Hi, I am trying to implement an Exchnage 2003 SP2 front-end server in my Exchange 2003 SP2 environment. All the servers are WS03 32-bit SP2. I have 2 BE servers running Enterprise edition and I have installed a new machine running in Hyper-V to be the FE server. I am trying to remove the public and private information stores. I have performed the "Move all replicas" task, but a single public folder instance is still showing up in the tree. It is a user created folder, not a system folder. I have tried taking the store offline and running isinteg - test replsync which reports no errors. I have tried adding the server back in as a replica and removing it again, but nothing helps. When I left the FE server in as a replica for this folder for a while it also seemed that replication to the new replica wasn't happening either because it always shows up as 0 items. I don't understand why this folder would not be removed when all the other replicas were moved off successfully. Any ideas? Cheers, Jeremy.

Issue description: After ran Move all replicas task on the Front-End {FE}, it still remains one public folder instance in the public store Collect info: 1. Is there any error info in the application log? Troubleshooting: 1. Try to turn logging on Replication Incoming and Replication Outgoing to Maximum in ESM, and move the replica again, check the event in the application log on the both FE and BE 2. Use PFDavAdmin, connect to FE, export replica lists, see if FE still own any replicas a. Launch PFDavAdmin b. Connect FE from File menu c. Export Replica Lists from Tools menu 3. If that remained public folder still has replica on the FE in the output list, try to remove that replica, theres no items in that public folder, right? a. Still on PFDavAdmin b. Locate that folder in the left pane c. Select Replicas tab in the right pane d. Select FEs servername, click Remove button and then Commit Changes button e. Check in the ESM References: How to Dismount and Delete the Mailbox and Public Folder Stores Front-end server considerations in Exchange Server 2003

Hi, Jeremy. How's the issue currently?

Sorry, it hasn't progressed at all. I have had to go on leave unexpectedly for a few days. Will get back to it later in the week.

The only error in the Application log appears to relate to the fact that I have deleted the default mailbox store already as referred to in this article:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316622Is this affecting my PF problem?With logging turned on to Maximum on my FE server, the messages in the logs relating to Public Folders are:-->8Outgoing message type 0x20Message ID: <56B4D77B38B9AE488408B2DD340B40F4048C27@dha-p-efe-01.dha.gov.au>Folder(s): (9-2B773) IPM_SUBTREE\Personnel\Printed ItemsOutgoing message type 0x8Message ID: <56B4D77B38B9AE488408B2DD340B40F4048C2A@dha-p-efe-01.dha.gov.au>Folder: (9-2B773) IPM_SUBTREE\Personnel\Printed ItemsOutgoing message type 0x20Message ID: <56B4D77B38B9AE488408B2DD340B40F4048C2C@dha-p-efe-01.dha.gov.au>Folder(s): (2-FFFFFFFF0003) IPM_SUBTREE\Internet Newsgroups-->8When I use Export Replica Lists, the only folder showing for the FE server is the System Configuration folder. When I try to remove the FE server as a replica holder for this folder I get prompted for my password, like I don't have permissions to do this even though I am a Domain/Eneterprise admin as well as Exchange Full Admin.Is this what is holding it up?

0x20-Status Request: After FE has been removed from list, it sent the special 0x20 to other replicas, after they receive the replication message, they shall respond with a 0x10, check if FE got incoming replication log, it indicates that its ok to delete the data. FE will resend this 0x20 each hour until it gets the 0x10 it wants Did Printed Items and Internet Newsgroups still in the Public Folder Instance? When actually did you get these logging? Troubleshooting for the replication log: 1. Did other replicas get 0x20? 2. Did they respond 0x10? You will get 0x8 for that folder every 24-48 hrs if they didnt 3. Did FE get the 0x10 for that folder? Notes: It dont mean FE will delete the folder immediately if 0x10 is reached, deletion will happen during online maintenance if theres clients use this replica. You can speed up by dis/remount the store to disconnect clients Notes: As for System Configuration folder, I'd like to mention that the folder cannot be modified manually and moved to other server. It's not necessary to move/change this folder Notes: Please confirm all the Default public folder store on all mailbox stores is not the one on the FE Troubleshooting the FE removal: 1. What error would you get if you remove public store currently? 2. Confirm theres no item in the stuck public folder instance by using PFDavAdmin 3. Please try to add it back to replica list and sync/remove again Notes: Keep a eye on the outcoming/incoming replication message on the public servers

"Internet Newgroups" disappeared after I removed the replica again (I had tried adding this one back to remove it later as a test)."Printed Items" remains in the Public Folder Instances list (alone)While poking around I refreshed the Replication Status node and a couple of extra folders showed up (default and exchangev1). Then I refreshed the Public Folder Instances and they showed up there too. I removed the FE server from the replica list and then found the 0x10 messages in the Application log. So this answers question 1.3 from your post. 0x20 and 0x8 for "Printed Items" is being repeated as you predicted. I noted that the FE PF store was listed as the default public folder store for a temporary MB store I created on the FE server to see if that helped things.Looking at "Printed Items" using PFDavAdmin then clicking on the Items tab, there is nothing listed. PFDavAdmin also doesn't show the FE as a replica holder for this folder.I've already tried adding the FE back in as a replica holder for this folder before. When you click on Sync contents none of the items are ever replicated. I even left it for 3 days and nothing (contents-wise) was replicated.I think I will watch it for a few hours and try uninstalling and rebuilding the server since it was only just built.

