Unable to setup Exchange Email Account in Apple Mail on MBP

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Level 1

12 points

Unable to setup Exchange Email Account in Apple Mail on MBP

Dear communities,

I am unable to re-setup an Exchange (work) account on my Macbook Pro. I say 're-setup' because until recently, the account was up and running perfectly.

My computer is near brand new (MBP 15 TB), and I restored a TM backup, which setup all email accounts. After about a week, my Exchange email account (and hotmail) would no longer login ("Unable to verify credentials"). I therefore deleted the accounts, and attempted to add them back in. No luck with either one.

For the Exchange account, I managed to enter the password, username, etc. and successfully get to the screen where it asks you to 'Select the apps you want to use with this account:'. I select them, and click DONE at which point the button changes to NEXT and remains 'NEXT' no matter how many times I click it. Fail.

Here's what I've tried:

- Checked the console during this process. All I can find is: error

08:22:25.194354 +0000 accountsd "Unable to add account: <private> Error: <private>"

- tried adding the account as an IMAP account - no luck, same problem

- tried starting to add the account with 'gibberish' in the email/password in order to reach the manual advanced settings (to specify URLs) - no luck, same problem. (this was based on suggestion from support boards)

- tried adding different exchange accounts - no luck, same problem.

- tried adding exchange accounts to other email programs (e.g., Airmail, or *gulp* Outlook) - success! But neither of these are suitable for my purposes.

- tried adding the account while VPN'd into my work network (or on site) - no luck, same problem

Please help!

Thanks

A

I am running a 2017, MBP 15" Touchbar with High Sierra 10.13

MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017), macOS High Sierra (10.13)

Posted on Oct 30, 2017 1:37 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

dianeoforegon

Level 5

7,293 points

Oct 30, 2017 3:02 PM in response to ahbell

I'm having similar problems to OP but unlike that person, I WAS able to add the Exchange account using a different user account. According to your post, this suggests it's a problem with my User Folder. Can you be more specific? Details regarding my problem are described here:

When you say you removed and added the Exchange account, did you do this in Mail or in System Preferences > Internet Accounts?

Quit Mail
Go to System Preferences > Internet Accounts, remove not just uncheck Mail for the Exchange account.

Go to the User’s Library folder (see below)

• Scroll down to Mail folder.
• In V5 folder, you will see folders with alphanumeric names like this:

This example shows two accounts plus the local "On My Mac" folder.

Verify in Mail > V5 that the account is no longer showing.

We want to be sure the Exchange folder does not exist. If you find it, delete it.

The local "On My Mac" folder will have the Outbox.
Exchange could have Clutter or you would recognize folder names. If you did manually delete the Exchange folder, delete the 3 files with Envelope in the name in MailData folder.

Also in the User's Library, go to Containers. Delete the com.apple.mail folder.

Restart your Mac.
Empty the Trash
Go to System Preferences > Internet Accounts
Add your Exchange account back.
Open Mail, if you deleted the envelope files, Mail will reindex your data.
Verify that Exchange is working.

Show User's Library

The User's Library folder is hidden by default. To unhide:

Option 1) Select the Finder in the Dock. Under Go in the Menu bar > hold down the Option key and you’ll see the Library.

Option 2) You can also select the Home folder in the sidebar of a Finder window.

Pull down the “View” menu and select “Show View Options”

Check the box for “Show Library Folder”

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Answer 2

ahbell Author

Level 1

12 points

Oct 30, 2017 1:51 AM in response to ahbell

Update: I have been able to add the Exchange account using a different User Account. Could this be somehow related to remnants of my old, functioning, account? (e.g., folders that can't be overwritten)

A

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