Exchange 2007, Global Address List won't update with new users.
Starting about 9 months ago, we made the wonderful trip down upgrading from Exchange 5.5 to 2003 to 2007. Everything had been going fine, but we've run into a few issues that are really starting to be a problem. When adding new user mailboxes, now they won't show up in the global address list. Similarly, if you create a user, Outlook can't find them until you diable the mailbox and then recreate it. I've left the new user for as much as 2 days before adding them in Outlook to test if it was a timing issue, but it still won't work until I diable and re-add the user's mailbox. However, the BIG problem is that new users still won't show up in the global address book. We didn't have any issues at first, but now it seems to be getting more annoyingly worse. I'm not sure of what sort of commands/tools I can/should run to get the global list to update with all the users in the list. Any ideas???
April 30th, 2008 5:51pm

if outlook is not in cached mode it will pick up new accounts in GAL from a GC within minutes. if outlook is in cached mode it uses the offline address book files. OAB must be created on your server and later downloaded to outlook. turn up oab generation with Set-EventLogLevel "MSExchangeSA\OAL Generator" -Level medium and then generate a new OAB with Update-OfflineAddressBook -Identity "Default Offline Address Book" look in the application log for warnings and errors. OAB is doenloaded from a Public Folder but can also be downloaded from web server if using outlook 2007 and configurered on Exchange 2007. what version of outlook is in use and is outlook in cached mode?
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May 1st, 2008 1:25pm

I have already turned cache mode off on my Outlook 2007 client, but users of everything from Outlook 2000up to 2007 and every version in between have the same issue. Plus we don't use cache mode on most clients. Besides, if it were an OAB problem, it wouldn't still be out of date after several weeks. At most, the OBA would update every few days...not weeks. I have some new users that are showing up in the GAB, but there are some that were added weeks ago that still aren't.
May 1st, 2008 3:59pm

Hi Miller, Do you have Mailbox role & CAS role on different servers or on both? Also, let me know whether all users are using Outlook 2007 or Outlook 2003? If there are using Outlook 2003 then OAB gets download from Public Folders. You may need to troubleshoot Public Folder issue. If there are using Outlook 2007, then it will use Autodiscover process. If there are in different servers, then I think OAB is getting updated in Mailbox role server but it Microsoft Exchange File Distribution Service (MSExchangeFDS service) is not able replicate the update OAB files to CAS role. Try changing the polling interval on CAS role. You may find the polling interval option in Open EMC | Expand Server Configuration | Click on ClientAccess | in Next Pane check the TAB called Offline Address Book Distribution | right click on OAB (Default Web Site) properties, you will see by default it has 480 Minutes, change it to 10 or 15 minutes and then restart MSExchangeFDS services. Hope this helps you!
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May 2nd, 2008 7:48am

How are you creating mailboxes, with ADUC or with EMS/EMC? if you're using ADUC the old Exchange 2000/2003 way you could get this behavior since there in no RUS anymore to stamp all attributes on accounts. you can try to apply mandatory attributes on a mailbox that is not showing up like it should. Set-Mailbox<mailbox> -ApplyMandatoryProperties
May 2nd, 2008 3:53pm

So as I said in previous postings, it's outloko 2000-2007. The server is a single server, not split roles. But anyway, I figured out how to get the address book to force an update. Update-GlobalAddressList - Identity "address list" -DomainController "domain controller name" so I'm going to close the case.
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May 2nd, 2008 5:15pm

Lasse Pettersson - Exchange MVP wrote: if outlook is not in cached mode it will pick up new accounts in GAL from a GC within minutes. if outlook is in cached mode it uses the offline address book files. OAB must be created on your server and later downloaded to outlook. turn up oab generation with Set-EventLogLevel "MSExchangeSA\OAL Generator" -Level medium and then generate a new OAB with Update-OfflineAddressBook -Identity "Default Offline Address Book" look in the application log for warnings and errors. OAB is doenloaded from a Public Folder but can also be downloaded from web server if using outlook 2007 and configurered on Exchange 2007. what version of outlook is in use and is outlook in cached mode? I am haveing the same issue with EXCH 2K7 and Outlook 2K3. I will let you know if this fixes it. any other advice would be appreciated. /Steve
May 14th, 2008 5:50pm

