MSExchangeIS 9519 0x972: Public Folders Container Deleted, or Missing Required Attributes

[This topic is intended to address a specific issue called out by the Exchange Server Analyzer Tool. You should apply it only to systems that have had the Exchange Server Analyzer Tool run against them and are experiencing that specific issue. The Exchange Server Analyzer Tool, available as a free download, remotely collects configuration data from each server in the topology and automatically analyzes the data. The resulting report details important configuration issues, potential problems, and nondefault product settings. By following these recommendations, you can achieve better performance, scalability, reliability, and uptime. For more information about the tool or to download the latest versions, see "Microsoft Exchange Analyzers" at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=34707.]  

Topic Last Modified: 2010-11-29

The Microsoft Exchange Database Troubleshooter Tool detected one or more MSExchangeIS 9519 events with error code 0x972 in the Application log. This indicates a failure of public folder databases to mount because the Public Folders container has been deleted or is missing needed attributes.

Explanation

This error can occur when the Public Folders container has been deleted from Active Directory, or if the affected Public Store is not configured to use the Public Folders container, that is, the value for the Public Folder containers msExchOwningPFTreeBL attribute does not point to the Public Store. The most likely cause for this error is that the Administrative Group that contained the Public Folders container was deleted without the Public Folders container first being moved to a new Administrative Group.

User Action

To resolve this issue, use the ADSI Edit, or a similar tool, to determine whether the Public Folders container exists and the msExchOwningPFTreeBL attribute is properly configured to point to the relevant Public Store.

Warning

If you incorrectly modify the attributes of Active Directory objects when you use ADSI Edit, the LDP tool, or another LDAP version 3 client, you may cause serious problems. These problems may require that you reinstall Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Exchange Server 2003 or Exchange Server 2007, or both. Modify Active Directory object attributes at your own risk.

To determine the cause of the error

  1. Using ADSI Edit or a similar tool, locate each administrative group object in Active Directory.

    The Administrative Group object can be found at:

    CN=Configuration,CN=Services,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Organization,CN=Administrative Groups,CN=Administrative group

  2. Expand each Administrative Group and check for the existence of a CN=Folder Hierarchies container. If the CN=Folder Hierarchies container exists, highlight the container and verify that a CN=Public Folders object exists in the right-hand pane. If no CN=Public Folders object exists under any Administrative Group, move on to Solution 1, Recreate Folder Hierarchies and Public Folders containers. If you do find a CN=Public Folders container, proceed to step 3.

  3. Right-click the CN=Public Folders object, and then click Properties.

  4. In the Attributes list, select the msExchOwningPFTreeBL attribute, and then click Edit.

  5. Make sure that the affected Public Folder Store is shown in the Values list. If it is not listed, proceed to Solution 2.

Solution 1: Recreate Folder Hierarchies and Public Folders containers

  1. Use ADSI Edit or a similar tool to locate and expand Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT).

    The Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT) object can be found at:

    CN=Configuration,CN=Services,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Organization,CN=Administrative Groups

  2. Right-click the Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT) object, click New, and then click Object.

  3. In the Select a class list, select msExchPublicFolderTreeContainer, and then click Next.

  4. In the Value box, type Folder Hierarchies, click Next, and then Finish.

  5. Right-click the newly created Folder Hierarchies object, click New, and then click Object.

  6. In the Select a class list, select msExchPFTree, and then click Next.

  7. In the Value box, type Public Folders, and then click Next.

  8. Click More Attributes.

  9. In the Select a class list, select msExchPFTreeType, and then click Next.

  10. In the Edit Attribute box, type 1, click Set, click OK, and then click Finish.

  11. To assign the Public Folders container to each Public Store, right-click the Public Folders container, and then select Properties.

  12. In the Attributes list, select distinguishedName, and then click Edit.

  13. Copy the contents of the Value box to the clipboard, and then click Cancel.

  14. For each server exhibiting the MSExchangeIS 9519 event that has error code 0x972, navigate to the Public Folder Store object. The default location for this object is:

    CN=Configuration,CN=Services,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Organization,CN=Administrative Groups, CN=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT), CN=Servers, CN=ServerName, CN=InformationStore, CN=Second Storage Group.

  15. Right-click the Public Folder Store object, and then click Properties.

  16. In the Attributes list, select msExchOwningPFTree, and then click Edit.

  17. Paste the value that you copied to the clipboard in step 13 into the Value box, and then click OK two times to finish.

  18. Repeat steps 15 through 17 for each server that exhibits the MSExchangeIS 9519 event that has error code 0x972.

  19. Restart the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service on the affected servers.

Solution 2: Repopulating the value of the msExchOwningPFTreeBL attribute for the Public Folders container object

  1. Use ADSI Edit or a similar tool to locate the Public Folders object in Active Directory.

    The Public Folders object can be found at:

    CN=Configuration,CN=Services,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Organization,CN=Administrative Groups,CN=Administrative group,CN=Folder Hierarchies,CN=Public Folders

  2. Right-click the Public Folders container, and then click Properties.

  3. In the Attributes list, select distinguishedName, and then click Edit.

  4. Copy the contents of the Value box to the clipboard, and then click Cancel.

  5. For each server that exhibits the MSExchangeIS 9519 event that has error code 0x972, navigate to the Public Folder Store object. The default location for this object is:

    CN=Configuration,CN=Services,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Organization,CN=Administrative Groups, CN=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT), CN=Servers, CN=ServerName, CN=InformationStore, CN=Second Storage Group.

  6. Right-click the Public Folder Store object, and then click Properties.

  7. In the Attributes list, select msExchOwningPFTree, and then click Edit.

  8. Paste the value that you copied to the clipboard in step 4 into the Value box, and then click OK two times to finish.

  9. Repeat steps 6 through 8 for each server that exhibits the MSExchangeIS 9519 event that has error code 0x972.

  10. Restart the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service on the affected servers.