Outlook error w/ .ost

[brussell2007]

I just built a new Windows 7 client (32-bit and 64-bit) for deployment. In testing, Outlook produced an error when trying to connect: "Can't open your default emails folder, you must connect to your Microsoft exchange with current profile before you can synchronize your folders with your outlook data file (.ost)."



When logging into the domain, I am able to configure the Outlook account. After putting in mail server and user name which resolve, Outlook loads and tries to Load Profile and then I get the error. Everything else works on the machine just fine. When I switch back over to the Windows XP client everything works perfect including Outlook/Mail.

This problem exists when ANY user logs into the Windows 7 client.

Things I've tried:

Checked DNS for potential errors
Checked error/event logs on Exchange server
Changed IP and computer name
Reinstalled Microsoft Office
Deleted user profile and made new

Any ideas on what I can try next?

 

[Lexluethar]

Are the exchange profiles being created locally at first login? It's almost like the outlook profile is looking for the OST already, instead of setting up a new account like it should.

In our environment at first login for a user, outlook will create the local email profile and you point it to the exchange server, give it an account name, ect. Once you do that every subsequent launch of outlook it just opens without an issue.

I'm not sure of your environment, but it sounds like outlook is launching 'assuming' the ost is already present. Have you tried online mode to see if this is the case?

 

[brussell2007]

When the user opens Outlook they have to select "Microsoft Exchange". The user is then prompted for Microsoft Exchange Server (ex: mail) and User Name. Then the user clicks the Check Name button and DNS resolves the Exchange server and Exchange resolves the User Name. Once this happen the user selects next and then Finish.

Then Microsoft Outlook tries to start and it says that it is loading profile. Outlook then generates the error.

On our XP machine upon first login I can see the .ost file get created under C:\Users\USER_ID\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook. When the file creates on the Windows 7 machine it builds the file, but is 0 bytes.

It seems that when the Windows 7 machine tries to build the Outlook profile is when the issue happens. We do the exact same steps for the Windows XP machines which point to the same Exchange Server.

Thanks for the reply!

 

[Lexluethar]

Any goofy security settings on the C drive? Can you try a domain admin account or grant someones standard account domain admin access to test if it's permissions?

Can you set the profile to online before you launch outlook?

 

[brussell2007]

I will check that tomorrow. And give my domain admin account access to my domain user account.

I will give you an update tomorrow. Thanks again!