Data Loss from Customers after Installing SP2 with Exchange Mail

  • Thread starter Rebecca Harriss [MSFT]
  • Start date
R

Rebecca Harriss [MSFT]

Hi All,

I wanted to give you an update regarding Microsoft Office 11.2.0 Service
Pack 2 (SP2), which we released Sept. 20th. SP2 has been a resounding
success in most cases, however, we have received a few isolated reports of
lost data from customers after installing SP2.

Known issue: After installing SP2, if an Exchange mailbox is moved from one
Exchange server to another, occasionally messages, events and contacts may
be deleted the first time Entourage attempts to re-sync with the moved
mailbox. If this occurs, customers will initially notice duplicate folders,
and ultimately their messages, events and contacts may be deleted.

Whom does the issue affect: This is a very isolated issue and seems to
impact a small group of Entourage users on Microsoft Exchange servers. The
vast majority of Office Mac customers will not be impacted. The issue is
seen only when an Exchange mailbox is moved to a different Exchange server
following the installation of SP2.

How to avoid the issue: It is strongly advised that Exchange administrators
either move mailboxes for Entourage users prior to installing SP2, or wait
to move mailboxes until the Office 2004 11.2.1 update has been applied.

When will the patch be available? The Office 2004 11.2.1 update will be
available as a free download via Microsoft AutoUpdate or at
www.microsoft.com/mac <http://www.microsoft.com/mac> prior to Nov. 1st. The
update will also be available in volume licensing kits in December.

Is additional information forthcoming? Yes, we will be providing a Knowledge
Base article with more prescriptive guidance within the next week. In the
meantime, customer issues should be escalated to PSS.

What if data loss has already occurred? First, the customer should quit out
of Entourage immediately if they notice either duplicate folders or lost
data. This will stop Entourage from synchronizing, and will help the
customer avoid further data loss. Users should not use Entourage until their
Exchange server account settings have been deleted. To do this, users should
first disconnect from the network, open Entourage, and then delete their
Exchange account (under Tools | Accounts) before they install the Office
2004 11.2.1 update. After installing the 11.2.1 update, users should
re-create their Exchange server account settings.

Recovering lost data: The best way for customers to recover their data is to
restore their mailbox from an existing back-up ­ they should contact their
Exchange system administrator for assistance. In some instances, customers
have been able to recover data by using the Recover Deleted Items tool from
Outlook Web Access. Log in to your Exchange account using Outlook Web Access
on your Mac Web browser, click Options on the left hand side and scroll down
to Recover Deleted Items; customers should contact their Exchange system
administrator for assistance. Additional guidance for system administrators
can be obtained from Microsoft Product Support Services. Customers may visit
www.microsoft.com/mac/support <http://www.microsoft.com/mac/support> for
contact information if they are unsure of their PSS contact.

Thanks,
The Macintosh Business Unit

Rebecca Harriss
Microsoft Corporation
Macintosh Business Unit, Entourage Test

This posting is provided ³AS IS² with no warranties, and confers no rights.
 
B

Boettcher, Scott

Thank you Rebecca ­ this is one of the best corporate replies I¹ve seen in a
support forum.
Could this be the reason why my Macs no longer ³see² SP2 in the updater
application?

This should save me and my clients from losing data.


SB
 
R

Rebecca Harriss [MSFT]

Hi Scott,

To avoid customer inconvenience, we have removed SP2 from Microsoft
AutoUpdate until the 11.2.1 update is available.

Thanks,
Rebecca

Rebecca Harriss
Microsoft Corporation
Macintosh Business Unit, Entourage Test

This posting is provided ³AS IS² with no warranties, and confers no rights.
 
N

news.microsoft.com

Re: Data Loss from Customers after Installing SP2 with Exchange MailWould this issue also include users who see all their emails being transfered to Folders on my computer from their exchange account ?
Hi Scott,

To avoid customer inconvenience, we have removed SP2 from Microsoft AutoUpdate until the 11.2.1 update is available.

