OWA Search - The action couldn't be completed. Please try again.

I came across a weird problem today when searching for emails in Outlook Web App, the following error was returned:

The action couldn't be completed.  Please try again.

In the server event logs, the MSExchangeIS Mailbox Store service generated Event ID 9842

Log Name:      Application

Source:        MSExchangeIS Mailbox Store

Date:          4/03/2014 6:14:39 PM

Event ID:      9842

Task Category: Content Indexing

Level:         Error

Keywords:      Classic

User:          N/A

Computer:      Server01.at.local

Description:

Function CISearch::EcGetRowsetAndAccessor detected that content indexing was disabled for database 'Mailbox Database 0742665828' because of error '0x80041820' from MSSearch.

I looked into this issue online, and saw two blog posts which both indicate to run setup /PrepareAD again on the Exchange server:

• http://terenceluk.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/searching-in-exchange-server-2010-owa.html
• http://www.tomlecluse.be/blog/20130705/searching-exchange-server-2010-owa-returns-action-couldnt-be-completed-please-try

I do not understand what the point of this.  Once an Active Directory class object or attribute has been created, it is impossible to delete it.  As of 2003 Forest Functional Level (FFL), Microsoft put the ability in place to disable attributes/class objects.  However you cannot delete objects.  As setup /PrepareAD is run when installing Exchange or applying a service pack, it never needs to be run again.

In my environment I restarted the following services in this order:

1. Microsoft Exchange Search Indexer
2. Microsoft Search (Exchange)
3. Microsoft Exchange Information Store

After restarting the services in this order, testing Outlook Web App I was able to search for content again.  No need to run the setup /PrepareAD command!

Tweet