XCLN: Cannot Delete or Hide the Default Internet Newsgroups Public Folder

In Exchange Server 5.5 (including Service Packs 1, 2, and 3), you can neither delete the Internet Newsgroups public folder nor hide it from the Address Book so that it is not visible from the client.

When you install any of the versions of Exchange Server listed in the "Applies to" banner, a folder called Internet Newsgroups is created by default under the Public Folder hierarchy. This folder is used by the Internet News Service to download messages from the various news servers on the Internet. Any user who logs on to Exchange Server sees this folder under the Public Folders\All Public Folders hierarchy. When this folder is created during installation of Exchange Server, the Hide From Address Book attribute is set to "0," which means it is not hidden and, therefore, is visible. This attribute cannot be edited. However, you can view the attribute if you start the Exchange Server Administrator program in raw mode.

WARNING: If you use the raw mode of the Exchange Server Administrator program (admin /r) incorrectly, serious problems may occur that may require you to reinstall Microsoft Windows NT Server, Microsoft Exchange Server, or both. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems that result from using raw mode incorrectly can be solved. Use raw mode at your own risk.

1. Start the Microsoft Exchange Server Administrator program in raw mode by typing the following at a command prompt:
   c:\exchsrvr\bin\admin /r
2. Double-click the Folders object.
3. Double-click the Public Folders object.
4. Double-click the Internet Newsgroups folder.
5. On the File menu, click Raw Properties (or press SHIFT+ENTER from the keyboard).

NOTE: In Exchange Server 5.0, you can hide this folder from the client because the Hide from Address Book attribute is editable. For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: