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kcorbinakc

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Can't create email distribution groups in SBS 2008

When I try to create a new distribution group (using the wizard from the SBS Console) the option to select 'Distribution Group' and the check box 'Enable this security group to receive email' is grayed out.

I created a distribution group by hand through AD Users & Computers and also through the Exchange Management Console but those groups only work internally.  If I send to them from outside the network I get "550 No such user - psmtp".

Additionally, if I try to change the default reply-to address for a user in the Exchange Management Console, the 'Set as Reply' option is grayed out there as well.

What's going on here?!!?
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cincojones
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The reason the option to enable the security group for email is greyed out is because you have selected to create a distribution group. If you create a security group you can then choose that option. If you continue with the wizard with distribution group selected then it will be mail enabled.

By default, groups are created where external users cannot email them. You have to change the settings on the group to disable authenticated users being the only ones who can send to them.

As for changing the email address, you have to turn off the option to allow email address policy to control the email address. You may have to do that through the full Exchange Management console. That will allow you to set your own email address on the object.

Simon.
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kcorbinakc

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cincojones: at first glance I thought the initial link you sent was just what I was looking for (but couldn't find through google somehow) but my existing groups were correct.  Following the links at the bottom though sent me to the one that fixed the problem: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc626135.aspx

I was missing the registry key that it mentions and suddenly now all the options are available as expected; distribution groups and email-enabling security groups.

Mestha: I figured out the problem with changing the default 'reply-to' addresses (the check box, same as you mentioned) but had originally thought it was related to the broken group creation problem.

The problem with my groups not being able to receive outside email is actually a problem with the Postini service our data provider is using and not Exchange itself.  They started causing us problems at the same time that I was working on all of this making me think that the problems were all related.  Yeah, thanks to them I wasted a bunch of time trying to fix a problem that didn't exist...

Thanks for the responses guys!  I'm awarding cincojones the points since it was his link that finally landed me on the right path.
I don't see any soilution here. I'm having the same problem.
E-mail distribution groups cannot be created
Updated: August 21, 2008

Applies To: Windows SBS 2008
Problem   E-mail distribution groups cannot be created.

Features affected   A failure occurred while creating and enabling some of the distribution groups in Windows SBS 2008 and enabling them to receive e-mail. These groups need to be created and enabled to receive e-mail in order for your server that is running Windows SBS 2008 to operate correctly. Specifically, the All Users and the Windows SBS Administrators distribution groups need to be enabled to receive e-mail, and the FSRM Reports and the Postmaster Abuse distribution groups need to be created and enabled to receive e-mail.

Solution   To resolve this issue, do the following:

Enable the All Users and the Windows SBS Administrators distribution groups.
Create the FSRM Reports distribution group, and then enable it to receive e-mail.
Create the Postmaster Abuse distribution group, and then enable it to receive e-mail.

Note  
You must be a network administrator to complete this procedure.

To enable the All Users distribution group to receive e-mail
Click Start, click All Programs, click Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, right-click Exchange Management Shell, and then click Run as administrator.
In the User Account Control window, click Continue.
Type enable-distributiongroup –identity “All Users" -Alias "allusers”, and then press ENTER.
To enable the “Windows SBS Administrators” distribution group to receive e-mail
Click Start, click All Programs, click Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, right-click Exchange Management Shell, and then click Run as administrator.
In the User Account Control window, click Continue.
Type enable-distributiongroup –identity “Windows SBS Administrators" -Alias "sbsadministrators”, and then press ENTER.

To create and enable the FSRM Reports distribution group to receive e-mail
Click Start, click All Programs, click Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, and then click Exchange Management Console.

In the User Account Control window, click Continue.
In the Exchange Management Console, click Recipient Configuration.
In the Actions pane, click New Distribution Group. This starts the New Distribution Group Wizard.
On the Introduction page, click New group.
Click Next.
On the Group Information page, do the following:
In Name, type File Server Resource Manager Reports.
In Alias, type fsrmreports.
Follow the instructions to complete the wizard.

