Windows Updates and BES (not best friends)
 

Hello,

Everytime I have Windows updates to push, I have an anxiety attack because I always think my BES (4.1.4.15) will not work because the BES server and my Exchange 2003 must be idential. In brief, my BES is a W2K3 R2 member server with all the latest service packs and updates. My W2K3 Sp2 Echange Server also has all the latest updates and service packs. I have been told that this is vital for the BES. Also, the .cdo and mapi files must be the same versions. I had to rebuild the original BES installation. I wanted to make sure the cdo and mapi files were identical. The cdo versions are idential for both servers. However, the mapi on the BES is an older version than that on the Exchange server. When I copied the version from Exchange, the BES Manager would not start because it was not recognizing the mapi version. So, I reverted to the previous version and it worked. I recently pushed updates on the network everything was fine except it took a long time for the Blackberries and BES to contact. Is this normal? Should the mapis be the same version? How come I get an error with I try to get them on the same version? Just seems odd because every forum tells me that they should be identical but this is not the case with me. Can anyone shed some light on this?

Thanks in advance!

The versions should indeed be the same. Even if you use Windows Update / Microsoft Update, if you apply patches at the same time / series they should stay at the same version.

What process did you follow to try and get them to be the same? What are the versions on each server?

After I finished installing the BES server, I proceeded to get the cdo and mapi dlls to the same versions. I got the cdo copied and registered no problem. The mapi just wouldn't work. I would copy the mapi.dll to the BES server but was unable to register it using regsvr32 mapi32.dll. (I copied the mapi.dll to the BES C:\Windows\System32 folder). The BES server has mapi version 1.0.2536.0 and my Exchange has 6.5.7638.1.

Sounds like Outlook is on the BES ... Did you install the Exchange System Manager on the BES and apply Exchange service packs?

Yes Outlook 2003 is on the BES. No I did not install the Exchange System Manager on the BES.

YOWSA!!!!!! Get Outlook off of the BES and install the Exchange System Manager and apply the same service packs / hotfixes that you have applied to your Exchange server that relate to cdo or mapi.

You shouldn't have Outlook on the BES (or the Exchange server).

Whoa!! I capisce! Outlook isn't on my Exchange!! I shouldn't have Outlook on BES. Hmm..I wish the Blackberry installation guide would have added a "little" note about that. Ok that answers that question! I imagine this is the reason why it takes a long time to make contact?

That would certainly be a reasonable explanation ... differing MAPI / CDO versions don't necessarily cripple a server, but they provide inconsistent results ... which I'd say is almost worst than total stoppage.

Well thanks for your help! And, with a bag over my head, I humbly say that it does mention it in the installation guide. Props to BB! MY BAD!!!

You mean on Page 13, where it says:

"Warning: Do not install Microsoft® Outlook® on the same computer as the BlackBerry Enterprise Server. Visit http://www.support.microsoft.com/kb/266418 for more information."

;-)

That I already knew but thanks anyway!!!