Cannot sync iPhone with Exchange ActiveSync

Description

When trying to connect iPhone to Exchange 2010 (or 2007) with ActiveSync the following error message is shown on the iPhone:
"The connection to the server failed"

In addition to that, the following event is added to the Exchange server:
Event ID: 1008
Source: MSExchange ActiveSync

An exception occurred and was handled by Exchange ActiveSync. This may have been caused by an outdated or corrupted Exchange ActiveSync device partnership. This can occur if a user tries to modify the same item from multiple computers. If this is the case, Exchange ActiveSync will re-create the partnership with the device. Items will be updated at the next synchronization.

URL=/Microsoft-Server-ActiveSync/default.eas?User=username&DeviceId=whatever&DeviceType=iPhone&Cmd=FolderSync
--- Exception start ---
Exception type: Microsoft.Exchange.AirSync.AirSyncPermanentException
Exception message: The device container ExchangeActiveSyncDevices for the user 'domain\username' in Active Directory couldn't be created.
Exception level: 0
HttpStatusCode: 500
AirSyncStatusCode: 111
XmlResponse:
This request does not contain a WBXML response.
Exception stack trace: at Microsoft.Exchange.AirSync.ADDeviceManager.CreateActiveSyncDeviceContainer(Boolean retryIfFailed)
at Microsoft.Exchange.AirSync.ADDeviceManager.CreateActiveSyncDevice(GlobalInfo globalInfo, ExDateTime syncStorageCreationTime, Boolean retryIfFailed)
at Microsoft.Exchange.AirSync.Command.UpdateADDevice(GlobalInfo globalInfo)
at Microsoft.Exchange.AirSync.Command.WorkerThread()
--- Exception end ---.


Solution

Make sure the user you try to use has "Include inheritable permissions from this object's paret" checked on the Active Directory user's permissions.

1. Open "Active Directory Users and Computers" (dsa.msc).
2. Go to "View" and make sure "Advanced Features" is checked, if it isn't - check it.
3. Find the problematic user and open its "Properties" (right click --> Properties).
4. Go to the "Security" tab and click on the "Advanced" button.
5. Verify that the "Include inheritable permissions from this object's parent" checkbox is checked. If it is, you may try to reset the user's permissions by clicking on the "Restore defaults" button.

Affected software:

Microsoft Exchange 2007
Microsoft Exchange 2007 SP1
Microsoft Exchange 2007 SP2
Microsoft Exchange 2010




Comments:

Comment #1 from Tim [Username: Guest] at 19/11/2010 21:27
Many many many thanks!! I cannot tell you how long I have been looking for this answer.

Thanks!!
Comment #2 from Steven [Username: Guest] at 16/08/2011 15:46
Works for me!!!

Thanks!!!
Comment #3 from Steven [Username: Guest] at 16/08/2011 15:55
Works for me!!!

Thanks!!!
Comment #4 from Steven [Username: Guest] at 16/08/2011 15:55
Many thanks! Solved my problem!
Comment #5 from Dmitry [Username: Guest] at 26/09/2011 12:44
Many many thanks!!! Best solution! Amazing.
Comment #6 from Steve [Username: Guest] at 27/10/2011 08:32
I would kiss you right now!
Comment #7 from SteveF [Username: Guest] at 14/11/2011 21:53
Where do I set these permissions to
Comment #8 from SteveF [Username: Guest] at 14/11/2011 23:13
On what folder do I need to check for these permissions?
Comment #9 from Chris [Username: Guest] at 15/11/2011 15:45
Perfect Solution!!!!

The same worked for me!
Comment #10 from Kobi Shmueli [Username: Kobi_S] at 27/11/2011 05:48
SteveF: Search the user on the Active Directory Users and Computers console (dsa.msc)
Comment #11 from Gary [Username: Guest] at 20/01/2012 16:30
Super stuff sorted...thanks very much.
Comment #12 from SprDave [Username: Guest] at 18/02/2012 22:59
Had to happen to me on President's iphone after 2003 to 2010 migration.. thanks!
Comment #13 from Perri [Username: Guest] at 06/03/2012 15:43
Really appreciate the help.
Comment #14 from El Dudo [Username: Guest] at 18/04/2012 16:42
Thank you!
Happened to just one user using an iPhone after a 2003 to 2010 migration. Weird thing is that other users have iPhones and they were OK.
Comment #15 from TTG [Username: Guest] at 19/04/2012 00:22
AWESOME!!!!! WORKED GREAT!
Comment #16 from Ram [Username: Guest] at 10/06/2012 01:49
Where do I find the "Active Directory user's permissions" ??
Thanks

Comment #17 from Kobi Shmueli [Username: Kobi_S] at 11/06/2012 02:15
Thanks for the feedback, I updated the KB article with more detailed instructions.

