Hello i recently had a RAID controller on my exchange server die. i had to go to back-ups after reinstalling exchange 2007 all seems to be okay now, except a few small issues. the biggest one seems to be related to public folders. i have a ton of public folders. unfortunately none of my users seem to be able to do anything with them now. i have a public folder named visits. there are several people who have "owner" permission. yet they can not create, modify or add items to this folder. i ran a: get-publicfolderclientpermission -identity "\visits" | fl and the correct permissions are listed i tried removing and re-adding the permissions, but that didn't work either. The permissions show correctly in outlook and in the power shell. I tried to look a them using the PFAVAdmin tool, but got the error message: "could not expand https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSReg.Com/public%folders/non_ipm_subtree: Name cannot begin with the "0" character, hexidecimal value 0x30, line 1 position 409" I can do anything with these public folders though. I am an owner as well. However I am a domain/exchange admin. So i thought that may have something to do with it. So I created a test user and mimicked my group membership. I then added the owner permission to the folder. No go. The test user can see the folder, but that is it. Anyone have any idea what I should try next?

Hi Zackin, First correct PFDavAmin error by referring below article and fix the ACL of the folder with PFDavAdmin which is giving problem. http://mostlyexchange.blogspot.com/2008/01/pfdavadmin-exchange-2007-and-v11-net.html

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I got that issue squared away with the PFDAdmin. It wouldnt run on the server. Per instructions I did not install .net 1.1 It wouldnt run on my workstation, which is a vista machine. I got it to run on a XP virtual machine I have running in virtual pc. I keep it around for this sort of stuff. Okay back to business. When I view the permissions in the tool, the permissions for the user are listed correct. She is listed as having owner permissions. This tool looks really neat. However I am not sure what I should try next. Once again I appreciate the assistance.

Issue description: Users can not modify items in the public folders after exchange 2007 reinstalled Collect info: 1. So, DACL state in the PFDavAdmin is Good? In Visits folders Folder Permission, DACL is showed in the top-right corner. Please try to right-click Visits folder and click Check DACL state 2. Please provide the exactly error sentence 3. Try to reproduce the issue, and check the application log in the application log on the both client and server 4. Issue is also happened if users modify the public folder contents via OWA? Troubleshooting: 1. Test user can normally access the issued folder with same owner permission, right? please try to run Get-User identity alias and Get-Mailbox identity alias against both test user and issue users, and compare & check the parameters 2. Go to ADUC, also compare the test user and issue users permission setting in the Security tab from individual and group level. See if theres any difference

