The connection to Microsoft Exchange is unavailable. Outlook must be online or connected to complete - Cant add Outlook accounts
Hi have recently started getting the following error message when setting up new accounts with Outlook 2007: The connection to Microsoft Exchange is unavailable. Outlook must be online or connected to complete this action. Outlookthen prompts me to enter the username and password, i do so and get message again. This happens on Windows XP Professional and Vista, i cannot setup any accounts for new machines.Points to noteare that OWA works fine, and previous users who are already setup work fine also. It seems to be limited to setting up new Outlook 2007 accounts. It can find the username fine. It comes up with green ticks underr the Online Search for your server settings: Establish Network connection Search for chris@mydomain.com server settings Long on to server ---------- then it fails with a big red cross at this point Recentlyi did add a second mail server to the network but it was not configured to talk to the other main mail server which was handling all the functions of mail box, CAS, hub transport. I had installed all the same roles on the second server with a view to move it across and retire the old server, the second machine is a different machine name from the main mail server. In summay my servers are: svr001 Server 2003 R2 Enterprise x64domain controller mail Server 2003 R2 Enterprise x64 non-domain controller with exchange 2007 SP1 mail001Windows 2008 Enterprise x64 non-domain controller with exchange 2007 SP1 The main box "mail" has been fine until i recently introduced this new server "mail001" into the network. I am really stuck now and would really appreciate any pointers or steps to debug the above. Many thanks, Chris
March 19th, 2008 7:32am

I have the same problem butI'm runningone mail server. This problem just started a couple days ago. No changes were made to any server except for adding a BSAdmin on the server so users can check email with their BlackBerry. I tried a reboot for both servers and I'm still having the same problem. Anyone know what could be the cause for this? And how to fix it.
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November 12th, 2008 4:57pm

I am having the same trouble. Nobody seems to know what to do. My wife and I have the same computer exactly (Windows XP) running Office 2007. We both connect to the same exchange server at the same company. I can no longer connect out of the blue and get the above error message and she is connecting just fine. I am unable to reestablish a connection to the exchange server. I've tried uninstalling Outlook and still am having a problem. Please let me know if anyone has found a solution.
November 15th, 2008 2:06pm

I'm having the same problem and just spent an hour and a half with Microsoft Tech Support to hear him tell me it's not an Exchange issue but an Outlook issue... something I told them to begin with :-( Outlook runs and I can get internet email but sharing my calendar and intra office email (i.e. all the Exchange Server actions) are not available to me.
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November 20th, 2008 10:17pm

I updated the service packs, etc on my xp systems, then it works. the problem i am having is with terminal server. almost all the users work well, a few come up without being able to find the domain controller.i know they are there because they can logon to the network in house, outside via rdp it dies.Mibble
December 18th, 2008 3:52pm

what made the most impact, as i was intermittently getting the domain controller could not be found, was to update the system bios and all hardware updates and drivers for the server itself (not microsoft stuff, manufacturer stuff) which made a big difference. so go to your hardware manufacturer and get the updates.Mibble
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January 5th, 2009 3:41pm

I had an issue where my exhanger server bacame unresponsive. I rebooted the box and started configuring outlook on an XP desktop.I also received the message: The connection to Microsoft Exchange is unavailable. Outlook must be online or connected to complete...Thanks, Girgimel. I checked the services on my Exchange 2007 box and the Exchange System Attendant service did not start. Once I started the manually, I was able to set up Outlook on the desktop.
May 11th, 2009 11:37am

I restartedthe POP3, IMAP services on the exchange box and that worked for me.
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June 1st, 2009 3:33pm

That did it for me as well. Export the keys from the registry of a working box, and configure the new box after importing it.
September 11th, 2009 5:14pm

I've had this a couple of times. Usually after I reboot my Exchange server. Check the primary Exchange server (in case you have more than one) and check Microsoft Exchange services. Look for Microsoft Exchange Attendant services. Although it is set for automatic it appears not to be runing. Simply start this service and your outlook should be able to communicate with the exchange servere again.
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September 15th, 2009 6:46pm

Thanks for this Girgimel, worked like a charm!
February 12th, 2010 9:36am

I had try in many ways but i found a best solution when you cannot add new account with outlook 2007. First i uninstall outlook 2007 and reboot your computer and install outlook 2003 when install complete try to add new e-mail account with outlook 2003 it never pop-up like "The connection to Microsoft Exchange is unavailable. Outlook must be online or connected to complete " when you can adding e-mail account with 2003 try to re-install outlook 2007 by upgrade
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March 20th, 2010 2:52am

Thanks, this solution worked for me!
March 25th, 2010 10:03pm

Hey all i just did this and it worked for me. I went into iis manager. Properties of the exchange web site> directory security > in the secure commuinications area at the bottom of that windows select edit. A new window will pop up. select require secure channel (ssl). bam! I can finally get my mail and my webmail. Hope this helps someone.
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August 31st, 2010 11:39pm

