RE: Out of office assistant problem

[Jeremiah]

I have re-profiled Windows, Outlook, and deleted the OST file on two
different computers and they still have the same problem. Outlook will work
correctly at first but it seems that as soon as Outlook completely finishes
synchronizing with the Exchange server the problem comes right back. I've
been leaning towards the problem being with the mailboxes on the Exchange
server and not an actual Outlook client problem. So far this is still an
"unsolved mystery” for me!

"JSJ" wrote:

> I have seen this same problem. Most of the time deleting the Outlook profile,
> and the OST file will correct the problem. I do have a few that this process
> has NOT corrected the problem.
>
> "Jeremiah" wrote:
>
> > I have noticed that if I configure Outlook to work in cached mode with an
> > Exchange server account I will receive an error message when trying to turn
> > on the Out of office assistant. The error message that I receive is "Your
> > AutoReply message could not be displayed. The client operation failed." and
> > then "Changes to the rule could not be saved." My current work around to get
> > Outlook working correctly is to disable cached Exchange mode, but this seems
> > to decrease the synchronization performance of Outlook.

[dabrooks]

Thanks for the post. I dont see this has been updated recently. I have
the same issue as described below, and I am using Outlook 2003. We
changed to Exchange Cached Mode recently and I have had nothing but
problems with rules, properly synchronizing my inbox and updating
rules.

For one, I still have the problem described below regarding updating
the out of office message.

2nd, I currently have many errors displayed in my rules list (some with
client-only). When I attempt to delete all messages I click OK, then
reload my rules and they all reappear. I cannot even update one single
rule because I get multiple errors, including "... messages are too
complex" ... "there is not enough memory...", or "there is not enough
space." I have tried so many different things and now I dont know
where to go for help.

Another weird occurrence is that I get messages delivered to folders
with rules set, however I cannot get messages to my inbox directly. In
cached mode Outlook will not synchronize this folder! This is so
frustrating!

If anyone can help it would be great.

I have tried launching outlook.exe /cleanserverrules and outlook.exe
/cleanrules, but these switches have done nothing!

Thanks
dave

Jeremiah Wrote:
> I have re-profiled Windows, Outlook, and deleted the OST file on two
> different computers and they still have the same problem. Outlook will
> work
> correctly at first but it seems that as soon as Outlook completely
> finishes
> synchronizing with the Exchange server the problem comes right back.
> I've
> been leaning towards the problem being with the mailboxes on the
> Exchange
> server and not an actual Outlook client problem. So far this is still
> an
> "unsolved mystery” for me!
>
> "JSJ" wrote:

> -

> I have seen this same problem. Most of the time deleting the Outlook
> profile,
> and the OST file will correct the problem. I do have a few that this
> process
> has NOT corrected the problem.
>
> "Jeremiah" wrote:

> -

> I have noticed that if I configure Outlook to work in cached mode
> with an
> Exchange server account I will receive an error message when trying
> to turn
> on the Out of office assistant. The error message that I receive is
> "Your
> AutoReply message could not be displayed. The client operation
> failed." and
> then "Changes to the rule could not be saved." My current work
> around to get
> Outlook working correctly is to disable cached Exchange mode, but
> this seems

> to decrease the synchronization performance of Outlook.--

--
dabrooks

[Jeremiah]

I just recently discovered that at least for the problem I was having with
Cached Exchange mode, the new SP2 for Office 2003 seems to correct the
problem. I had three computers that had this problem and all three were
corrected with the installation of SP2.

"dabrooks" wrote:

> > "unsolved mystery†for me!

[goodnowvc]

I am having the same problem with the Out of Office Assistant that you have
all described in the prior messages, I am receiving "AutoReply cannot be
displayed." What I have found is that my OOOA works just fine if I have only
my mailbox in my profile but when I have an additional mailbox added I
receive the "AutoReply" error message. I have tested with several other
people at my organization and I can reproduce the exact problem on at least
10 other peoples machines but then there are also a few that I cannot
reproduce it on. Another thing that I have noticed is if I add a second
mailbox within Outlook and have not closed and reopened yet the OOOA still
works. Once I close and reopen with the new mailbox I get the error again.
I have already applied Office 2003 SP2 to all machines and this has not had
an effect on the error.

