Q240756: XCLN: Exmerge Loses Free/Busy Info for Existing Appointments

Article: Q240756
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): 5.5,5.5 SP1,5.5 SP2
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): exc55 exc55sp1 exc55sp2
Last Modified: 02-APR-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 5.5, 5.5 SP1, 5.5 SP2 
- Microsoft Outlook 2000 
- Microsoft Outlook 97 
- Microsoft Outlook 98 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you use Exmerge to export or import a mailbox, it may lose the current free
and busy information for existing appointments. All new appointments show the
free and busy time correctly.

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this issue, you need to log on to the mailbox with a Microsoft
Outlook client by using the /cleanfreebusy switch. This re-establishes all free
and busy information for appointments listed in the mailbox calendar.

WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this issue, after you run Exmerge to import the data:

1. Create an Outlook profile for the mailbox.

2. At a command prompt, change to the directory where Outlook.exe file is
  located, and type: outlook.exe /cleanfreebusy.

3. Log on to the mailbox as you normally would, and confirm that the free and
  busy information is correctly displayed by attempting to schedule a meeting
  at a date and time that already has an existing appointment in the calendar.
  When you view Attendee Availability, the time is shown as busy instead of
  free.

MORE INFORMATION
================

For additional information about command-line switches for Outlook, click the
article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q197180 OL2000: Additional Command-Line Switches

After the mailbox has been imported via Exmerge, the free/busy data for those
users will need to be rebuilt. Use one of the following methods to complete
this:

1. The users whose mailboxes were exmerged should login to their mailbox, and
  make a change to their calendar. This will recreate the free/busy data.

  -or-

2. Send an appointment to the exmerged users, which will also recreate the
  free/busy data.


Additional query words: free busy server

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Keywords          : exc55 exc55sp1 exc55sp2 
Technology        : kbOutlookSearch kbExchangeSearch kbExchange550 kbZNotKeyword2 kbOutlook2000Search kbOutlook97Search kbOutlook98Search kbZNotKeyword3 kbExchange550SP1 kbExchange550SP2
Version           : :5.5,5.5 SP1,5.5 SP2
Issue type        : kbprb

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