Error Message "Internal Server Error" Occurs When Using OWA (267911)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
  • Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, Premium Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, Standard Edition
This article was previously published under Q267911

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to access a mailbox in Exchange by using Outlook Web Access (OWA) with Internet Explorer 5.0 or later on Microsoft Windows 2000, the top pane and the left pane are displayed correctly, but the following error message is displayed in the right pane:
Loading...

Unable to display folder. An internal server error occurred.

When you access OWA from a client computer that is not running Windows 2000, or from a client computer that is on the same Local Area Network (LAN) as the server that is running Exchange, the text in the panes is displayed correctly.

CAUSE

When Windows Integrated authentication is enabled on the virtual directories for Exchange content, Kerberos requires that the client and server times are within 5 minutes (MaxClockSkew=5 minutes). This setting is based on the Universal Time Coordinate (UTC). When this setting is used, different time zones are accounted for.

Computers that are running on a LAN often do not experience this issue because Windows Time Service is synchronized with the domain controller time. Windows Time Service is controlled by using the net time command. When you join a domain, Windows Time Service is enabled, and it automatically starts when the computer starts.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, synchronize the time on the client computer with the domain controller of the Exchange domain so that they are within five minutes of each other.

Restart Windows Time Service on the client computer for the changes to the system's date and time to take effect.

WORKAROUND

When you receive this error message, click any folder in the Folder list view in the left pane to view the contents. However, when you click Refresh on your browser, the error message may still be displayed.

MORE INFORMATION

The net time command can be used to synchronize a client computer with a time server. An example of a command that you can use is:

net time \\servername /set /y

For more information about the net time command, run the following command: net time /?

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

266080 Answers to Frequently Asked Kerberos Questions

253615 Browsers Earlier Than Internet Explorer 5.01 for OWA

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:4/25/2005
Keywords:kberrmsg kbprb KB267911
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.