I am really stumped so if anyone has any ideas or information they could
share that would be wonderful!

Thanks so much!!

[Jeremiah]

Service pack 2 for Office 2003 seemed to fix all the problems I had, but if
nothing else you should be able to disable the Cached Exchange mode on your
troubled Outlook 2003 clients as a work around to this problem.

[Iffin]

We have this same problem, reapplied Office SP2 which cured the problem, and
then once any new security patches are applied the problem reappears.

We have disabled cached mode for the affected users, but, as they are using
laptops the functionality of cached mode is very useful.

[Jeremiah]

I'm hoping that Microsoft will notice this problem and find / distribute a
cure for it since this has been an ongoing problem for quite a while now.
Thanks for your feedback on the topic Iffin.

[Diamonds_Mine]

I just ran into the same issue with the Out of Office Assistant and also
noticed a warning message was displayed when also attempting to use "Rules
and Alerts". I used the /cleanrules switch to launch Outlook and the issue
was resolved with both the Out of Office Assistant and Rules and Alerts.
Fortunately, this person only had one rule which was not being used;
launching Outlook with this switch deletes all rules. So you might want to
backup the *.rwz file first and re-import rules if needed.

[Iffin]

All,

Microsoft have taken notice and issued the following link with details and a
work around:-

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/909802/EN-US/

[Brian Tillman]

Diamonds_Mine <Diamon...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> I just ran into the same issue with the Out of Office Assistant and
> also noticed a warning message was displayed when also attempting to
> use "Rules and Alerts". I used the /cleanrules switch to launch
> Outlook and the issue was resolved with both the Out of Office
> Assistant and Rules and Alerts. Fortunately, this person only had one
> rule which was not being used; launching Outlook with this switch
> deletes all rules. So you might want to backup the *.rwz file first
> and re-import rules if needed.

First you'd have to create the RWZ file with a rules export. Outlook
doesn't keep rules in an RWZ file and using /cleanrules doesn't affect the
contents of any existing RWZ file.
--
Brian Tillman

[Lorenzo]

I eventually found the solution to this very very annoying problem:

Solution:

- Remove the additional mailboxes and/or PST files
- Export possible rules
- Start Outlook with the /cleanrules switch
- Import back rules
- Test the Out-of-the-office Assistant inserting a text and enabling it
- Re-add the additional mailboxes and/or the PST files
- Test again the Out-of-the-office Assistant

Lorenzo

[ladewig]

The problem is, it isn't a permanent fix. For us, the problem comes back.

[Lorenzo]

Hi Ladewig,
I tested this solution many times in different situation and it has always
proved successful. Are you following exactly all the steps? What's the error?

[ladewig]

I think you misunderstood what I said. The fix DOES work. But it isn't a
permanent fix. Eventually, the problem comes back, with the same message
before that it coudln't save the rule.

[grantfinlayson]

With regards to the MS Hotfix as posted by Iffin.

Has anyone tried this? If so, has the fix worked?

--
grantfinlayson
Posted from - http://www.officehelp.in

[LadewigWUSTL]

I installed it and it seems to have fixed the problem.

[atmosp...@gmail.com]

The hotfix is for Exchange Server not Outlook, correct?

[ladewig]

Yes.

[grantfinlayson]

Thanks for the responses. We have since applied the patch and it has
resolved our issues too.

[jamest...@gmail.com]

I had a user who experienced this. User was on Outlook 2002 SP3 on
Exchange 2000 SP3. User would receive "ERROR Your AutoReply message
could not be displayed. The client operation failed." User would also
get Changes to the rule could not be saved. There is not enough memory
or the rules are too complex. Looking at the his rules there were only
2, so I know he hadn't maxed out the 32k server limit. Used mdbvue32 to
get into his mailbox and saw what appeared to be tons of repetitive
weird rule settings configured. This may have consumed the 32k limit. I
whacked them and user was able to create the OOF rule. Use mdbvue32 to
determine if there are hidden\orphaned rules that may not be visible in
Outlook. Always use caution with this utility, as you can screw up a
mailbox.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=320022

James Chong