Outlook Free/Busy can send vfb, but doesn't even attempt to retrieve

[i.am.using]

We are trying to setup the Outlook Free/Busy feature for our
workplace. We have a combination of Outlook XP and Outlook 2003
software, and have read each of the respective KB articles on how to
set up Free/Busy with this software. All workstations are Windows XP
with the latest updates installed. We do not have an Exchange server.

Publishing our free busy information works perfectly. We have two
options, a normal fileserver (using UNC paths, windows 2000) and a
WebDAV server (Apache 2.0), and both can be published to with no
problems. We know it works fine because I can actually watch the vfb
files appear on the servers just as I submit the information from my
local copy of Outlook. Both servers are on the same subnet as the
workstations; there is no firewall or otherwise between machines (they
are for internal use only, they are not connected to outside
networks).

Our company email addresses are (e-mail address removed) . We
name our vfb files firstname.lastname.vfb so that we can use the
%NAME% macro in the search feature.

The problem, however, is with the retrieval of the information. When
we start a 'New Meeting Request' on the calendar and click on the
Scheduling tab, everything seems to be in order. However, when we
enter names into the box, Outlook always says that information cannot
be retrieved. Outlook XP and 2003 basically say the same thing. 2003
adds the words "general failure". For the name, we tried entering all
sorts of variations: firstname, lastname, firstname.lastname,
firstname lastname, (e-mail address removed) ... none seem to
work.

The weird part about this is that Outlook doesn't seem to be doing
anything at all when it is supposed to be looking up this information.
Using FileMon (from Sysinternals), there is no local file activity.
Using ethereal, we don't see any outgoing network activity from the
workstation. Looking at server access logs on both the file server
(windows 2000 event log, with auditing) and our Apache WebDAV server
(access_log and error_log), we don't see any attempt whatsoever. We
thought the XP firewall might be interfering, however neither adding
outlook.exe or disabling the firewall altogether seemed to help. Plus,
since we can publish the information just fine, we really don't think
it's a network problem.

Permissions do not seem to be a problem either. For our WebDAV
server, we are able to put the vfb URL into a browser and watch it
come up no problems. Same with the fileserver version (using both the
UNC path and the file:// equivalent).

Here are our two non-working setups in Outlook:

Fileserver
----------------------
Publish address: \\FILESERVER\freebusy\joe.smith.vfb
Search address: \\FILESERVER\freebusy\%NAME%.vfb
(switching to file:// equivalents doesn't help)

WebDAV
----------------------
Publish address: http://192.168.20.46/freebusy/joe.smith.vfb
Search address: http://192.168.20.46/freebusy/%NAME%.vfb
(IP address is intentionally false, but the real machines are indeed
on 192.168.*.* addresses)

Thanks for reading all of this. We are stumped as to what's wrong.
We've tried reading the following Free/Busy related articles on
microsoft.com, but to no avail:

http://support.microsoft.com/KB/889698
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/827775
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291621

Thank you so much for any advice!

 

[keanan]

I am having this same issue and I have looked everywhere for the answer. If
you get a response, please let me know!! I also found this article as well
as the ones you listed. Not sure if it's saying that this feature is now
disabled or not....

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/842166/en-us

kw

 

[Tony17112acst]

I also am having the exact same problem.

I have 4 remote users and only one PC doesn't download the vfb file
information BUT it does upload it fine!

Here's a possible clue: I reformatted the hard drive of the PC that will
retrieve the vfb file info and installed XP Pro and Office 2003 from scratch
and after pointing outlook to the saved .pst file, the SAME THING OCURES!

So I have a hunch that the problem is within the .pst file info. Like I said
everyone else's works fine.

 

[keanan]

I am using XP Pro and Office 2003 as well. Are the other work stations that
are working using the same OS and Office?

 

[Tony17112acst]

Yes, They are using XP and all using Office 2003. Another clue is that the PC
that's not downloading the vfb info used to do it fine. Something changed, I
have no idead what. It's GOT to be related to her .pst file since I just
reloaded all XP and Office onto her blank hard drive.

-Tony

 

[keanan]

This has been a total cluster. I have done quite a bit of research online,
yes, even on Microsoft, and it appears basically that this "feature" has been
discontinued. The new and improved version is MSN Premium where you can all
share a calendar online. Of course, this doesn't help you with your calendar
on your desktop.

Of course you could always put up an Exchange server and get sort of
closer....

Gotta Love It!!

If I hear anything else, I will let you know.

Keanan

 

[Tony17112acst]

Well, the feature that was discontinued was Microsoft providing a free server
for everyone to use. It's not the free/busy function itself that was
discontinued. Free/busy works fine as long as you have a plce to post the
..vfb files for everyone to access. For instance, we use a free website and
use ftp://userID[email protected] to post and access the .vfb files.
Like I said, it works perfectly fine for 3 of us but it just stopped working
for the 4th.