I was having exactly the same problem. Searched a lot, until I found this forum. We'd had a powercut in the morning, and for some reason a number of Automatic Exchange services hasn't started, Microsoft Excahnge System Attendant and Service Host being two of them. Once they had been started it fixed the problem. Rachel
January 26th, 2011 9:02am

well just make sure you are tyoing the rigth name for the exchange server. it will nnot locate the name you are trying to set up because is not pointing to the rigth server name. so it look simple but double check your spelling on the server name.
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February 25th, 2011 11:11am

this "fix it" worked for me! http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=319206 hope to u Ditto that! Tnx!
May 23rd, 2011 10:26am

I have a brand new out of the box laptop and am getting this error message... The connection to Microsoft Exhange is unavailable. Outlook must be online or connected to complete this action. I have tried every solution and fix I have found on Microsoft and this site and no joy. Please help...anybody The laptop is Windows 7 and its Outlook 2007Leanne at DRS
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June 5th, 2011 1:58am

On Sun, 5 Jun 2011 05:58:07 +0000, Leanne at DRS wrote: >I have a brand new out of the box laptop and am getting this error message... The connection to Microsoft Exhange is unavailable. Outlook must be online or connected to complete this action. I have tried every solution and fix I have found on Microsoft and this site and no joy. Please help...anybody The laptop is Windows 7 and its Outlook 2007 Why not start by contacting your company's helpdesk? They should be able to fix you up. --- Rich Matheisen MCSE+I, Exchange MVP --- Rich Matheisen MCSE+I, Exchange MVP
June 5th, 2011 1:04pm

Tengo el mismo problema reinicie el server y despues de eso en varios equipos de la empresa ya no se conecta el outlook, lo tengo instalado en 80 equipos, algunos estan fuera de dominio, pero la falla es general, les falla a algunos que estan fuera de dominio y a otros que si estan en el dominio ya reinicie el servicio Microsoft Excahnge System Attendant. pero la falla continua La solucion que encontre fue configurar RPC sobre Http en el outlook, pero los equipos que estan fuera de dominio marca error de certificado.. asi que el problema continua este hilo ya tiene años.. alguien tendra ya alguna respuesta ? de antemano gracias
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June 21st, 2011 4:26pm

PrinceDotNet, thanks for sharing that link. It resolved this same issue for me.
June 27th, 2011 1:22pm

Just wanted to say that the numerous other registry fixes that are floating around out there (autodiscover, defconnectopts, etc) didn't work for me - this did. Had a customer upgraded from Office 2003 to 2007 - suddenly no connection to exchange, and couldn't create a new profile (because it won't talk to exchange). I exported the key from my computer to hers, made a few adjustments, and BINGO - customer has functional outlook. Thanks!
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July 19th, 2011 9:57am

I know this post is over 3 years old, but I encountered the same issue and none of the above resolved it. After running a port scan on the computer that was not connecting, I learned that nearly all the ports to this computer have been turned off, especially ports 25 (SMTP), 53 (DNS), 88 (Kerberos), 137 (NetBIOS). After enabling these ports, I was able to connect to Exchange and create an Outlook profile.
August 11th, 2011 8:09am

Go down the Firewall and try again ;)
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October 4th, 2011 11:17am

I was having the same problem and checked my exchange server but the Microsoft Exchange Service Attendant service WAS started. I decided to go ahead and restart the service anyway, and this corrected the problem.
November 3rd, 2011 10:27am

How do you check to see if it's turned on? I need like detls on how to find it. n what files they are in thank you. I've never had outlook operating on my comp n I'm trying to set it up but am having alot of trouble so please if some one can help me I will be greatly appreciative :) Thank you
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November 6th, 2011 3:30am

I had a fresh install of Office 2010 on a new machine with Win 7 Ultimate, all service packs and updates done, and got this problem. Copying my old profile from my near-death machine worked like a charm. Thanks for the good info.
January 4th, 2012 2:10am

Please first check your system date and time, Then go for further.......
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February 20th, 2012 7:50am

Hey I did everything you said until the last step because I can't find Microsoft Exchange Service Attendant under the service folder. What do I do?
March 15th, 2012 2:17pm

My fix was a combination of: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=319206 and deleting the Outlook folder located in the USER\appdata\local\Microsoft\, it deleted an OST that was in there that SEEMS to have been a part of the problem. I have to keep an eye on this issue though. Not the first time I've had this series of errors on a machine here on my network and I'm wondering if I've got a boinked Exchange server that has an issue or two not smoothed out.
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June 13th, 2012 11:28am

Hi guys, The same problem happens to me. However I have sucess in access via Outlook Web App and iPhone and the internal network, but always gives the same error when I try to set up an external exchange account in Outlook by creating a new profile. Does anyone can help me solve this issue?
June 21st, 2012 5:18pm

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