Hello again. Thank you again for taking the time to reply. I will respond to your steps via number outline below. 1. DACL state is Missing Anonymous Check DACL state produced this: Folder filter: (&) https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/General%20Visit%20Info/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Postponed_xF8FF_CNX/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Postponed_xF8FF_CNX/06_xF8FF_16-19_xF8FF_08%20PENTON%20-%20LaurenM/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Postponed_xF8FF_CNX/09_xF8FF_23-30_xF8FF_07%20AUA%20(tentative-prospect)%20-%20MK,%20DTL/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Postponed_xF8FF_CNX/11_xF8FF_27-28_xF8FF_07%20%20ASA%20-%20PW/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Postponed_xF8FF_CNX/12_xF8FF_05-07_xF8FF_07%20PMMI%20-%20MK/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Postponed_xF8FF_CNX/CNX%2005_xF8FF_18-22_xF8FF_08%20ISA%20-%20PW,%20JThomas,%20JSpencer/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Postponed_xF8FF_CNX/CNX%2006_xF8FF_09-11_xF8FF_08%20AmHEART%20-%20DTL/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Postponed_xF8FF_CNX/POSTPONED%2004_xF8FF_25%20GCT%20-%20Dave/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Postponed_xF8FF_CNX/POSTPONED%2004_xF8FF_28%20REED%20Mara/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Postponed_xF8FF_CNX/_x003F__x003F__x003F__x003F__x003F_%20%20SFN_xF8FF_Finance%20-%20JK/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Postponed_xF8FF_CNX/_x003F__x003F__xF8FF__x003F__x003F__xF8FF_09%20AAP_x003F__x003F__x003F__x003F_%20LisaRose%20Sullivan,%20Nancy%20Vazquez,%20and%20Spouses/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Postponed_xF8FF_CNX/10_xF8FF_27-28_xF8FF_08%20FRAN1027%20-%20Peter%20Francese%20-%20SueP/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/01_xF8FF_03_xF8FF_08%20Maged_xF8FF_TechNeat%20-%20DTL,%20PA/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/01_xF8FF_07-11_xF8FF_08%20Julie%20Nelson%20(AE)%20-%20DTL/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/01_xF8FF_28-30_xF8FF_08%20EXPOSOFT%20-%20EH/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/02_xF8FF_12-14_xF8FF_08%20JANE%20WEDIN%20training%20-%20Tim/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/03_xF8FF_03-05_xF8FF_08%20ABA%20(prospect)%20-%20KF,%20MK%20%26%20TPI/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/03_xF8FF_09-12_xF8FF_08%20Stephanie%20Giannetti%20-%20MDuffy/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/03_xF8FF_11-13_xF8FF_08%20%20AMT-IMTS%20(Prospect)%20-%20MK/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/03_xF8FF_14-17_xF8FF_08%20BOD%20-%20JK,%20Doug/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/03_xF8FF_17-21_xF8FF_08%20Stephanie%20Giannetti-%20MDuffy/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/04_xF8FF_01_xF8FF_08%20NE%20GROWS%20-%20RH/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/04_xF8FF_16-17_xF8FF_08%20TTG%20HOUSING%20-%20DTL/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/04_xF8FF_17-18_xF8FF_08%20%20CYGNUS%20-%20AL/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/04_xF8FF_28-30_xF8FF_08%20NIELSEN-multi%20group%20-%20PW/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/04_xF8FF_28-30_xF8FF_08%20NIELSEN-multi%20group%20-%20PW/Social/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/05_xF8FF_02-04_xF8FF_08%20METALCON%20-%20CJ,%20JK/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/05_xF8FF_12_xF8FF_08%20RESOURCE%20PLUS%20-%20RH/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/05_xF8FF_21-22_xF8FF_08%20JATTAN%20-%20AE%20Cand%20-%20DTL/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/05_xF8FF_27_xF8FF_08%20EH%20PUB%20-%20KF/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/CANCELLED%20-%2004_xF8FF_18-19_xF8FF_08%20WILLIAMS%20-%20DTL/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/06_xF8FF_05-09_xF8FF_08%20BOD0606%20-%20JK,%20Doug/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/06_xF8FF_19-22_xF8FF_08%20ACC0619%20-%20Amy%20L/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/06_xF8FF_16_xF8FF_08%20RCP0616%20Candy%20-%20KF/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/2008/06_xF8FF_10_xF8FF_08%20MDS0610%20-%20RH/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/07_xF8FF_07-11_xF8FF_08%20BOK0707%20Bookout%20-%20PA,%20DTL/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/07_xF8FF_08-09_xF8FF_08%20NIE0708-Maxey_xF8FF_Collins%20-%20PW/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/07_xF8FF_16-17_xF8FF_08%20COS0716%20Conv%20Strategy%20-%20DTL/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/07_xF8FF_24-07_xF8FF_25%20PAF0724%20Printing%20Assoc%20of%20FL/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/07_xF8FF_30_xF8FF_08%20GAS0730%20-%20Kelly%20Kilga%20-%20KF/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/07_xF8FF_30-08_xF8FF_01_xF8FF_08%20SEM0730%20SEMI%20-%20RH/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/08_xF8FF_04-08_xF8FF_05%20DISC0805%20-Training/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/08_xF8FF_06-09_xF8FF_08%20DMG0805%20dmgCanada%20-%20JN,%20DB/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/08_xF8FF_15_xF8FF_08%20BOD0815%20-%20BoD%20-%20DL,%20JK/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/08_xF8FF_17-20_xF8FF_08%20HAN0817%20-%20Norm%20Hannah%20-%20DTL,%20DL/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/08_xF8FF_21-24_xF8FF_08%20MTL0821%20METALCON%20mtg%20-%20CJ/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/09_xF8FF_04_xF8FF_08%20Cape%20Biz%20Mag%20-%20Doug/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/09_xF8FF_11-17_xF8FF_08%20Fletcher%20GOLF%20-%20family/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/09_xF8FF_19_xF8FF_08%20PSK0919%20-%20PASSKEY-%20James%20Gowell/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/09_xF8FF_23-24_xF8FF_08%20SAG0923%20SAAGNY%20-%20Walter%20Schatz%20-%20RH/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/09_xF8FF_23-28_xF8FF_08%20CDS0922%20-%20Leticia%20Clementi%20-%20new%20hire/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/09_xF8FF_30-10_xF8FF_2_xF8FF_08%20-%20PEN1001%20Penton%20-%20LaurenM,%20Pat/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/10_xF8FF_14_xF8FF_08%20NE%20Grows%20-%20RH/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Completed/10_xF8FF_24_xF8FF_08%20NIE1024%20Nielsen%20Retail-%20Jen%20Thomas,%20PW/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/01_xF8FF_20-22_xF8FF_09%20AHA0122%20Heart%20-%20Amy%20T/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/10_xF8FF_29-31_xF8FF_08%20SIG1029%20SIGGRAPH%20-%20MK,%20TomS,%20KF/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/12_xF8FF_14-20_xF8FF_08%20Parcival%20-%20PA/ Missing Anonymous; https://exch2k7-01/ExAdmin/Admin/CDSREG.COM/public%20folders/Visits/Scott%20Test/ Missing Anonymous; Operation complete. 2. I think you were talking about the DACL error sentence. I have copied that above. 3. I reproduced the error on the client. There was nothing logged in the event viewer on the client or the server. 4. Yes it also happens in OWA Troubleshooting: 1. To answer your question: Test user can normally access the issued folder with same owner permission, right?. NO. the test user also is denied permission despite having owner level permission. I can modify the folder myself. I am also an owner. So I used myself in this step. I checked permissions and the impacted user and test user were not lacking any permission that I had in ADUC. In fact they had a few extra permissions that I didnt. 2. The get-user and get-mailbox didnt show mw much. We were both listed as user mailboxes on the same server. Hope this helps. I am not sure by what missing anonymous means on the PFDAVAdmin means. On each of the public folders there is an account NT AUTHORITY\ANONYMOUS LOGON that has none permission. Thanks again.

