Link to home
Start Free TrialLog in
Avatar of TrevorWhite
TrevorWhiteFlag for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

asked on

SBS2003 OWA failing - Displays Loading... where email should appear

Hi Guys,
I have been wrestling with this problem for a few hours now and running into a brick wall, hope someone can help.

I have an SBS2003R2 premium server with SP2 and all patched up. It runs Exchange 2003 version 6.5.7638.1, ISA2004 vesrion 4.0.2167.909, and WSUS3 SP1 all patched up to date.

We run OWA and OMA and also RPC over HTTP for remote Outlook users, it is a small installation with 8 local PCs and 10 further OWA/OMA clients. Everything had been working like a dream until yesterday when I install a round of updates (these dated back to early December)

Immediatly after I ran the updates (I always run wsusdebugtool.exe /Tool:PurgeUneeded too) users complained of OWA not working. OMA is still working fine. When I investigated, a user could login but the first page of emails just displayed Loading... If I clicked New a error message displayed in the status line "Error on page" Double clicking this gave further details but nothing of true value but are included below (sanitised)

Webpage error details

User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 8.0; Windows NT 5.1; Trident/4.0; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 3.0.04506.30; .NET CLR 3.0.04506.648; .NET CLR 3.0.4506.2152; .NET CLR 3.5.30729)
Timestamp: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:29:20 UTC


Message: Object expected
Line: 1
Char: 1
Code: 0
URI: https://server.OURSERVER.com/Exchange/UserName@EmailDomain.com/Inbox/?Cmd=contents


Message: Object expected
Line: 1
Char: 1
Code: 0
URI: https://server.OURSERVER.com/Exchange/UserName@EmailDomain.com/Inbox/?Cmd=contents


Message: Object expected
Line: 1
Char: 1
Code: 0
URI: https://server.OURSERVER.com/Exchange/UserName@EmailDomain.com/Inbox/?Cmd=contents


Message: Object expected
Line: 1
Char: 1
Code: 0
URI: https://server.OURSERVER.com/Exchange/UserName@EmailDomain.com/Inbox/?Cmd=contents

The System and Application event logs show nothing untoward (a couple of warnings about WinRM) After some research I discovered I could get the email to list and some other limited functionality by implimenting MS KB296232 but I still can't create or send email.

I then looked at MS KB 883380 and used method 1 to rebuild the OWA virtual directories, still no joy (I removed the effects of 296232 but that just reverted to displaying Loading . . .) I reimplemented 296232 so that users can at least read emails.

I've looked at the IIS logs but can't understand them - I can see OMA and OWA activity but can't recognise success or failure.


So . .
1. How can I debug this further?
2. Why did it happen?
3. How do I get it backup ASAP (company has significant product promo and the ten guys in the field are seriously hampered by this)

Hope to here soon.
Regards
Trevor
 
Avatar of TrevorWhite
TrevorWhite
Flag of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland image

ASKER

Hi Folks,
Just an update - I have now tried the suggestion by MS CSS online Jenny Wu http://www.winvistatips.com/problem-opening-sending-email-owa-sbs-2003-a-t632439.html
IE delete the IIS temporary files, do IIS reset, etc but this has not helped.
I am not running URLscan as far as I can see.

Forgot to mention that I have also run the SBS internet connection wizard after each of the above.

Hope someone is around this lonely Friday night !!!!

Trev

Please find IIS authentication type and the SSL requirement for Exchange 2003.
1) Default Website : Annonymous & Integrated     NO SSL
2) Exadmin : Integrated                                          NO SSL
3) Exchweb : Annonymous                                      NO SSL
4) Exchange: Basic                                                  SSL Optional
5) RPC     : Basic                                                      SSL Required
6) OMA     : Basic                                                     SSL Optional
7) Public  : Basic+Integrated                                   SSL Optional
8) exchange-oma : Basic & Integrated                    NO SSL
9) Microsoft-Server-ActiveSync : Basic                     SSL Optional
 
After That need to restart IIS service and check it.
Reset the Exchange related virtual directories as per MS article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883380

I would recommend you use 'Method 2' from the article as it is quite easy.

Let us know how it goes.
Hi Guys
I have followed 883380 though method 1 - is there worth in following method 2 ???
Just checking the auth type and SSL stuff as per SatyaPathak post above . . . won't be long.

Trev
@TrevorWhite  what happened its working or not?
Hi SatyaPathak

Made one change Exadmin had SSL
Tested but still the same - I did restart IIS admin - any other ideas

Cheers
Trev
So to be complete:
1) Default Website : Annonymous & Integrated     NO SSL yes
2) Exadmin : Integrated                                          NO SSL had SSL now OK
3) Exchweb : Annonymous                                      NO SSL  yes
4) Exchange: Basic                                                  SSL Optional yes with SSL
5) RPC     : Basic                                                      SSL Required yes
6) OMA     : Basic                                                     SSL Optional yes NO SSL
7) Public  : Basic+Integrated                                   SSL Optional yes with SSL
8) exchange-oma : Basic & Integrated                    NO SSL yes
9) Microsoft-Server-ActiveSync : Basic                     SSL Optional  yes NO SSL

Seams others have had this problem too but not recently - what gives ???

