Outlook 2013 takes up to 30 minutes to manually download Offline Address Book files

Symptoms

When Microsoft Outlook 2013 is connected to a Microsoft Exchange Server computer through an external connection, Outlook 2013 may take as long as 30 minutes to manually download the Offline Address Book (.oab) files.

Cause

This delay occurs when Outlook first tries to access the primary (internal) URL. The request takes 30 minutes to time out. After this request times out, the secondary (external) URL is used. The OAB files are then downloaded.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, install May 12, 2015, update for Outlook 2013 (KB3039799), and then use the following steps to set different time-outs to download an offline address book (OAB).

Note Four new registry keys are created that control different parameters of BITS jobs, the manual and automatic time-out periods, and the retry delay periods (for both manual and automatic downloads). Times are given in seconds. Configuring the download time-out periods separately allows Outlook to complete the attempt to download the OAB by using the internal URL faster, and switch to the external URL faster.

Important
Follow the steps in this section carefully. Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Before you modify it, back up the registry for restoration in case problems occur.

1. Exit all Microsoft Office applications.

2. Start Registry Editor:
   

   • In Windows 7, click Start, type regedit in the Search programs and files text box, and then click regedit.exe in the search results.

   • In Windows 8, move your mouse to the upper-right corner, click Search, type regedit in the search text box, and then click regedit.exe in the search results.

3. Locate and then select the following registry subkey:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Exchange\Exchange Provider

4. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.

5. Type OAB no progress timeout override, and then press the Enter key.

6. In the Details pane, right-click OAB no progress timeout override, and then click Modify.

7. In the Value data box, type a time in seconds for the BITS OAB download job, change the Base to Decimal, and then click OK.
   
   Note If you do not set the value for this registry key, the default value that Outlook 2013 uses is 3,600 seconds.

8. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.

9. Type OAB no progress timeout override for manual download, and then press the Enter key.

10. In the Details pane, right-click OAB no progress timeout override for manual download, change the Base to Decimal, and then click Modify.

11. In the Value data box, type a time in seconds for the BITS OAB download job for manual download, and then click OK.
    
    Note If you do not set the value for this registry key, the default value that Outlook 2013 uses is 1,800 seconds.

12. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.

13. Type OAB retry delay override, and then press the Enter key.

14. In the Details pane, right-click OAB retry delay override, and then click Modify.

15. In the Value data box, type a time in seconds for the BITS OAB download job, change the Base to Decimal, and then click OK.
    
    Note If you do not set the value for this registry key, the default value that Outlook 2013 uses is 300 seconds.

16. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.

17. Type OAB retry delay override for manual download, and then press the Enter key.

18. In the Details pane, right-click OAB retry delay override for manual download, change the Base to Decimal, and then click Modify.

19. In the Value data box, type a time in seconds for BITS OAB download job for manual download, and then click OK.
    
    Note If you do not set the value for this registry key, the default value that Outlook 2013 uses is 60 seconds.

20. Exit Registry Editor.