Better mail client for Exchange EWS services?

[147798]

My company is running Exchange hosted by Microsoft. I wasn't having much success with Outlook for Mac (I had the latest version -- it was really running CPU use through the roof) so moved to Apple's Mail client. This is even worse. Randomly can't send mail. E-mails and folders disappear, etc.

Is there a mail client out there for Mac that could be recommended for running against a hosted EWS backend?

 

[MisterMe]

Entourage EWS through Outlook 2011 handles Exchange perfectly fine. So too does Mail. However, Exchange is not a fixed target. Exchange is whatever your IT staff says it is.

If you are uncomfortable talking to IT, then there is one thing that you can do prior to contacting them. Gain access to a co-worker's Windows computer. Launch Outlook. Examine and record Outlook's server settings on the Windows computer. Then make sure that your Exchange account settings for Mail and Outlook 2011 match the settings in Windows Outlook. If this does not resolve your issues, then you need to work with your IT staff.

 

[147798]

I don't have Entourage. I'm running outlook in the newest office suite.

Does Entourage handle EWS better than the newest Outlook for Mac?

 

[MisterMe]

Look at the version number of Outlook 2011. Notice that it is Outlook 14.x? That is because Outlook 2011 is the successor version of Entourage EWS aka Entourage 13.x. Other than names, the major difference between Entourage EWS and Outlook 2011 is that Outlook 2011 added .pst archive-compatibility. It still reads Entourage's .rge archives. The bottomline is that your claim that you don't have Entourage is not true. You have Entourage EWS--only under a new name.

There is simply no reason to expect that an older version of Entourage EWS will work better than the latest version. If your Exchange server were older than Exchange 2007, then this would be the case. However, you need Entourage 12.x for older versions of Exchange because Entourage EWS, including Outlook 2011, and Mail can't handle the older Exchange protocol.

I digress. As I advised you in my previous post, compare your Exchange account settings in Outlook 2011 with the settings for the same account on a Windows computer. Make sure that your Outlook 2011 settings match those on a Windows computer.

 

[147798]

Look at the version number of Outlook 2011. Notice that it is Outlook 14.x? That is because Outlook 2011 is the successor version of Entourage EWS aka Entourage 13.x. Other than names, the major difference between Entourage EWS and Outlook 2011 is that Outlook 2011 added .pst archive-compatibility. It still reads Entourage's .rge archives. The bottomline is that your claim that you don't have Entourage is not true. You have Entourage EWS--only under a new name.

There is simply no reason to expect that an older version of Entourage EWS will work better than the latest version. If your Exchange server were older than Exchange 2007, then this would be the case. However, you need Entourage 12.x for older versions of Exchange because Entourage EWS, including Outlook 2011, and Mail can't handle the older Exchange protocol.

I digress. As I advised you in my previous post, compare your Exchange account settings in Outlook 2011 with the settings for the same account on a Windows computer. Make sure that your Outlook 2011 settings match those on a Windows computer.

In my initial post, the only issue I have with outlook/entourage is that it eats up CPU, not that it doesn't work. Mac mail is the one not working.

At any rate -- any one else have any ideas on alt mail clients, or perhaps there aren't any other options??

 

[MisterMe]

If Mail has issues, then a standard test is to run Mail from a test account. If it also had issues in your test account, then the problem is Mail. If not, then your account settings are munged.

 

[takeshi74]

Haven't had any problems with Outlook 2011 myself so I haven't looked into alternatives. It's not really a desktop client but there's always OWA if it's available to you.

 

[147798]

Yeah, a Mac friend of mine uses OWA.

I'm not alone on this, btw -- see just this one thread with 43 pages and an Exchange admin is also involved. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4136482?start=630&tstart=0

My solution right now is to use my company provided Dell laptop. It's working like a charm for Exchange access. I might just keep my lives divided -- work on the Dell, home on the Mac, but it was nice when it was all in one.