i did some further testing. i created a "test" public folder. the PFDAVAdmin tool reported the DACL as "good" on this one folder. I granted my test user owner permission. the test user still could not add or modify content to the folder, or create sub-folders. So i attempted to delete and readd the permissions. that seems to work okay in the tool, but didn;t do anything to allow the user to actually get the permission. I then tried it with the "wipe existing DACL before committing" and got an: "exception: the remote server returned an error: (400) bad request) so it looks like even on a newly created folder where the DACL shows as good in the PFDAVAdmin tool i still can't get the permissions to work. don;t know if that helps or not.

update. i used the PFDavAdmin tool and dida fix DACL on all my public folders and subfolders. (read-clear-write)The permissions now show as good. However my users still do not have access.

more progress. i set the event logging for public folger general, and public folder access in exchange server to high. i now see an event when i try to use my test user to create a sub folder in a folder of which it is an owner: I don;t know why it is saying he doesn;t have permission when he is a folder owner though. Event Type:WarningEvent Source:MSExchangeIS Public StoreEvent Category:Access Control Event ID:1235Date:11/8/2008Time:10:23:36 AMUser:N/AComputer:EXCH2K7-01Description:TestUser@cdsreg.com failed an operation on folder on database "Public Folders\Public Folders" because the user did not have the following access rights: 'Delete' 'Read Property' 'Write Property' 'Create Message' 'View Item' 'Create Subfolder' 'Write Security Descriptor' 'Write Owner' 'Read Security Descriptor' 'Contact' For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Hi Zackin, What happens if you add a second Public Folder Database? Can the user then create and add itmes there ?

i get an error message that says only one public folder database is allowed per server.

The warning may show if the security permission has becoming uncorrected on the root public folder tree Please use the following steps to check the public folder in the ADSI Edit 1. Launch ADSI Edit 2. Expand configuration Container->CN=Configuration, DC= Domain_Name ,DC=com->CN=Services ->CN=Microsoft Exchange->CN= Your_Organization_Name-> CN=Administrative Groups ->CN= Exchange Administrative Group (XXXXXXX)->"CN=Folder Hierarchies 3. Right-click "CN=Public Folders->Properties->Security tab 4. Please check if Allow inheritable permissions from parent to propagate to this object has been selected as expected 5. And make sure Everyone group has the listed permissions below: Create named properties in the information store Create public folder Create top level public folder Notes: If the checkbox in the Step 4 has been selected before, Everyone group should already have these permissions. And ensure theres no Deny permission being selected And for the error when you tried to create additional public folder database, please review the Public Folder Databases section of this article

Thank you for your reply. I checked the permissions and the everyone group has the permissions you listed a necessary. Just to troubleshoot, I gave everyone full control to see if it fixed the issue. It did not. There were no deny permissions found anywhere. Is there something I need to reset or reboot for permission changes to take effect? Is there someplace else that I should check permissions on? Also my folder structure was a little different then what you have listed. I had: CN=configuration CN=services Cn=convention data services Cn=administrative groups cn=exchange administrative group cn=servers cn-Exch2k7-01 cn=information store cn=public folders You had said I should look for cn=folder hierarchies but I think you were just referring yo my folder structure. Should I try this: Create a pst file. Copy all my public folders into it via outlook. Delete my public folder database and storage group from the EMC. Delete it from AD using ADSIEdit. And re-create. Then drag and drop from the pst file back into public folders via outlook. This will create a new database and log set. Do you think we should try it? It should also re-create a public folders container in AD and reset permissions. I would then have to reset all permissions on all public folders. If it doesnt work, I can just copy the old database file back and re-mount it.

