Feb
17
2010

Exchange Public Folder Mount Error

Another Exchange specific issue: we had a problem after migrating to Exchange 2010 and then uninstalling Exchange 2003, eventhough replicas of public folders were moved to the new server. Errors would show in the Exchange System Manager, and the following message would occur:
MapiExceptionADPropertyError: Unable to mount database. (hr=0×80004005, ec=2418)

There is a excellent post on TechNet Forums about this topic. However, it does not include information for Exchange 2010, and mentions to restart the Information Store, when restarting the System Attendant is sufficient. Corrected instructions below.

Open ADSI Edit, connect to a Domain Controller, change the context to Configuration.

Create the Folder Hierarchies under the Exchange Administrative Group

  1. Navigate to Configuration ⇒ Services ⇒ Microsoft Exchange ⇒ <Exchange Organization> ⇒ Administrative Groups
  2. Right click on <Exchange Administrative Group> and select New Object
  3. Select msExchPublicFolderTreeContainer as class and click Next
  4. Enter the following as value: Folder Hierarchies, click Next, Finish

Create the Public Folders Tree Object

  1. Right click Folder Hierarchies and select New Object
  2. Select msExchPFTree as class, click Next
  3. Enter the following as value: Public Folders, click Next
  4. Click on More Attributes button, select msExchPFTreeType and set the value to 1
  5. Click OK, Finish

Populate the msExchOwningPFTreeBL attribute object of the PF Store

  1. Double click the newly created “Public Folders” object
  2. Double click distinguishedName, copy the value to the clipboard, click Cancel
  3. Exchange 2007: open properties of Configuration ⇒ Services ⇒ Microsoft Exchange ⇒ <Exchange Organization> ⇒ Administrative Groups ⇒ <Exchange 2007 Administrative Group> ⇒ Servers ⇒ <Affected Exchange Server> ⇒ Information Store ⇒ <Storage Group> ⇒ <Public Folder Database>
  4. Exchange 2010: open properties of Configuration ⇒ Services ⇒ Microsoft Exchange ⇒ <Exchange Organization> ⇒ Administrative Groups ⇒ <Exchange 2010 Administrative Group> ⇒ Databases ⇒ <Public Folder Database>
  5. Double click the msExchOwningPFTree attribute, paste the value that was copied to the clipboard in step 2
  6. Click OK twice

Try to mount the Store

  1. Restart the Microsoft Exchange System Attendant Service
  2. Open Exchange System Manager and try to mount the PF store
Written by georg in: IT |

46 Comments »

  • FPETIT

    Wow thank you, this worked perfectly.

    Comment | July 27, 2010
  • Bobby Miller

    I don’t see the msExchOwningPFTree Attribute?

    Comment | August 10, 2010
  • Maybe it isn’t shown due to your filter settings. Make sure you clear out any filters that might be enabled.

    Comment | August 13, 2010
  • maciek

    you rock man, thank you

    Comment | September 2, 2010
  • Roy

    Thanks, this worked! Out of the blue the msExchOwningPFTree item was “not set”. Pasted the value, restart system attendant and I could mount succesfully.

    Comment | September 16, 2010
  • IanH

    Absolutely superb – worked with Exchange 2010. THANK YOU! Great article.

    Comment | September 23, 2010
  • DaivdK

    I’ve just removed an Exchange 2007 server from my org and public folders failed on the remaining 2010 server. Fortunately your article has saved me from a serious flaming! Many thanks. :)

    Comment | September 29, 2010
  • Tolga

    Great Article, you saved my day, many thanks:))

    Comment | October 1, 2010
  • Draygon, Ryu.

    I apprecitate to this posting.

    Our Ex2007 had a same symptoms and it`s gone by applying this recipe!! :)

    Comment | November 8, 2010
  • Excellent !!!

    has few hours i am looking for it.. and now my EX2010 is fixed !

    Comment | November 20, 2010
  • Thank you for this article. Worked perfectly and allowed my public folder store in Exchange 2010 to mount straight away.

    Comment | December 14, 2010
  • James Eitzen

    Hello, I can not find the msExchOwningPFTree attribute.

    I have played with the filters, but still not showing up.

    Comment | December 14, 2010
  • Gene

    That worked. Thank you. Great work

    Comment | December 15, 2010
  • Dude you rock

    Thanks for this fix. It works

    Comment | January 17, 2011
  • Patrick P

    Wanted to say THANK YOU very much as well. After removing our old Exch 2003 suddenly our PF’s went down and I was frantic. This solved it!

    Comment | January 25, 2011
  • HvD

    Thanks a lot!

    Comment | February 3, 2011
  • Trihimbulus

    I also don’t see the msExchOwningPFTree attribute after resetting the filter….

