XCCC: Public Folders Render Incorrectly Because of Server Registry Setting (321396)

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

If the following conditions exist, Public Folders may be inaccessible to you because of the way folder objects are displayed in the browser window:

You are a user with no per-user settings.
You enable Public Folders that are located on a server that does not permit up-level rendering.
The Public Folder you want to use is on a server that permits up-level rendering.

CAUSE

If you must view Public Folders down-level by using a server-wide registry setting and the associated Public Folder server you want to use allows up-level views, OWA places the folder tree in an incorrect section of the window to which you do not have access.

RESOLUTION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To work around this problem, each server must have a consistent policy of either not including or allowing down-level views. Make sure that every server with Public Folders has the same values for the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeWEB\OWA\ForceClientsDownlevel

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

Use of a registry setting to force a down-level view of Public Folders applies to users and Public Folders on that server only. A user who uses folders across multiple servers with varying settings receives unexpected results.