Why doesn't Outlook 2003 synchronize offline folders without runn.

[gmc]

My offline mailbox doesn't synchronize with my server mailbox. If I run
Outlook 2003 in cached mode then the offline cached mailbox works fine. If I
don't use the cached mode and set up offline folders like in earlier versions
of Outlook, the .ost file is created and appears to synchronize. But, when
Outlook is opened in the Offline mode, the folders are present but none of
the messages are there. There are no filters applied so everything should
sync between the online and offline folders. I've uninstalled and reinstalled
Outlook and Office twice, but that doesn't solve the problem. Any
suggestions?

 

[Brian Tillman]

My offline mailbox doesn't synchronize with my server mailbox.

If Outlook isn't running, how do you expect the folders to be synched?

 

[gmc]

Outlook is running. You must not have worked with Offline folders recently.
In earlier versions of Outlook, an offline folder (.ost) is created manually
during the Exchange mail service configuration. The offline folder then
duplicates your mailbox on the Exchange server to this offline copy of your
mailbox. The offline copy of your mailbox synchronizes with the Exchange
mailbox anytime you are connected to the Exchange server. When you open
Outlook, without the Exchange connection available (offline), then it opens
in the offline mode and you see your email folders just as they were at the
last online synchronization.

In Outlook 2003, MS added a feature called Mailbox caching. It performs a
similar function by running your Outlook viewing your cached folders which it
synchronizes to the Exchange mailbox. This is different from the previous
versions in that you are always looking at the cached (local copy) mailbox
whether online or offline. I have found there are problems using the cached
mode in that there are delays associated with the realtime synchronization of
the Exchange mailbox and the local cached mailbox. With caching, you are
never looking directly at your Exchange mailbox in real time.

The offline features of previous versions are still available in OL2003 and
you set them up the same way as before. When caching is turned off and OL is
connected to the Exchange server, you should see your Exchange mailbox in
real time and the offline folders should synchronize during send/recieve and
exiting so that the local copy of the mailbox is available to OL during
offline sessions. Unfortunately this doesn't seem to work correctly in OL
2003. The offline files look like they are synchronizing when OL is online,
but when OL is opened offline, the mailbox folders are empty.

 

[Brian Tillman]

Outlook is running.

Look at the subject line of your own message: "Why doesn't Outlook 2003
synch offline folders without running". You're the one who wondered, or so
it appears. Subjects do get truncated, though, so if that's not what you
meant, shorten the subject so it doesn't get truncated.

You must not have worked with Offline folders recently.

Just every day.

 

[gmc]

Touche'

You are correct. The subject line was truncated and therefore nonsense.

The original subject was: Why doesn't Outlook 2003 synchronize offline
folders without running in cached mode?

Sorry for the confusion, but the problem still exists and I haven't found a
solution yet. Have you experienced anything similar?

 

[Brian Tillman]

The original subject was: Why doesn't Outlook 2003 synchronize offline
folders without running in cached mode?

Well, I'm of no help here, because I always run in cached mode. Sorry.

 

[gmc]

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I appreciate your efforts.