Thanks,
Rebecca

Rebecca Harriss
Microsoft Corporation
Macintosh Business Unit, Entourage Test

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.





Thank you Rebecca - this is one of the best corporate replies I've seen in a support forum.
Could this be the reason why my Macs no longer "see" SP2 in the updater application?

This should save me and my clients from losing data.


SB



Hi All,

I wanted to give you an update regarding Microsoft Office 11.2.0 Service Pack 2 (SP2), which we released Sept. 20th. SP2 has been a resounding success in most cases, however, we have received a few isolated reports of lost data from customers after installing SP2.

Known issue: After installing SP2, if an Exchange mailbox is moved from one Exchange server to another, occasionally messages, events and contacts may be deleted the first time Entourage attempts to re-sync with the moved mailbox. If this occurs, customers will initially notice duplicate folders, and ultimately their messages, events and contacts may be deleted.

Whom does the issue affect: This is a very isolated issue and seems to impact a small group of Entourage users on Microsoft Exchange servers. The vast majority of Office Mac customers will not be impacted. The issue is seen only when an Exchange mailbox is moved to a different Exchange server following the installation of SP2.

How to avoid the issue: It is strongly advised that Exchange administrators either move mailboxes for Entourage users prior to installing SP2, or wait to move mailboxes until the Office 2004 11.2.1 update has been applied.

When will the patch be available? The Office 2004 11.2.1 update will be available as a free download via Microsoft AutoUpdate or at www.microsoft.com/mac <http://www.microsoft.com/mac> prior to Nov. 1st. The update will also be available in volume licensing kits in December.

Is additional information forthcoming? Yes, we will be providing a Knowledge Base article with more prescriptive guidance within the next week. In the meantime, customer issues should be escalated to PSS.

What if data loss has already occurred? First, the customer should quit out of Entourage immediately if they notice either duplicate folders or lost data. This will stop Entourage from synchronizing, and will help the customer avoid further data loss. Users should not use Entourage until their Exchange server account settings have been deleted. To do this, users should first disconnect from the network, open Entourage, and then delete their Exchange account (under Tools | Accounts) before they install the Office 2004 11.2.1 update. After installing the 11.2.1 update, users should re-create their Exchange server account settings.

Recovering lost data: The best way for customers to recover their data is to restore their mailbox from an existing back-up - they should contact their Exchange system administrator for assistance. In some instances, customers have been able to recover data by using the Recover Deleted Items tool from Outlook Web Access. Log in to your Exchange account using Outlook Web Access on your Mac Web browser, click Options on the left hand side and scroll down to Recover Deleted Items; customers should contact their Exchange system administrator for assistance. Additional guidance for system administrators can be obtained from Microsoft Product Support Services. Customers may visit www.microsoft.com/mac/support <http://www.microsoft.com/mac/support> for contact information if they are unsure of their PSS contact.

Thanks,
The Macintosh Business Unit

Rebecca Harriss
Microsoft Corporation
Macintosh Business Unit, Entourage Test

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
 
R

rliebsch

FYI:
This is not exclusive to SP2 for Entourage11. I experienced this
times in my office of 50 moving during and after moving fro
Exchange2000 to Exchange2003.

Additionally, if the user disconnects prior to the first syncronizatio
is complete, the contents of every subfolder could be lost. This occur
when connection to the network is lost rather than quitting Entourage
i.e. Laptop users unplugging their Ethernet cable or putting thei
computer to sleep.

Moral of the story: Its best to fully recreate the account after movin
the mailbox on Exchange (or between servers/versions) AND: Let th
synchronization fully complete before disconnecting/sleeping th
computer.

If you are not the Exchange Administrator, please hound and confir
daily full message level backups. Have them test it. The potentia
associated business/information loss is well worth the effort
 
B

BJ

I've also seen it in at least one case under 11.1.0 during our recent
bout with this issue.
 

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