Why is it that people can't read that I have said many times here what it's every version of Outlook from 2000 through 2007 and that they aren't in cached mode? Seriously, read the post before you reply people...it's right there in front of you.
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May 14th, 2008 6:12pm

I am relitively new at this Fourm thing and I am having trouble following the threads. My appologies. Are you saying that I will not be able to see the GAL/AD accounts in cache mode? If it is not too much trouble will you point me to the solution if there is one. thank you bville
May 15th, 2008 10:34pm

sure you will see the GAL in cached mode. outlook then switches from using AD lookup to using the Offline Address Book files, created on Exchange server and downloaded to outlook. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb232155.aspx
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May 15th, 2008 11:30pm

The issue is that I have a seperate container with outside addresses /Contacts it always shows cached or not. when I go to Cache Mode all I see is the /Contacts and do not see the GAL users. at this point there are only 5 Exchange Users and they do not show in the OAB in cached mode. Thanks for your respose. bville
May 16th, 2008 12:08am

Dont follow you here, an outside container?? outside from where? Are you sure that outlook is using the OAB file or has even donwloaded it? you can turn up OAB diagnostic logging on Exchange and see if Exchange creates the OAB correct and if clients download any OAB files. In outlook you see if it using OAB files or not by clicking on the address book icon and then right click on the "Global Address List" text and then select properties, if the current server is a file on your PC then outlook is using the OAB
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May 17th, 2008 5:30pm

C:\Documents and Settings\sbaskerville\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\ This is where th GAL is pulling data on the clients. All clients act the same. I have a seperate contatner called contacts where I keep non-exch addresses. This is downloaded but not the real outlook receipients??? I git it to work for a while friday, but now it is not. I have created new ones in exchage and pointed there with the same result. If i go to non-cache they all show up. bville
May 21st, 2008 4:52am

Alright, i have migrated from Exchange 2003 to Exchange 2007 as well. Creating user accounts is now a 2 part process to avoid any problems with the GAL, and delivery issues. First, use the Exchange management shell or console to create a new mailbox with a new user. once that is done go into AD and add the other properties, member of data. the user shows in GAL immediately and no issues with mail
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January 14th, 2009 8:02pm

I went into: C:\Docs & Settings\username\local settings\app data\microsoft\outlook\ and renamed file "anrdex.oab". Once done, I reopened Outlook and it pulled the new data. I only have 100 users, so not a big deal on my side to rename that file on any pc's with issues, but this might not be a solution for enterprises.
February 12th, 2009 1:18am

