SM all releases: Problem with MS Outlook connected via MAPI: some users automatically create a lot of useless "RSS Feed" folders...

Problem reported by Gabriele Maoret - SERSIS - 2/20/2024 at 3:49 AM

Submitted

Problem with MS Outlook connected via MAPI: some users automatically create a lot of useless "RSS Feed" folders...

This happened both with the old versions of SmarterMail and with the new ones (I am now updated to the latest 8804).

This seems random, because taking into consideration users of the same domain with all new PCs configured from scratch and the same version of MS Outlook, only a few users have this happen (the majority do not have this problem).

What could it be due to?

How can we avoid it?

Below are explanatory images of the problem from Outlook and Webmail on the same mailbox:

MS OUTLOOK:

SM WEBMAIL:

Gabriele Maoret - Head of SysAdmins at SERSIS

Currently manages 6 SmarterMail installations (1 in the cloud for SERSIS which provides services to a few hundred third-party email domains + 5 on-premise for customers who prefer to have their mail server in-house)

9 Replies

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Manuel Martins Replied

2/20/2024 at 5:56 AM

Hi Gabriele,

It happens with us too, I would also know why it happens !??

Thanks for bringing this to the forum.

Brian Bjerring-Jensen Replied

2/20/2024 at 6:12 AM

Regarding your issue, we would like to suggest you to check and disable Outlook advance option for RSS feeds.

For this: Open Outlook > go to File tab > Options > Advanced > RSS feeds > Disable Any RSS feed item that is updated appears as new and Synchronize RSS Feeds to the common Feed list in Windows > save the changes > Restart Outlook and check the result.

If above both options are already disabled, open Outlook in safe mode and then check if any RSS feed found from Outlook. If RSS feed found, remove it and then check the result.For help removing RSS feeds from Outlook, see Unsubscribe from an RSS Feed.

To start Outlook in safe mode: Choose Start > Run and type Outlook /safe, and choose OK.If it works in Safe Mode, then the is likely to be a conflicting or corrupt add-in. Disable all add-ins (Go to File -> Option -> Add-Ins -> Go and remove all) and then open Outlook to confirm, if it works then enable add-in one by one until you get to the one which causing issue in Outlook.

Further if affected users use Outlook client app from multiple devices (such as mobile devices), please disconnect account from all the other device for couple of hours and then observe the issue.

Gabriele Maoret - SERSIS Replied

2/20/2024 at 7:37 AM

Hi Brian!

Unfortunately, I cannot get my hands on the PCs of some of these clients, because we are not the ones managing their offices.

We only provide the email service (basically we just give them the connection parameters to their mailboxes and then they figure it out internally), but I noticed this issue and wanted to understand if there is a way to solve it "server side".

Gabriele Maoret - Head of SysAdmins at SERSIS Currently manages 6 SmarterMail installations (1 in the cloud for SERSIS which provides services to a few hundred third-party email domains + 5 on-premise for customers who prefer to have their mail server in-house)

Matt Petty Replied

2/20/2024 at 7:42 AM

Employee Post

This is pretty typical Outlook behavior, they ask us to create all sorts of folders many of them "hidden", you can see evidence of that with the folders.json by comparing a fresh new account json to one immediately after connecting it to Outlook. Not having these folders will cause Outlook to throw a hissy-fit.

Matt Petty Senior Software Developer SmarterTools Inc. www.smartertools.com

Gabriele Maoret - SERSIS Replied

2/20/2024 at 7:47 AM

I think that if SmarterMail wants to be a worthy replacement for MS Exchange, then it must take care of solving this type of problem itself (perhaps, in this specific case, simply blocking or "discarding" the creation of server-side RSS feed folders... Or something like that that solves the problem anyway).

It is not possible to think of having to tell thousands of customers to check and modify the MS Outlook Advanced Options of each of their single users (which could be dozens more, if not hundreds...) otherwise they will have problems!!!!

The basic configuration of MS Outlook MUST be transparent to the customer without any complications!!!

Brian Bjerring-Jensen Replied

2/20/2024 at 10:07 AM

YEah but its not. Lots of Office365 junk and linkedin shit in the product out of the box.

Gabriele Maoret - SERSIS Replied

9/2/2024 at 6:50 AM

BUMP on a solution for this issue...

Oliver Schulz Replied

9/4/2024 at 2:10 AM

yes, please

Douglas Foster Replied

9/4/2024 at 10:42 AM

Most Outlook features can be controlled by Group Policy. Your customers should be able to solve the problem that way. I don't even have an RSS folder in my Outook folder list, because the indicated options have never been enabled.

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