Exchange Messaging Outlook Volume 13, Number 27

Apply a Global View to All Folders

A question that comes up all too often is how to change the view on a large number of folders at once. Although Outlook doesn't offer such a feature (but should), you can customize the default view and affect all folders that use that view.

You first need to start Outlook using the /cleanviews switch. This is necessary to remove any and all one-off views so that all folders use the same global view. Once you do this any change to the default view will apply to all folders. Next, make your changes to the default view, selecting the view by name (i.e., Messages) in the Customize view menu. (If you edit the <<Current view>> you'll create a one-off view that is used by the specific folder.)

The method, with screen shots, is covered in the following article. While the article deals with removing grouping from Mail folders, it works with any field or option for the default view of any folder.
Disable Group Views
http://www.outlook-tips.net/howto/grouping.htm 

Exchange Recovery Mode

Following an Exchange server restore, users may see the following message each time they start Outlook:

Exchange is currently in recovery mode. You can either connect to your Exchange server using the network, work offline, or cancel this logon.

This happens when Outlook detects differences between the mailbox and the cached copy of the mailbox. The fix is usually simple: take Outlook out of cached mode, start Outlook, quit Outlook, then re-enable cached mode. If the message continues, make a new profile. 

Exchange Quick Tip: Forwarding Appointments Bug Fixed

Over the last several months I've seen a lot of reports about Outlook including the original invitees in the To field when forwarding meeting requests. If you or your users have this problem, see the recently released KB article:

The "To" field is populated with the original recipients of the meeting request, and the "Subject" field is not prefixed when you use Outlook to forward a meeting request that was responded to by the CDO application
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=957020 

Outlook Quick Tip: Disappearing Favorites

We see a lot of complaints that folders added to the Favorite Folders section of Outlook2003/2007's navigation bar disappear when Outlook is restarted. This happens because the XML file that controls the Navigation pane is corrupt, often because an add-in or utility keeps Outlook open after you close it. As noted in last week's issue, Outlook 2007 SP2 will address shut down issues.

The quick fix is to restart Outlook using the /resetnavpane switch but if the problem continues, you should try a new profile.

To start Outlook using the switch, at Start menu run (Windows XP) or in the Start search field (Vista) type
Outlook.exe /resetnavpane

Application Shutdown Changes in Outlook 2007 Service Pack 2 Beta
http://blogs.msdn.com/rgregg/archive/2008/10/27/application-shutdown-changes-in-outlook-2007-service-pack-2-beta.aspx