Manually Update Global Address List (GAL) on Exchange 2010

AID: 8392
  • Status: Published

5922 points

  • By
  • TypeTips/Tricks
  • Posted on2011-10-24 at 02:25:45
I picked up that there is a lot of questions on Expert Exchange relating to Global Address Lists (GAL's) not updating so I thought that I would create this article to show you how to manually update the Global Address List and verify that it is indeed updating:

WHEN WILL YOU USE THIS ARTICLE
1. Outlook Address List not showing newly created users or contacts
2. Users not receiving latest contacts in cached mode

UPDATE GLOBAL ADDRESS LIST USING EXCHANGE MANAGEMENT SHELL (EMS)
The identity can either be "Default Global Address List" (As specified below) or Any other specific address list that you would like to update

Update-GlobalAddressList -Identity "Default Global Address List" -DomainController "YourDomainControllerName"
                                    
1:

Select allOpen in new window



NEXT OPEN EXCHANGE MANAGEMENT CONSOLE (EMC) BY DOING THE FOLLOWING:
1. Connect to your Exchange Server using RDP or any remote application
2. Now click on start and type Exchange Ma
3. And select Exchange Management Console from the list
 
1.-Open-EMC.PNG
  • 11 KB
  • Open EMC
Open EMC


NOW WE WILL START THE UPDATE PROCESS, PLEASE DO THE FOLLOWING:
1. Now Expand Microsoft Exchange > Microsoft Exchange On-Premises > Organization Configuration > Mailbox
 

2. Now Select the Offline Address Book tab
3. Locate your Default Offline Address book and Right Click on it then select Update. You can also click on the Update link located in the Action pane on the far right after highlighting the Default Global Address List.
 
3.-Update-GAL.PNG
  • 10 KB
  • Update GAL
Update GAL

4. You will receive the following message, just select Yes
 
4.-Update-Warning.PNG
  • 5 KB
  • Update Warning
Update Warning

5. Now we will need to verify that the update actually took place (Keep in mind that you would have to give the update about 10 minutes to ensure that it has completed)
6. Browse to C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V14\ClientAccess\OAB\<Address List ID>
7. Now have a look at the “Date modified” attribute of LZX files. (It will still contain an old date!)
8. To have it update do the following:
8.1 Click Start > Administrative Tools > Services
8.2 Locate the Microsoft Exchange File Distribution service
8.3 Now Right Click on the service and select Restart
 
5.-Restart-Microsoft-Exchange-Fi.PNG
  • 15 KB
  • Restart Microsoft Exchange File Distribution Services
Restart Microsoft Exchange File Distribution Services

9. Now go back to C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V14\ClientAccess\OAB\<Address List ID>
10. Verify that the Date Modified is today's date:
 
6.-Verify-Date-Modified.PNG
  • 17 KB
  • Verify Date Modified
Verify Date Modified

11. This means that your Offline Address Book has now been updated, next we will update the clients Address Book and confirm that they have the latest one.

FORCE OUTLOOK TO UPDATE THE OFFLINE ADDRESS BOOK
1. Close Outlook and Re-Open it
2. Select the Send and Receive tab
3. Locate Send/Receive Groups
4. And finally click the Download Address Book to download latest copy
 
7.-Download-Address-Book.PNG
  • 36 KB
  • Download Address Book
Download Address Book


IF OUTLOOK STILL DON'T HAVE THE UPDATED LIST, TRY THE FOLLOWING
Try deleting the user's oab files then have the user re-download the Address Book.
1. Go to C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook
2. Delete all files with .oab
3. Now follow the steps in "FORCE OUTLOOK TO UPDATE THE OFFLINE ADDRESS BOOK" to download the address book again
 
7.-Download-Address-Book.PNG
  • 36 KB
  • Download Address Book
Download Address Book


Finally please rate this article or leave a comment if this was helpful??

Regards,
Hendrik Wiese
    Asked On
    2011-10-24 at 02:25:45ID8392
    Tags

    Exchange 2010

    ,

    Manually Update GAL

    ,

    Global Address List

    Topic

    Exchange Email Server

    Views
    2446

    Comments

    Expert Comment

    by: kubilay_kaya on 2012-04-02 at 02:01:39ID: 48576

    Its Works.
    Thank You.

    Author Comment

    by: HendrikWiese on 2012-04-02 at 02:05:08ID: 48577

    Glad I could be of service. Cheers!!!

    Expert Comment

    by: xcomiii on 2012-05-23 at 00:56:50ID: 54775

    I think you are mixing GAL and OAB here. The GAL is updated regularly several times in a day, the OAB in the other hand is updating only 1 time a day (at night by default).

    I rarely have to update GAL manually at my clients, but updating and forcing OAB download to cached mode clients are happening pretty often.

    Just to be sure here:
    GAL = Global Address List = is used by Outlook clients in Online mode (terminal servers) and OWA.
    OAB= Offline Address book = is used by Outlook in cached mode (default on a workstation).

    Author Comment

    by: HendrikWiese on 2012-05-23 at 01:22:05ID: 54776

    Not sure what you mean by mixing GAL and OAB (Is the title throwing you off guard here?). Correct the GAL does get updated regularly during the day and your OAB only updates ones a day.

    And yes. GAL is used in online mode and OWA. And the OAB is a copy of the GAL when you are offline (thus using cached mode)

    So if either your GAL or OAB is not updating, this article will help you resolve the issue.

    Hope this helps!!!

    Add your Comment

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