Q: Exchange servers and Mavericks Mail

Its all too late for me and seemingly for all the mac mail users at my university (probably around 10,000) - we have variously been putting up with the failures of mail to work with the exchange server but one by one they have all given up and moved to outlook.

For me, on a regular basis - about monthly - mail looses all contents of folders and inbox and then stops downloading anything after jan 2012. Trashing preference files and reloading from time machine fixes this but today is the final straw. I cannot go on with have to check my mail on my phone or iPad and loosing all functionality on my Mac Air.

I am the last of my unit of 20 to hold out as I hate Outlook but I have just switched.

Agreed, this is an epic failure on Apple's part.  After hours and hours of troubleshooting with Apple Tech Support, it's clear that the left hand doesn't know what the right is doing. Apple engineers need to notify tech support to stop wasting people's time to troubleshoot the issue.  There's nothing to troubleshoot, it's a Mac Mail issue!  Apple needs to release a fix for this ASAP. I've alread held off on purchasing any more Macs for my company. What a disaster this has been. Shame on you Apple!

Anyone have any idea when they will be releasing a fix for this issue (more specifically attachments getting stuck in the outbox).  There are a few other bugs with Mac Mail and Exchange, but this one has been the most annoying for me.

Thanks to s1000rrnapo for the detailed technical info.  I'm seeing the exact same thing he descrbed:

- Mac Mail only has a problem syncing my Exchange account.  Works fine with other IMAP accounts.  I can see in the Activity window that it's taking forever when syncing the Exchange account.

- iPhone Mail works fine with my Exchange account.

- Here's the kicker... I've been also using a different email app on my Mac called MailMate, and it works fine with my Exchange account!  In MailMate my Exchange account email shows up basically instantaneously.  The difference is that MailMate doesn't work with Exchange accounts directly, it only supports IMAP.  So I have that same problem email account set up as IMAP there.  Wonder if that would make a difference in Mac Mail?

I did try setting Mac Mail to check at 1 minute intervals instead of automatically, and that seems to be better... though it's still nowhere near as responsive as MailMate, and the Activity window still shows that it's taking a long time when talking to the Exchange server.

Try Touchdown,it supports ActivSync (same as your iPhone does) and is very good.

You can download a 30 day free trial on this page.

mmm, looks nice, i ll try it.

but nevertheless apple need to fix the issue. also i think microsoft need to do some effort to throttle the policies better for mac users. (it s not only apple that has a buggy mail client).

@dammitjim, imap is a completly different protocol, has nothing to do with EWS.

s1000rrnapo

Agree, as many has said here before over the last 2-3 months: Apple should have a basic well functioning MAIL application that can work with the mail services that very many uses, including Exchange Servers, for those - many - that are integrating with the business world.

Csound1

BTW: Tested Touchdown, and it seems indeed to run very nicely with the Exchange Servers, but I could not figure out how to add a iCloud mail account also.

s1000rrnapo 

mmm, looks nice, i ll try it.

but nevertheless apple need to fix the issue. also i think microsoft need to do some effort to throttle the policies better for mac users. (it s not only apple that has a buggy mail client).

@dammitjim, imap is a completly different protocol, has nothing to do with EWS.

That's like asking Toyota to build there cars with gear boxes that can fit Mercedes. No pun inteneded

Touchdown is Exchange only.

@dammitjim, imap is a completly different protocol, has nothing to do with EWS.

Yeah, I guess I knew that ... what I didn't spell out was that the email account in question is also accesible in this case via IMAP.  So using IMAP instead of Exchange is an option in this case (and might be for others who are having this issue, depending on how their email server is set up).  Still would like to see this issue fixed though!

All Exchange Servers support Imap (and POP) access, but not all IT departments switch that on.

I have an issue that people in this thread may be able to help me with. I am on a MacBookPro with Mail.

I attempted to send a group email with a group Bcc in the email. There was a bad address in the group so the mail will not send.

It was stuck in my Draft folder so each time I forcequit (as it will not quit) I reopened the Mail programme it attempted to access the mail and resend, freezing the programme and forcing a force quit.

I accessed the Draft folder through my phone and deleted the folder from my Mail. To no success.

When Mail is opened it immediately attempts to send the mail and I have to Force Quit the programme.

In the meantime obviously the Mail programme is unuseable.

Hi Blair,

Have you tried disconnecting youreself from WiFi and any networks, then open Mac Mail?

Also, go into System Preferences > Internet Accounts and uncheck the account that is causing problems.

More advanced method: If you are ventures go into the folder that contains the data:

~/Library/Mail/V2/

Find the bad item and trash it.

Let us know if that works.

Hi

the issue with the first solution is whenever i open the Mac Mail I just get the spinning wheel. If I uncheck the account all that does is deactivate my whole account. The affected mail doesnt try to send naturally as the whole account is deactivated.

The second solution. Is one i am looking for, however in my Library folder i can not find a Mail folder ?

Hi Blair,

This might actually belong to another tread, but do this:

Type SHIFT + CMD + G (or use the GO menu in Finder  and select Go to folder)

Copy/paste the link that brads indicated: ~/Library/Mail/V2/

CMD = ⌘

That will lead you directly to the mail folder.

Actually, I don't think mail can function without this folder - so it's inin the LIbarary folder on your computer.

Good luck.

That's becasue TouchDown only supports Microsoft email accounts.