxxxxx -MailboxGuid xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xx-xxx
6. Press CTRL+C to copy all that to the clipboard.
7. Open Notepad > Press CTRL+V to paste the text in.
8. Locate the command its asking you to run.
9. Launch the Exchange Management Shell > Paste in the command.
10. Now when you try and move the mailbox it should be OK.
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At time of writing (30/09/10) it seems I cant get a definitive answer! My colleague tried to log a third line support call with Microsoft this week, as soon as they found out that Exchange 2010 was running in a VMware environment, they (literally) hung up on him.
Quote ” Products that have passed the SVVP requirements for Windows Server 2008 R2 are considered supported on Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2003 SP2 and later Service Packs, both x86 (32-bit), and x64 (64-bit).”
And The platform it was running on IS listed (ESXi 4.0 U1).
When presented with this evidence the response was “We will try and fix it on a “Best Endeavour” basis” and the problem (which had nothing to do with VMware, it was actually Microsoft Threat Management Gateway that caused the problem!) was resolved.
Sorry Microsoft that is just not good enough! My company pay handsomely for their gold partnership status, and we expect to get third line support on the products we sell. The product is either supported or it is NOT, don’t publish that it is, then use the fact that is running on third party virtualisation to get the problem off your support call queue. Because somewhere there is an Engineer/Consultant who has persuaded THEIR client to part with money to buy YOUR product.
I openly invite Microsoft – Third Line Exchange Support, The Exchange Development team and anyone else to respond to me. I will publish any pertinent response.
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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).
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Microsoft have not only slipstreamed the service pack into the install media, they have (Finally!) got the install routine to put in all the usual pre-requisites, roles, and features, that you had to do yourself before. (With the exception of the Microsoft 2010 filter pack, but even then you can do that after the install).
The procedure below was done on a single server in a test environment, to demonstrate the simplified procedure, it IS NOT good practice to install Exchange (any version) on a domain controller.
Solution
Before Site Visit
1. Have your install media downloaded and ready to go (Make sure you also have the unlock codes for Exchange – or you will have 119 days to licence it, post install).
2. Does your current anti virus solution support Exchange 2010? Do you need an upgrade?
3. Does your current backup software support Exchange 2010? Do you need to purchase extra remote agents or updates?
Before Deploying Exchange 2010
1. Depending on what documentation you read, some say that the global catalog server(s) in the current site need to be at least Server 2003 SP2. Other documentation says the schema master needs to be at least Server 2003 SP2. Let’s hedge our bets, and make sure that ALL the domain controllers are at least Server 2003 SP2 🙂
2. Your domain and forest functional levels need to be at Windows Server 2003.
3. Don’t forget – your server needs to be x64 bit (the video below was shot on a Server 2008 R2 server).
4. Make sure both the server you are installing on, and the Windows domain, are happy (get into the event viewers of your servers and have a good spring clean before deploying Exchange 2010).
6. Install the roles required with the following PowerShell Commands;
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Import-Module ServerManager
For Client Access, Hub Transport, and the Mailbox roles issue the following command;
Add-WindowsFeature NET-Framework,RSAT-ADDS,Web-Server,Web-Basic-Auth,Web-Windows-Auth,Web-Metabase,Web-Net-Ext,Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console,WAS-Process-Model,RSAT-Web-Server,Web-ISAPI-Ext,Web-Digest-Auth,Web-Dyn-Compression,NET-HTTP-Activation,RPC-Over-HTTP-Proxy,Web-WMI -Restart
For Client Access and Hub Transport server roles issue the following command;
Add-WindowsFeature NET-Framework,RSAT-ADDS,Web-Server,Web-Basic-Auth,Web-Windows-Auth,Web-Metabase,Web-Net-Ext,Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console,WAS-Process-Model,RSAT-Web-Server,Web-ISAPI-Ext,Web-Digest-Auth,Web-Dyn-Compression,NET-HTTP-Activation,RPC-Over-HTTP-Proxy,Web-WMI -Restart
For only the Mailbox role issue the following command;
Add-WindowsFeature NET-Framework,RSAT-ADDS,Web-Server,Web-Basic-Auth,Web-Windows-Auth,Web-Metabase,Web-Net-Ext,Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console,WAS-Process-Model,RSAT-Web-Server -Restart
For only the Unified Messaging role issue the following command;
Add-WindowsFeature NET-Framework,RSAT-ADDS,Web-Server,Web-Basic-Auth,Web-Windows-Auth,Web-Metabase,Web-Net-Ext,Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console,WAS-Process-Model,RSAT-Web-Server,Desktop-Experience -Restart
For only the Edge Transport role issue the following command;
Add-WindowsFeature NET-Framework,RSAT-ADDS,ADLDS -Restart
[/box]
7. Set the Net.Tcp Port Sharing Service for Automatic startup by running the following command;
When trying to access Outlook Web App (or Outlook Web Access for those used to earlier versions of Exchange), you see a blank white page and nothing else.
Error:
Property expression “username” isn’t valid. Valid values are: Strings formed with characters from A to Z (uppercase or lowercase), digits from 0 to 9, !, #, $, %, &, ‘, *, +, -, /, =, ?, ^, _, `, {, |, } or ~. One or more periods may be embedded in an alias, but each period should be preceded and followed by at least one of the other characters. Unicode characters from U+00A1 to U+00FF are also valid in an alias, but they will be mapped to a best-fit US-ASCII string in the e-mail address, which is generated from such an alias.
Note: If your error says..
“Property expression “username” isn’t valid. Valid values are: Strings that include ‘@’ where ‘@’ cannot be the last character” click here
Solution
1. On the Exchange server, launch the Exchange Management Console > Below Recipient Configuration > Mailbox, locate the user/mailbox that you have a problem with > Right click > Properties.
2. On the General tab > Locate the users “Alias” > delete anything that isn’t A to Z (uppercase or lowercase), digits from 0 to 9, !, #, $, %, &, ‘, *, +, -, /, =, ?, ^, _, `, {, |, } or ~
3. Once you have changed > Apply > Try and move the mailbox again (Note: You may need to delete the move request, in the “Move Request” section.)
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My colleague swapped over one of our clients to a new IP range last week, all went well except ActiveSync stopped working on the clients phones, it took a while for the penny to drop. But this problem was caused by the “fix” for the “Active Sync Support Code:85010014” that’s outlined in MS KB817379.
You need to grant access to the servers new IP address.
Solution
1. Lets make sure that this is the problem, on the Exchange server, Start > Run > Regedit > Navigate to > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesMasSyncParameters.
2. If there is a string value in the right hand windows called ExchangeVDir this IS the problem > Take note of what its set to (In the example below its called “exchange-oma”).
3. On the server, Start > Administrative Tools > Internet Information Services (IIS) Manger.
4. Expand your servername > Web Sites > Default Web site > Locate the directory you noted in step 2 > Right click > Properties > Directory Security > IP address and name restrictions > Edit > Ensure the servers new IP address and 127.0.0.1 are in there.
5. Click OK > Apply > OK > Close IIS manager.
6. Click Start > Run > services.msc > Locate the IIS admin service > Right click it > Restart.
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