Exchange activesync returned an http 500 response internal server error

The trend of mobile devices is increasing day by day to execute almost all types of tasks effortlessly. Even users can sync their mail account on smartphones to access mailbox items anywhere. To execute this Microsoft has provided a built-in feature called ActiveSync to access emails via smartphones. Exchange ActiveSync is a sync protocol that permits users to access mailbox items including emails, calendars, journals and tasks from Exchange Server account. It is an XML based application that works on HTTP and HTTPS and even permit users to access data in offline mode. Sometimes these feature trouble users by propelling following error while working “HTTP 500 (Internal Server Error)”.

The following error message does not permit users to access any of the mailbox data on mobile device until it gets resolved. It becomes necessary for users to troubleshoot this problem as it might result in data loss. To resolve the issue it is necessary to what causes this issue. If the root of the error has been detected and fixed the future doors to this error message can be avoided.

Cause

The above discussed error only arrives when one of the following conditions are true:

• The internet service is unavailable on following device
• Sync of data is executed after removal of respective mailbox
• Windows Integrated Authentication is disabled on active directory of Exchange Server

Resolution

When permission inheritance settings are disabled on Active Directory than Exchange Server does not have appropriate permissions to sync mailbox on phone. The error could also be a result of situations when user is member of protected groups on Exchange Server just like Domain Admins or Backup Operators. To resolve the issue

• Open Active Directory users and computers
• From the View menu click on Advanced Features

Navigate and selectExchangeActiveSyncDevices and right click on it to select Properties tab.

Check on ‘Securities’ tab and click on ‘Advanced’.

In MS Exchange 2010 allow special permissions to ‘Exchange Servers’ group which is responsible for ‘Create/Delete msExchActiveSyncDevices objects’.

Make sure the option ‘Include inheritable permissions from the object’s parent’is enabled.

It is recommended not to use protected groups for emailing purpose. If required to access rights assigned to protected group it is recommend having multiple Active Directory account. One for user account added to protected group and another for user account implied for emailing other times.

Today, a customer told me that one of users cannot success to sync emails at his phone, I tried to use Microsoft Remote Connectivity Analyzer to test Exchange ActiveSync Connectivity, it has no issues with Exchange ActiveSync Autodiscover but not Exchange ActiveSync, it failed to attempt the FolderSync command on the Exchange ActiveSync session and error message is “Exchange ActiveSync returned an HTTP 500 response (Internal Server Error).”.

I figured out the issues after troubleshooting, the user is a member of domain admins, Exchange server group does not have the appropriate permission to his mailbox object in Active Directory. It’s easy to fix issues as follow:

1. Login to the domain controller server.

2. On the Server Manager page, select Tools and click Active Directory Users and Computers.

   

3. On the Active Directory Users and Computers page, select View and click Advance Feature.

   

4. Right-click the mailbox account and select Properties.

   

5. On the user Properties page, select Security.

   

6. On the Security page, click Advanced.

   

7. On Advanced Security Settings for the user page, click Enable inheritance and then click OK

   

8. On the Permissions Warning page, click Yes.

   

9. On the user Properties page, click Ok.

   

10. Go back to Microsoft Connectivity Analyzer toll and everything should be fine now, also his phone start to sync his email.

But I would recommend that you do not use a member of domain admins for e-mail purposes. You should have two Active Directory user accounts. These Active Directory accounts include one user account that is added to a domain admin and one user account that is used for e-mail purposes.

Hope you enjoy this post.

Cary Sun

Twitter: @SifuSun

About Post Author