ND Exchange Configuration Utility (Windows) for Technical Staff

THIS INFORMATION IS INTENDED FOR TECHNICAL STAFF ONLY

Technical staff may find the following utility and information helpful in rolling Outlook with a MAPI connection to your department.

• ND Exchange Configuration Utility (Download: 4.37MB)
• Flowchart explaining how the ND Exchange Configuration Utility works (PDF)

Instructions for using the ND Exchange Configuration Utility for Windows

The ND Exchange Configuration utility prepares a Microsoft Windows XP or Vista users’ profile for ND’s implementation of Microsoft Exchange.

Silent Mode

The utility can be run in a totally silent mode by including a “-s” or “/s” command-line switch at launch time. It performs all functions of the configuration utility without user prompts or messages. If it encounters a situation where user input is required, the script will halt execution and end silently. This mode is useful for those departmental administrators who wish to deploy the utility via GPO or SMS. It can also be run with a “-close” or “/close” switch to display only a “utility completed” popup (10 second delay before it auto-closes) for those administrators who wish to push silently but provide their users with a message that the utility completed successfully.

User Context

Since the utility makes changes to the user’s profile, it must be run under the user context, either as part of a logon script (via GPO) or an SMS advertisement running with user credentials. Any attempts to deploy using administrator or System credentials will fail.

Program Functions

Running the utility performs the following functions:

• File Decompression
• OS Version Check
• Opening Message*
• Client Check
• Thunderbird Configuration
• Seamonkey Configuration
• Outlook Configuration
• Disable Client Check For Subsequent Launches
• Closing Message* **

* Suppressed with “-s” or “/s” command-line switch
** Sole dialog displayed with “-close” or “/close” command-line switch

File Decompression

The following files are decompressed to a “NDExchange_Configuration” folder within the user’s temp folder:

• MaintWiz.exe
• NDExchange.prf
• Outlook.cmw
• Outlook.msp

NDExchange_Configuration.vbs is then launched from memory.

OS Version Check

Utility exits if OS version is earlier than WindowsXP.

Opening Message

An opening dialog is displayed:

This dialog is on a 15-second timer and will default to “OK” if no other option is clicked.

If a user clicks Cancel the utility exits without further dialogs.

Client Check

A list of migrated clients is downloaded from http://eds.nd.edu/exchange/clients.txt.

The user’s logon ID is compared to the NetIDs in this list. If the logon ID matches an ID in the list, the utility proceeds to Thunderbird Configuration. If the logon ID is not found on the list, the following dialog is displayed:

If a NetID is entered that matches an entry in the client list, the utility proceeds to Thunderbird Configuration. If the Cancel button is clicked the utility exits without further dialogs. Finally, if nothing is entered or an entry does not match the list, the following dialog is displayed and the utility exits:

Thunderbird & Seamonkey Configuration

All instances of the Thunderbird or Seamonkey configuration file Prefs.js (within the user’s profile folder structure) are modified, changing “imap.nd.edu” to “imap-alt.nd.edu”.

Outlook Configuration

The following functions are performed:

• Close Outlook if running - Exchange profiles cannot be created with Outlook running
• Determine if Office/Outlook is installed – Exit utility with one of the following dialogs:

• Retrieve Personal Folders location and filename
• Replace variable in Import Profile (NDExchange.prf) with Personal Folders location and filename
• Set registry entries to import NDExchange.prf profile

Disable Client Check For Subsequent Launches

A registry entry is created to disable clients.txt download and check on re-launches of the utility. This registry is only created if the user has successfully been found on the list once. This speeds up the process for re-configures.

Closing Message

A closing dialog is displayed:

Launching Outlook

When the user first launches Outlook after running the configuration utility they will be presented with a logon prompt:

The user’s NetID must be entered as netid@nd.edu.

This logon dialog will appear 2-3 times as the account is set up on the local computer.

Note: It will only appear once (at Outlook launch) after setup is complete.

After successfully authenticating to the Exchange server, Outlook uses the user’s logon ID to attempt an account lookup. If the logon ID and the user’s NetID do not match, the following dialog will appear:

After clicking OK, the following dialog will display:

Enter the user’s NetID in the “Mailbox” area and click Check Name. If a lookup is successful, the user’s account name will appear underlined. If unsuccessful, verify that a valid NetID has been entered. Do not add the “@nd.edu” to this entry.

Click OK to begin the mailbox setup within Outlook. When completed, an Exchange mailbox will be visible along with the user’s previously created Personal Folders (if the client was an Outlook user). Their account will also be configured to use ND’s LDAP directory server for name lookups in addition to the Global Address List (GAL, or list of all Exchange users).

 

If you need assistance connecting to Notre Dame’s Exchange service, please contact the OIT Help Desk at 574-631-8111.