In the Exchange Management Console, double-click the newly created group File Server Resource Manager Reports.

On the File Server Resource Manager Reports page, do the following:
On the Members tab, add Windows SBS Administrators.
On the Advanced tab, select Hide group from Exchange address lists.
Click OK.

To create and enable the Postmaster Abuse distribution group to receive e-mail
Click Start, click All Programs, click Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, and then click Exchange Management Console.

In the User Account Control window, click Continue.
In the Exchange Management Console, click Recipient Configuration.
In the Actions pane, click New Distribution Group. This starts the New Distribution Group Wizard.
On the Introduction page, click New group.
On the Group Information page, do the following:
In Name, type Postmaster and Abuse Reporting.
In Alias, type Postmaster.
Follow the instructions to complete the wizard.

In the Exchange Management Console, double-click the newly created group Postmaster and Abuse Reporting.

On the Postmaster and Abuse Reporting Properties page, do the following:

On the Members tab, add Windows SBS Administrators.
On the Advanced tab, select Hide group from Exchange address lists.
On the E-Mail Address tab, click Add.

In the SMTP Address window, in E-mail address, type abuse@DomainName.local, where DomainName is the internal domain name (for example, contoso.local).
It looks like MS destroyed their linkages.  Here's the first link that cincojones linked: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc626214(WS.10).aspx

It took a good bit of searching around, but I found the correct link to the solution that worked for me: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc626135(WS.10).aspx

Here's the full text for future reference:
The status for Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 could not be configured.

Updated: March 25, 2009

Problem   The status of Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 cannot be configured.

Features affected   An error may have occurred in any of the following tasks, which are completed when the status of Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 is configured:

    * Configure a registry key that tells other components of Windows SBS 2008 that the messaging component is installed and functional. This step is essential to the functioning of the messaging component within Windows SBS 2008. Messaging is an integral part of Windows SBS 2008, and it impacts areas like managing user accounts, integrating with Windows Sharepoint Services, and sending alert notifications and reports.

    * Disable the mailbox for the built-in Administrator account. The Windows account that is associated with the mailbox is disabled, but the user account can still receive e-mail. The storage limit is 2 GB for this account.

    * Configure the dependencies for the POP3 Connector. This ensures that the POP3 Connector runs only when the services that it needs in order to run and to deliver e-mail are enabled and running.

Solution   To resolve this issue, you must manually configure the status for Exchange Server 2007 as follows:

    * Configure a registry key for the status of Exchange Server 2007.

    * Disable the mailbox for the built-in Administrator account. This step is optional.

    * Configure the dependencies for the POP3 Connector.

To configure a registry key for the status of Exchange Server 2007

   1.

      Click Start, in the Search field type regedit, and then press ENTER.
      CautionCaution
      Incorrectly editing the registry may severely damage your system. Before making changes to the registry, you should back up any valued data on the computer.

   2.

      On the User Account Control page, click Continue.
   3.

      Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SmallBusinessServer\Components, and then double-click Messaging.
      noteNote
      If the Messaging key does not exist, then create a key with the following parameters: Name: Messaging, Type: REG_DWORD, and Value Data: 1

   4.

      In the Edit DWORD (32-bit) Value dialog box, change Value data to 1, and then click OK.

To disable the mailbox for the built-in Administrator account (optional)

   1.

      Click Start, in the Search field type Exchange Management Shell, and then press ENTER.
   2.

      Type disable-mailbox administrator.
   3.

      Press ENTER to confirm.

To adjust the POP3 Connector service dependencies

   1.

      Click Start, in the Search field type cmd, in the quick launch window right-click cmd, and then click Run as administrator.
   2.

      In the User Account Control window, click Continue.
   3.

      Type sc.exe config pop3connector depend= tcpip/EventLog/MSExchangeTransport.



The part that fixed me was the 'To configure a registry key for the status of Exchange Server 2007."
Thanks,
None of these fixed my problem. The only step I could not complete was the postmaster (says account already exists, but cannot find it in AD or ADSI Edit).
LH