    Comment | February 24, 2011
  • Hm, it should be there. What is your current AD functional level?

    Comment | February 25, 2011
  • Mike

    Fixed my problems, Thank you

    Comment | March 15, 2011
  • AlanD

    If you dont see the msExchOwningPFTree attribute then you’re looking at the wrong object.

    When looking at Administrative Groups ⇒ Databases ⇒ CN=Your Public Folders Database, dont look at the properties of CN=Public Folders object in the right pane, look at the properties of the CN=Your Public Folders Database object in the left pane. You’ll find the attribute there. I made the same mistake myself.

    AWESOME article. Saved my day.

    Comment | March 17, 2011
  • Maddin

    After finding msExchOwningPFTree my life goes on ! AWESOME

    Comment | May 4, 2011
  • Paul Sterley

    This worked well for me and my PFs are mounted. However, when I open the Public Folder Management Console, I get this error:

    Couldn’t find a MAPI public folder tree. It was running the command ‘get-publicfolder -getchildren -identity ‘\’ -server ‘myserver.mydomain.local”

    Any ideas?

    Comment | June 3, 2011
  • Paul Sterley

    Update: I found a post here:
    http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-IE/exchangesvradmin/thread/cede8832-a434-4e80-b45c-433bd8daf4f0

    This cleared up my problem with the PF Management Console in the Toolbox. You may wish to update your post with the correct information below.

    James-Luo
    Microsoft Contingent Staff, Moderator

    After compared the setting in the lab, I found that the class of “Folder Hierarchies” shall be “msExchclassContainer” instead of “msExchPublicFolderTreeContainer”

    Comment | June 3, 2011
  • Thanks, thanks a lot.

    Comment | June 5, 2011
  • Allen

    This is a terrific article. Thank you, thank you thank you!

    Comment | June 28, 2011
  • Christian

    Good work, you saved my life!!!
    My Boss would kill me, if we loose 12GB PF Data…

    Comment | June 29, 2011
  • Matt

    Thank you for the fix.

    Very straight forward guide. You should write KB articles for a living :)

    Comment | July 1, 2011
  • Thanks for this article. It worked. I would be happy, if i could see empty public folders, but suddenly old folders also appeared, which was even better.

    Comment | September 6, 2011
  • P0larized

    Dude!! Very much appreciated I was searching for the string to populate the field but didnt know where to get it!!

    Thanks much!!

    Comment | September 15, 2011
  • berto

    thank you very much for the info,
    it helped me a lot after searching about last 3 hours a solution for it.

    Berto

    Comment | October 4, 2011
  • Arron

    Awesome… You will go to heaven.

    Comment | October 7, 2011
  • Serj

    Holy fishsticks! It worked like a charm. I tell you, it’s a dark place over there, in the bowels of the AD.

    Thanks man!

    Comment | October 9, 2011
  • RB

    You’re a life safer!

    Comment | November 18, 2011
  • Willem

    This is great!! It works fine. I had to change the filter to see the msExchOwningPFTree.

    Thnx!!

    Comment | November 22, 2011
  • Grateful Exchange Admin

    Thanks for putting the effort into writing this article! Saved my skin..

    Comment | December 13, 2011
  • Erik Kooning

    Great artikle, was able to get the PF up and running in no time with these instructions.

    The issue had occurred after doing a manual uninstall of an old Exchange 2003 server. This server could not be uninstalled due to the PF aswell.

    Comment | January 3, 2012
  • kobayashi

    This article just saved me my life, thanks to God ! and thanks AlanD and the writer of the article !!

    Comment | March 19, 2012
  • Jeremy Baker

    Thanks a million this one just saved my life, i had been searching for hours on this

    Comment | April 28, 2012
  • RTS

    Dude, you rock! I have been looking for a solution to this problem for hours. I stumbled upon your easy walkthru and it worked perfectly! I owe you a beer!

    Comment | July 10, 2012
  • Splendid.
    Thanks a lot for this solution.

    Comment | July 31, 2012
  • WORKS AS A CHARM !!! Really, man ! It works !!! Thanks a million !

    Comment | August 3, 2012
  • Paul

    dude Awesome post and saved me hours today. SBS2011 migration from SBS2003, Exchange 2010 fixed. Public Folders are now visable.

    Cheers!

    Comment | August 13, 2012
  • Regis

    Excellent !!! Very big thanks !!

    Comment | August 31, 2012
  • Ben

    Thank you so much, a very helpful post, I only wish MS could be as helpful…

    Comment | November 20, 2012
  • ACinVA

    This was a great fix! Thanks for your help! Had upgraded from Exchange 2003 to 2010 and this resolved the public folder mount issue.

    Comment | January 13, 2013
  • Christopher

    Sir, I LOVE YOU!

    Comment | February 28, 2013

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