i did some more troubleshooting. the test user can not create new folders. however i created a test calendar under a test public folder. the test user was able to save appointments into the calendar. i then created a test mail folder in a test root public folder. he was able to copy an email message into it. i then tried to create another folder in the test public folder and was denied permission. i then tried to create another child folder inside the testmail folder which also failed. I then created a test-to-delete calendar and my test user was able to delete the calendar. I made test appointments in the calender as myself and the test user account was also able to delete them. the test user was also able to delete mail items from the test mail folder. So basically my test user was able to create and delete his own and other objects inside these public folders. It appears my trouble is isolated to the creation of new public folder objects. The test structure looks like this: \public folders \test \testcal \TestToDelete \testmail I think we maybe starting to get somewhere here. thanks zack

Something else a bit strange. i see the permissions you listed: Create named properties in the information store Create public folder Create top level public folder i see them at the: CN=configuration CN=services Cn=convention data services level. The advanced tab has them set to apply to: this object and all child objects. However when i check the permissions on: CN=configuration CN=services Cn=convention data services Cn=administrative groups cn=exchange administrative group cn=servers cn-Exch2k7-01 cn=information store cn=public folders They don;t appear. In fact they aren;t even listed as options for me to enable. the permissions menu has different settings then the parent it should be inheriting these permissions from. should it apply to: public information store objects private information store objects instead of this object and all child objects. it doesn;t appear that permission is being passed down for some reason, depite it being set to pass down, and the public folders object being set to inherit.

You mentioned that the structure is different to the way as my post in the ADSI Editor. Does you mean that you cannot find CN=Folder Hierarchies under CN=Exchange Administrative Group (xxx), or it shows at other location? Notes: To backup public folder data to PST is a great idea First, Please make sure that CN=Folder Hierarchies exists under CN=Exchange Administrative Group (xxx), create one if you cannot find the original one a. Launch ADSIEditor, and go to Administrative Group that you would create the Folder Hierarchies container b. Right-click Administrative Group->new->object c. Select Class = msExchContainer->next d. Fill Value = Folder Hierarchies e. Finish Second, could you find the entry which shall be in the CN=Folder Hierarchies? Its an entry called CN=Public folders which supposes to show in the right-pane when you choose CN=Folder Hierarchies. The way to locate the entry is simple: Just go to public store container in ADSIEditor. Checking its msExchPFOwningTree attribute on the public folder database, we will see that the public folder store is associated to the Public Folder tree CN=Public folders. Follow that tree based on the value in the msExchPFOwningTree attribute, and then find the location of CN=Public folders, and then right-click it, choose Move to the Folder Hierarchies container Notes: The normal structure to the CN=Folder Hierarchies shall like the below: Configuration Container->CN=Configuration, DC= Domain_Name ,DC=com->CN=Services ->CN=Microsoft Exchange->CN= Your_Organization_Name-> CN=Administrative Groups ->CN= Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)->"CN=Folder Hierarchies

hello. i do not have a "Folder Hierarchies" folder. It doesn;t appear anywhere. my CN=public folders is under: cn=configuration .cn=services ..cn=microsoft exchange ...cn=convention data services ....cn=administrative groups .....cn=exchange administrative group ......cn=servers .......cn=exch2k7-01 ........cn=information store .........cn=public folders The properties for my public folders storage group in adsiedit has no "msExchPFOwningTree" attribute at all. So i am not sure i should proceed since i can't modify the attribute of which you speak since it isn't in the properties of my public folder container. I don;t see any way i can add it either. I can only edit existing attributes.

james i have fixed the problem. i had called microsoft tech support and spent my software assurance phone support issue on it. basically they said the problem was what you had said. we were missing the "folder hierarchie" to correct they issue they had me: dismount the public folder database copy the data base file to a backup location. remount the database (blank database created) delete the public folderdatabase delete the public folder storage group delete the remaining log files check adsi to make sure all objectes were deleted. recreate the public folder storage group recreate the public folder data base (same file name and location) dismount the new blank database delete the log and database files (newly created) copy the actual database to the origional location. check the check box to allow an overwrite via restore in EMC remount the database That basically what what i had outlined i was going to try in my prior post. with the exception of backing up the public folders to a pst file. at any rate it created the necessary objects in ADSI that were missing and all appears well now. I want to thank you for your time and efforts in assisting me. Zack

Glad you solved the issue, and shared it at here