I see, please post here if you have any other update about the issue How about remove the PF store directly? Would you get any error?

Just the normal error about need to move all replicas to another server first.Watching the event logs, the FE server send the outgoing message (0x2 in this case for adding the replica back in) and you can see the incoming message on both BE servers, but they never send out any acknowledgement (watched for about 20 minutes)I read a post about removing the public folder store using ADSIEdit. Is this advisable? I worry that I have an underlying replication issue that this has shown up.FYI: I do see normal replication messages about other folders between the 2 BE servers when content changes in them.

Please use the following steps to troubleshooting: 1. Did FE send 0x20 [Latest status info]? Please go to up-to-date server, right-click public folder node, select Synchronize Content for hierarchy 2. Did FE issue backfill request [0x8], 24-48 hrs? If not, use step 1 on FE 3. Did up-to-date server get 0x8 and respond with 0x80000002/0x80000004? it shall immediately happen after it receives 0x8 4. Did FE get the respond? If you want to manually remove public store, please follow the steps below: a. Launch ADSIEdit b. Configuration Container->CN= Configuration,DC=DomainName,DC=Com->CN=Services->CN=Microsoft Exchange->CN= OrganizationName->CN= AdministrativeGroupName->CN=Folder Hierarchies c. Right-click "CN=Public Folders->Properties->Attribute editor tab->double-click msExchOwningPFTree, select FE public store and Remove it d. Configuration Container->CN=Configuration,DC=DomainName,DC=com->CN=Services->CN=Microsoft Exchange->CN=OrganizationName->CN=Administrative Groups->CN= AdministrativeGroupName->CN=Servers->CN=ServerNameofFE->CN=InformationStore->CN=First Storage Group e. Right-click "CN=Public Folder Store (Server Name)" on the right panel and click Delete f. Public Folder Store object will be deleted from both AD and ESM

I finally have an error on the FE server, no errors on the back-end:Event Type: WarningEvent Source: MSExchangeIS Public StoreEvent Category: Replication Errors Event ID: 3092Date: 6/11/2008Time: 7:35:58 AMUser: N/AComputer: DHA-P-EFE-01Description:Error 0x80004005 occurred while processing a replication event.Folder: (9-2B773) IPM_SUBTREE\Personnel\Printed ItemsDoes this provide any more clues as to what is happening?

The error indicates an issue with the permission on the replication message 1. The warning received on the FE as an incoming event after you added issued folder back to replica list? 2. Does the folders DACL state Good? a. PFDavAdmin b. Right-click Personal, Check DACL state and Check for item-level permissions 3. Lets try a Isinteg on the public store a. Dismount store b. C:\exchsrvr\bin\isinteg.exe -s <servername> -test alltests > isinteg_test.txt c. If the warning or error count is not 0, please run the following command to repair store d. C:\exchsrvr\bin\isinteg.exe -s <servername> -fix -test alltests > isinteg_fix1.txt e. If the warning or error count is not 0, repair again

1: The warning was received as a Replication Error type event and didn't mention either incoming or outgoing. It was logged in the event log at 07:35:58 after I added the FE back in as a replica at 16:04:53 the previous day.2: DACL state on parent is good. All children (i.e. Printed Items and its siblings have Unresolved SIDs listed). Didn't find any item-level permissions3: I probably should have mentioned this earlier but I forgot. I had already run Isinteg with no errors. I ran it again and still reported no errors, but did report 1 fix:Test Folder result: 0 error(s); 0 warning(s); 1 fix(es); 1288 row(s); time: 0h:0m:1sFix: Folder 2 (Fid=0001-000000000002) "NON_IPM_SUBTREE": Cns mismatch between Folder and MsgFolder.. Fixed itI have since fixed up the unresolved SIDs and now the FE server is finally starting to receive some incoming replication messages. I will wait to see what, if any items are replicated.

Still no items replicated. I removed the FE server from the replica list and there were still no aknowlegement messages being sent back to the FE server by the BE, so I have removed the PF store by using ADSIEDIT. Thanks very much for all your help on this and your VERY prompt replies. I have learnt a lot about public folders from this exercise.Cheers,Jeremy.

Glad you solved it. If you are interested on public folder, the following article will be helpful to you in the future How to troubleshooting public folder [From MS Exchange Team Blog] Exchange Public Folder Troubleshooting Resources [From Exchange Server TechCenter] How to troubleshoot public folder replication problems in Exchange 2000 Server and in Exchange Server 2003 [From Microsoft Help and Support KB] The articles have included the troubleshooting methods and steps of public folder on all-dimension; it would be useful to review them in the leisure time

We are having the same issue, when trying to migrate from Exchange 2003 to 2007. When I drill down into our ADSIEDIT, on your step c. above, I don't see “msExchOwningPFTree” in the list - this is under the CN=Folder Hierarchies.All folders have been replicated to the Exchange 2007 server, there is only one item holding this up, and it says that the message is corrupt and cannot be removed.Can we just delete our Public Folder store on the 2003 side?