Need a script to perform delete hidden messages from Outlook

[frog007]

The enterprise I work for has ran into an issue requiring a very large number of users to delete the hidden message(s) from Outlook.  Our exchange team has been zapping boxes to correct this issue, but we want to offer users a self help option for this issue.    

 I'm looking to create a script that can I can push or have user run on their machine to performe the fix noted in the delete hidden message guide -http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH50905.  

Any other solutions welcome!!

[GabeV]

Hi,

You can push the following registry key through a GPO and let the users know how to remove the hidden message:

How to delete hidden messages from Outlook on the client in Enterprise Vault (EV) 7.0 and above.
http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH50905

I hope this helps.

[Rob_Wilcox1]

How is pushing out a registry key, to enable a button that users need to click, and then restart Outlook... Quicker or simpler than running zap on a bog selection of mailboxes in one go, remotely, with no user interaction?

[GabeV]

Based on the initial post, they are already zapping mailboxes but they wanted to offer users a self help option for this issue.

[A_J1]

Yes i would recommend to do ZAP all mailboxes using the Script from EV Server as you need to again enable all users for archiving.. Make sure that you re-associate to their existing Archives.

[RahulG]

Can you share what excatly the issue is because of which you need to delete the Hidden message ? Once we know that we may probably can try and think is there is anyother fix instead of Zapping the mailbox.

As suggested By A_ J and Rob the easiest option is to Zap the mailbox using EVPM script.

Also would like to know how the  Self help option for the user would help , as you would need to enable the mailboxes for the deleted User. 

[frog007]

We have 75k vault users who are using a number of diffrent vault add-in versions.  We are upgrading these users to newer version in chunks ranging from groups of 100 to groups of 5,000.  The client is upgraded, user logs in, their vault inbox no longer displays properly - zap fixes it - the fix noted above fixes it.  We want to offer the user a self service solution. 

[A_J1]

Hello Frog,

As per your requirement i would suggested to provide the following steps to affected users:

1.  Close Outlook.
2.  Go to Start > Run and type Regedit to open the Windows Registry.
3.  Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\KVS\Enterprise Vault\Client.
4.  Right-click on Client and choose New > DWORD Value.
5.  Type the name DeleteHiddenMsgBtnVisible and set it to a value of 1. 
6.  Restart Outlook for the change to take affect.
7.  IF using Outlook 2003/2007 go to Help > About Enterprise Vault and select the Tech Info button. 
8. If using Outlook 2010, Click on File -> EnterpriseVault and then on the right side click on the Link "Additional support information" 
9.  Scroll down to the HIDDEN MESSAGES IN FOLDER section.
 

Note:  The hidden messages listed will vary depending on which folder is selected in Outlook. (i.eMailbox, Inbox, or Sent Items folders)
 

The following hidden messages are listed when Inbox is selected.  

IPM.EnterpriseVault.OfflineVault

IPM.EnterpriseVault.Settings

IPM.EnterpriseVault.Filter

10.  Highlight the hidden message and click the Delete Hidden Message button.  

11. Close the Outlook.

12. Deleted the registry created.

Now when the Next synchronization happens for this user on the EV Server, a new hidden message will be planted for this user.

[Rob_Wilcox1]

Well, that's interesting that the Inbox displays incorrectly, and zap fixes it.. have you investigated that further?

[A_J1]

Hello Frog,

Did you get any chance to follow the steps i suggested ??

[frog007]

Hey A_J,

Unfortunately, your suggestion doesn't address my question.  I linked your suggestion in my original post.  My requirement was to automate this process as a script an end user could run.

[RahulG]

Well there is no such script which Symantec Provides, incase if it is very critical then I would suggest you to get in touch with Professional services for further assistance.

[GabeV]

Frog007,

The only way to automate this process from the Enterprise Vault perspective is using an EVPM script that you are already using. However, if you have Exchange 2010, you might try writing some kind of PS script to retrieve all the EV hidden messages from the mailboxes and try to delete them:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/exchange/en-US/753b5c06-bdda-4f22-80bd-dc92cae4f283/exchange-2010-use-powershell-to-find-mails-with-certain-messageclass

Two things ... one, this method is not supported by Symantec, only EVPM scripts are. And two, you need to make sure that the script works, otherwise, you might end creating a new mailbox in the EMC and following the regular process to enable the mailbox for archiving in Enterprise Vault.

I hope this helps.

[A_J1]

Hello Frog007,

I am Afraid that there is no script which can be used in this scenario at the moment to automate the process, you have to either use the EVPM script from the EV Server or the suggested steps which affected users can follow..

[Ben_Watts]

Just come across this, I know it is an old thread but just in case someone wanted to do this in the future, you can specify multiple mailboxes/DistinguishedNames in one zap file.

Obviously though as you run EVPM against a specific Exchange server then the mailboxes within your zap script need to be located on that specific Exchange server.

Example of the zap file would be:-

[Directory]
DirectoryComputername = LabEvServer.domain.com
SiteName = EvSite1

[Mailbox]
DistinguishedName = /o=testlab/ou=test/cn=Recipients/cn=user1
DistinguishedName = /o=testlab/ou=test/cn=Recipients/cn=user2
DistinguishedName = /o=testlab/ou=test/cn=Recipients/cn=user3
etc...

[Folder]
Name = Mailboxroot
Zap = True

To get a list of the DistinguishedNames you can use a SQL query to pull these back, but again you will want to know certain requirements, as in the name of the user/Exchange Server etc to pull back the correct results.

Or if it is all users just run the Archiving Task and get the list from the Report file as this lists all the DistinguishedNames too.

Keep in mind the larger the list of mailboxes is the longer the operation will take.