I was running Office 2008 and Snow Leopard fine. That's what I get for upgrading, lol (went to 2011 and ML).

I'm in the process of backing up my MBP right now, though, and am going to do a clean install of ML to see if that helps (I'm getting a lot of spinning beach balls anyway, even outside of Mail).

 

[dianeoforegon]

In my initial post, the only issue I have with outlook/entourage is that it eats up CPU, not that it doesn't work. Mac mail is the one not working.

Since the problem exists in both Outlook and Mail, this points to your data and setup.

We've had several complaints about this on the Microsoft Outlook forum, but not everyone has this issue. You need to determine where the problem is located.

1) Is it your data?
2) Is it your network?

Are you fully updated to 14.2.3? Have you started over in a new Identity? How to move your data to a new Identity


Have IT setup a test account for you. Testing Outlook on a new Exchange account would quickly eliminate your Exchange folder setup. If it's quick and no CPU issues then look at your folders. However if it goes wild with no data, then talk to IT.

If you can select not to sync folders and other data (it could be an old calendar event with attachments) this would eliminate corruption in older data.

The Inbox syncs more frequently than any other folder and should be kept as clean as possible. (this is the number one cause of problems with sync). Do NOT make subfolders under the Inbox.

• Outlook has trouble with some network connections.
• Some have found Spotlight indexing caused their issue. You might need to re-index your drive.
• If you don't have enough free disk space, this can cause odd issues with Outlook. You need a minimum of 10% free.
• I've even seen issues where a draft message was trying to upload the server causing this issue.

Never rebuild in Identity with an Exchange account. Delete the Exchange and any IMAP account(s) THEN rebuild. Add accounts back after rebuilding. Better yet, start over in a new identity. I would never rebuild as long as an Identity will open. I export my data and import into a new Identity.

 

[147798]

Thanks! I'm going to bookmark this. I'm rebuilding the OS install anyway, as it's overall running slow, which of course means I'll rebuild my identity.

My issue, though, is not "is this fixable" -- even if it is fixable, is it stable? I can't keep rebuilding identities when it corrupts. Hence my question for stable alternatives, though it sounds like there aren't any alternatives.

 

[147798]

Since the problem exists in both Outlook and Mail, this points to your data and setup.

We've had several complaints about this on the Microsoft Outlook forum, but not everyone has this issue. You need to determine where the problem is located.

1) Is it your data?
2) Is it your network?

Are you fully updated to 14.2.3? Have you started over in a new Identity? How to move your data to a new Identity


Have IT setup a test account for you. Testing Outlook on a new Exchange account would quickly eliminate your Exchange folder setup. If it's quick and no CPU issues then look at your folders. However if it goes wild with no data, then talk to IT.

If you can select not to sync folders and other data (it could be an old calendar event with attachments) this would eliminate corruption in older data.

The Inbox syncs more frequently than any other folder and should be kept as clean as possible. (this is the number one cause of problems with sync). Do NOT make subfolders under the Inbox.

• Outlook has trouble with some network connections.
• Some have found Spotlight indexing caused their issue. You might need to re-index your drive.
• If you don't have enough free disk space, this can cause odd issues with Outlook. You need a minimum of 10% free.
• I've even seen issues where a draft message was trying to upload the server causing this issue.

Never rebuild in Identity with an Exchange account. Delete the Exchange and any IMAP account(s) THEN rebuild. Add accounts back after rebuilding. Better yet, start over in a new identity. I would never rebuild as long as an Identity will open. I export my data and import into a new Identity.

If I'm reading correctly, much of this troublshooting is to troubleshoot the high CPU usage of Outlook, right? and not the issues with Mac Mail?

p.s. I show that my Outlook is on 14.2.4. You mentioned being on 14.2.3. Is there an issue with being on 14.2.4?

p.p.s -- you mention not to have sub folders under the Inbox. I'm not sure what that means. All my subfolders are under InBox, as they reside on the Exchange server. What is the other option?