Trev
Further,
Seams I can navigate around most areas of the OWA site just can't send or create new items.
Do the OWA web scripts get patched . . . have there been any recently . .  how do I tell ???

Trev
There is options for you if you can DS2mb and  than try.
Please go through and try but make sure first take a IIS backup.
http://www.devnewsgroups.net/group/microsoft.public.exchange.development/topic27399.aspx
Hi SatyaPathak:
This is covered in method 1 of MS KB 883380 - is there any merit in using methods 2 or 3 given that method 1 has been done ???

Regards
Trev
No.
All the methods listed there achieve the same result. You can either follow 1 or 2 or 3 any one of them. Since you have followed method 1, no need to follow any other methods...

Refer to this article and follow the steps mentioned. It should fix the issue.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/280823/en-us

Let us know how it goes.
Regarding 280823 :

1. This has been done by method 1 but makes no difference (IE force server to treat clients as IE4) if we are behind ISA2004 onfigured with standard SBS wizards need we look at methods 2 and 3 ??
2. Have English UK configured
3. 330220 relates to Exchange 2000 - we have Exchange 2003 as described in my pre amble.
4. We are behind ISA2004 - setup as per SBS setup wizards all seams fine but happy to check.
5. Permissions are correct.
6. Exchweb Anon access is set OK as mentioned above. The virtual folder structure is fine as far as Bin, Controls, Help, Img and Views folders but Cabs is replaced by 6.5.6944.0 in which are folders Cabs and Control. There also folders called 6.5.7226.0, 6.5.7638.1, 6.5.7651.60 each have Cabs and Control folders in them. Is this OK. Hav double checked all properties and all OK.
7. This is a single server implementation (classic SBS)
8. Is a single server implementation and properties have benn checked.

Just going through the Exchange 2003 'other things to try'  . . . I'll report back

Trev
For Exchange 2003:
Have all ready done Method 1 to reset the high water marks but have just stopped and started the Default Web site too.

We don't have the "internal server error" message so 267911 is not relevant - unlessyou think otherwise.
Nothing of relevance in 262181
We are not using NS proxy server 2.0, Symantec Raptor 6.5, Netscape or NA Gauntlet

Just tried again but no result as yet

This is getting frustrating . .  Hmmmm.
Thanks for your thoughts so far I do appreciate your support.

Trevor
More.
I have noticed that all the OWA functions that are failing refer to Java script. Don't know how to determin if this is executed client side or server side. There was a problem on my test client PC which was stopping Java updating. So I have un installed all Java products and downloaded Java 6 update 18 which intalled fine and also updates OK (at least it doesn't error before saying its uptodate ;-))

Is this significant ???
Trevor
Even you can also try to brows any othere browser like mozilla etc.
Hi
Yes tried that at an early stage yesterday, get the same problem in as much as you can't create new email or send email. It doesn't give an error in the status bar like IE does though.

Does JavaScript in OWA execute at the client or the server?? All of the failing functions feature Java, which seems a significant observation to me - any thoughts ???

Thansk for your continued help

Trev.
More . .
The 'Expected Object' error mentioned above may suggest that OWA has been successfull in instantiating its Java environment correctly ???? - Just think out load

Trev
Oops that should be unsuccessfull - sorry
Hi Ya'll
OK just taking a step back for a minute.
The original problem was one of Loading... appearing where the email should be listed. We moved forward by making a registery entry that forced IIS to view all OWA requests as though coming from a pre IE5 version. I understand that the Loading problem generally occurs because of WebDAV and HTTP-DAV verbs sent from recent revisions of IE not being recognised by IIS (or something) on the server.

I have removed the registery entry for a while and captured the IIS log detail for a failed session. This is attached and sanitised.

Can anyone tell me how to interpret the log, I can't see an obvious error ???
What is the bottom line for this Loading... problem it seems to be a well documented issue but not many people seem to confirm a fix that works. I seem to have tried all the KB articles so far ???
Should I reinstall the IIS or does the fact that I have rebuilt the OWA/OMA virtual folders suffice ???

Getting frustrated now . . grrrr!!!!
Trev
OWA-loadingIISlog.txt
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of lastlostlast
lastlostlast
Flag of India image

Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
Hi
Just seen your post getting on the case now get back to you soon as . . .
Trev
Hi,
The files are there and have the correct permissions. I'mm just comparing the .dll versions with those on my dev server which is is working fine (config is identical)

Should we re-apply those updates again ???

Trev
Wooop Wooop . . . .
Fixed it and heres why . . .
Key was some knowledge of what the IIS log was tellling me (thanks for that)
Second needed to know what type of 404 error we were dealing with (in this case 404.3 file not found MIMETYPE). Looked in the lists of Mime types for the server and found there was no entry for .js. Entered in and Bingo!!!! got my OWA service back again.

See http://forums.msexchange.org/OWA_shows_loading/m_1800519820/tm.htm for more details.

Thanks to both of you for your time and effort, points must go to LostLastLost for clear concise and (nearly) 100% solution.

Thanks again have a good weekend.

Regards
Trevor
 
Only spent 10 mins after last post getting to final solution. This is posted for others to see.
ahh..... missed 404.3 :-(

anywayz great work!!