Outlook 2003 cached mode deployment

[Zodiac]

Hi All,

I'm trying to create an installation, with the resource kit Custom
installation wizard, to install Outlook 2003 client with cached mode
enabled.

Installation works fine but when I open up outlook for the first time I
recieve a the message "Unable to open default e-mail folders"

I found that the reason for this is that the ost file is not been created
at the first start of outlook.

When I go to the "Offline Folder file settings" I see the propused setting
is "%userprofile%\My Documents\outlook\outlook.ost" Which is the correct
setting i gave it in the Custom Installation Wizard.

Now when I click ok (not changing anything) I recieve the message:

"The path specified for the file c:\program files\common\system\msmapi\1033
\%userprofile%\......\outlook.ost is not valid"


So if it looks like %userprofile% is translated to "c:\program files\common
\system\msmapi\1033" which is WRONG... Is this a bug of some kind?

If I use a hardcode path it works ok but is useless to do a full layout
with...

thks

Z.

 

[Growkie]

Hi Z,
I had the same problem a while ago, and it's down to the %userprofile%
not being translated into the correct value :-( You'll notice that
your path (%userprofile\my documents\outlook\outlook.ost) is just being
appended to the default OST path that Outlook uses. I didn't find any
solution other than to write a script to input the correct hardcoded
path into the .prf before the user imports it.
Let me know if you need a hand!

Cheers,

Lee

 

[Jason]

Hi All,

My thousandths post...
Use Outlook Profiler...

yawn.....

 

[Zodiac]

Hi Z,
I had the same problem a while ago, and it's down to the %userprofile%
not being translated into the correct value :-( You'll notice that
your path (%userprofile\my documents\outlook\outlook.ost) is just being
appended to the default OST path that Outlook uses. I didn't find any
solution other than to write a script to input the correct hardcoded
path into the .prf before the user imports it.
Let me know if you need a hand!

Cheers,

Lee

so it's a bug? Well since your offered I would love some info about you're
solutions.

Thnks,

z.

 

[Zodiac]

My thousandths post...
Use Outlook Profiler...

yawn.....

Do you mean this http://goff.nu/products/windows/profiler/index.html

 

[Growkie]

Hi
OK sure. I've not used OutlookProfiler (I didn't know it existed, but
I still wouldn't have used it as I don't want to buy 16,000 licenses!).

The way that I handled it was to have a generic PRF file on a network
share (info -
http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/assistance/HA011402581033.aspx).
When the user completes the user part of the installation (during the
initial install, or when a new user signs on to the workstation), I
called a VB script to:
1) Take a copy of the generic .prf file and copy it down to the
workstation
2) Parse the .prf file and fill in the users details
3) Use "Outlook.exe /importprf filename.prf" to import the modified
..prf file for the user.

If the user already had an existing (Outlook) profile, then nothing
would happen. If the user did not have an existing profile, then it
would create one for them.

If you need a hand or anything at all, just let me know

Cheers,

Lee

 

[Jason]

My thousandths post...

Do you mean this http://goff.nu/products/windows/profiler/index.html

Yes.

 

[Zodiac]

Hi
OK sure. I've not used OutlookProfiler (I didn't know it existed, but
I still wouldn't have used it as I don't want to buy 16,000 licenses!).

The way that I handled it was to have a generic PRF file on a network
share (info -
http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/assistance/HA011402581033.aspx).
When the user completes the user part of the installation (during the
initial install, or when a new user signs on to the workstation), I
called a VB script to:
1) Take a copy of the generic .prf file and copy it down to the
workstation
2) Parse the .prf file and fill in the users details
3) Use "Outlook.exe /importprf filename.prf" to import the modified
.prf file for the user.

If the user already had an existing (Outlook) profile, then nothing
would happen. If the user did not have an existing profile, then it
would create one for them.

If you need a hand or anything at all, just let me know

Cheers,

Lee

Thanks Lee I got it working... Although I much rather see this fixed by MS

rgds,

Z