XADM: "Could Not Complete the Operation" Error Message When You Attempt to Delete a Public Folder (265108)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5

This article was previously published under Q265108

SUMMARY

When you attempt to delete a public folder from Outlook, you may receive the following error message:
Could not complete the operation. One or more parameter values are not valid.

MORE INFORMATION

This behavior occurs when the folder that you are attempting to delete has child folders that are not visible to the user who is attempting to delete the folder. The "Folder Visible" permission hides the folder from the hierarchy for all users who do not have this permission. If the users are granted the "Folder Visible" permission, the error message changes to the following error message:
Outlook cannot delete this folder. You may not have appropriate permissions.
To avoid this behavior, the user who is deleting the folder must have the proper permission to the folder and all child folders. To verify that the user has the proper folder permissions:
  1. Start the Admin.exe program.
  2. In the left pane of the Admin program, locate the Public Folder tree, and then click the folder that you want to delete.
  3. On the File menu, click Properties (or click the folder and press ALT+Enter).
  4. On the General tab, click Client Permissions.
  5. In the Client Permissions dialog box, apply the permissions that you want to the folder for the user that is deleting the folder, and then click OK.
  6. On the General tab, click to select the Propagate these permissions to all subfolders check box, and then click Apply.

    You see the Subfolder Properties dialog box. Verify that the only check box that is selected is the Client permissions check box.
  7. Click OK. This changes all child folders properties to match the parent folder (the folder that is being deleted).
The client can now delete the folder and all child folders without receiving any error messages.

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:4/21/2005
Keywords:kbhowto KB265108