Hello, After creating a new user we run the following Powershell script to fix up the GAL and to allow Outlook 2007's Automatic discovery:Save the below text to a text file With Name: Add-DefaultMailboxSettings.ps1There are two changes you need to make:1. Change the text '<MailServer>' to the name of your mail server. (This script is not set up for multiple mail servers)2. Create an ActiveSyncMailboxPolicy name 'Some random text you can make up (Default)'. This default policy will be assigned to any new account. If a user needs a specific ActiveSyncMailboxPolicy you can create a second one and apply that. Only accounts with a policy will have the default policy assigned.Read the script carefully before inplementing in your environment!The script does the following:1. Set Default values2. Load Exchange napin if not loaded yet3. ApplyMandatory Properties - Needed for Outlook 2007 automatic discovery4. Report all combinations of users with Windows Mobile Phones5. Apply the default ActiveSyncPolicy to all users without an ActiveSync Policy6. Update all AddressLists and all GlobalAddressLists7. Show the close screen for a short time and close.------------------------------------------------------------ Begin Quote ---------------------------------------------------------------# Set Variable values $colorHeader = "Yellow" $colorInfo = "White" $colorGood = "Green" $colorBad = "Red" $secSleepTime = 60 Write-Host "# Set Variables." -foregroundcolor $colorHeader Write-Host " # ---------------------------------------------------------------" Write-Host " # Colors: " -NoNewLine -ForegroundColor $colorInfo Write-Host "Plain, " -NoNewLine Write-Host "Header, " -NoNewLine -ForegroundColor $colorHeader Write-Host "Info, " -NoNewLine -ForegroundColor $colorInfo Write-Host "Good, " -NoNewLine -ForegroundColor $colorGood Write-Host "Bad." -ForegroundColor $colorBad # Start of Script: Check for Snapin Write-Host "# Checking for: Exchange" -ForegroundColor $colorHeader if (!(Get-PSSnapin Microsoft.Exchange.Management.PowerShell.Admin)) { write-host " # Adding PS Snapin for: Exchange" -ForegroundColor $colorGood add-PSSnapin Microsoft.Exchange.Management.PowerShell.Admin } else { write-host " # PS Snapin already loaded for: Exchange." -ForegroundColor $colorGood } Write-Host "# Check for Exchange 2007 Object Properties (ApplyMandatoryProperties)" -ForegroundColor $colorHeader $objMB = Get-Mailbox | Where-Object {$_.RecipientTypeDetails -eq 'LegacyMailbox' -and $_.ServerName -eq '<MailServer>'} $objMB if (!$objMB) { Write-Host " # Nothing to process" -ForegroundColor $colorGood } else { $objMB | Set-Mailbox -ApplyMandatoryProperties } Write-Host "# Select Statistics from all Combinations: Accounts+Mobile Device" -ForegroundColor $colorHeader Get-Mailbox | ForEach-Object { Get-ActiveSyncDeviceStatistics -mailbox $_} | ft Identity,LastSuccessSync Write-Host "# For all mailboxes without a policy, Apply default mailbox policy." -ForegroundColor $colorHeader $objMB = Get-CASMailbox | Where-Object {!$_.ActiveSyncMailboxPolicy} $objMB if (!$objMB) { Write-Host " # Nothing to process" -ForegroundColor $colorGood } else { $objMB | Set-CASMailbox -ActiveSyncMailboxPolicy(Get-ActiveSyncMailboxPolicy | Where-Object {$_.Identity -like '*(Default)'}).Identity } Write-Host "# Update (Global)AddressList." -ForegroundColor $colorHeader Get-AddressList | Update-AddressList Get-GlobalAddressList | Update-GlobalAddressList Write-Host "# Wait for '$secSleepTime' second(s) before closing this window." -ForegroundColor $colorHeader sleep $secSleepTime ------------------------------------------------------------ End Quote ---------------------------------------------------------------
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January 28th, 2010 4:21am

After you have created the user but the user has not login to change their password, their user account doesnt seems to appear on GAL. If you want to do a test, try created a user and leave the change password tab untick, do a force update and see if you can find them in GAL.Ta,Ibrahim
February 5th, 2010 4:23am

Dear All, im having more or less the same issue. My organisation belong to a forest lets say Forest A which contains domains A,B,C,D and E. i belong to domain D. Domain A being the primary domain. all domain controllers are on Win Server 2008 with MS Exchange 2007. Recently Domain C upgraded its Exchange server to 2010. We started getting all kinds of errors on our exchange. Users form Domain A are unable to view newly created users on domain D. In other word the GAL is not updating. I tried manual update everything still no luck. with domain D we are able to see the users and communicate but on Domain A all email are bouncing. Can anyone help out since its getting worst everyday. see errors attached
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August 22nd, 2011 7:01am

Hello, are you trying to update a Exchange 2010 OAB with the 2007 EMC? If yes try to update the 2010 OAB with the 2010 EMC. Greetings, Toni
August 22nd, 2011 7:51am

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