-Kobi.
Comment #18 from Raymond Wong [Username: Guest] at 04/07/2012 11:28
Really thanks to your post, this saved my time.
Again Thank you very much!!!
Comment #19 from ThomA [Username: Guest] at 16/07/2012 20:37
Thank you.It work's
Comment #20 from Chris Grosskopf [Username: Guest] at 19/07/2012 22:05
Great find. Worked like a charm for me. I had the same scenario as El Dudo. Migration from 2003 to 2010. Only one user had this issue.
Comment #21 from Erwin Craps [Username: Guest] at 27/08/2012 12:35
pfff....
Why, why, why...
Thx for sharing.

Some users had this option turned and some not.
No idea why this is...
Comment #22 from Erez [Username: Guest] at 28/09/2012 16:23
Many thanks!!!
Comment #23 from MUJ [Username: Guest] at 06/11/2012 01:52
That works very well.

Thank you
Comment #24 from Roy Hou [Username: Guest] at 26/11/2012 06:44
Thanks, you are life saver!
Comment #25 from Michael Brunson [Username: Guest] at 03/12/2012 18:40
Thank you. Thank you.
Comment #26 from Cristian [Username: Guest] at 06/12/2012 17:24
Thanks very much!!!! it works
Comment #27 from Andy [Username: Guest] at 07/12/2012 12:35
I had the same problem which turned out to be an email stuck in the users outbox on the iphone. It was just st there saying "sending 1 of 1" - deleted and errors stopped
Comment #28 from Arm [Username: Guest] at 10/12/2012 19:12
You star- your fix worked a treat. Thanks
Comment #29 from Prasad [Username: Guest] at 16/12/2012 03:42
Thank You !! It works for me....
Comment #30 from Guest [Username: Guest] at 20/12/2012 09:05
Thanks much. Worked for us. Like others, we migrated from 2003 to 2010.
Comment #31 from John [Username: Guest] at 19/02/2013 22:42
Thanks Man! That worked
Comment #32 from Ashraf [Username: Guest] at 21/05/2013 15:47
Thanks a lot for the fix, I wish I found it before my System Admin destroys our network while trying to upgrade our Active Directory to solve this problem.

Thanks again, and I am sure it'll help us and others a lot :).
Comment #33 from Carlos Pepe [Username: Guest] at 28/05/2013 04:40
Many, many, many thanks!!!!
Comment #34 from Marco [Username: Guest] at 11/06/2013 17:22
Thank you very mouch!!! I had the same problem on Android 4.2.2 and you gave me the solution!!!
Comment #35 from Kevin [Username: Guest] at 11/08/2013 15:04
Thank you very much
Comment #36 from Dan [Username: Guest] at 18/09/2013 21:46
Awesome, thank you for posting this!
Comment #37 from Jools [Username: Guest] at 30/09/2013 23:49
Thanks Kobi, guys like you save the rest of us hours of frustration!
Comment #38 from Johnny [Username: Guest] at 01/10/2013 17:50
I had been researching this issue for about 5 hours. All the documents, etc. were leading me toward all the wrong issue. It turned out that resetting the user account permissions to defaults as your suggestion above states, fixed the issue right away. I have Exchange 2010 SP3, Roll up 2. Was having this issue for one particular user regardless of the device type.
Comment #39 from Tim Mak [Username: Guest] at 09/12/2013 16:55
Thanks, thanks, thanks!!! The same issue on Exchange 2013 CU2.
Comment #40 from Francis [Username: Guest] at 21/12/2013 00:53
Thank you very much. I had the same problem on only one particular user. I searched around and read all documents for hours and finally I found your suggestion. It solved my problem right away.
Comment #41 from Sysadmin Paul [Username: Guest] at 25/02/2014 18:05
Many Thanks
Comment #42 from Andreas [Username: Guest] at 04/03/2014 11:19
Thanks a lot for this fix! I couldnt sleep for many days because of that Problem! I had the Problem after migrating from SBS2003 to SBS2011 on only one particular user, my Boss :-O
Comment #43 from Samy [Username: Guest] at 16/05/2014 23:08
This didn't work for months! Thank you so much!!!
Comment #44 from Pede [Username: Guest] at 28/07/2014 16:52
Many Thanks!!!
Comment #45 from None [Username: Guest] at 17/10/2014 13:05
Thanks!
Comment #46 from None [Username: Guest] at 01/12/2014 07:43
thanks for the fix!
Comment #47 from none [Username: Guest] at 12/12/2014 03:45
I had been researching this issue for about 5 hours. All the documents, etc. were leading me toward all the wrong issue. It turned out that resetting the user account permissions to defaults as your suggestion above states, fixed the issue right away. I have Exchange 2010 SP3, Roll up 2. Was having this issue for one particular user regardless of the device type.

Thanks
Comment #48 from JVa [Username: Guest] at 06/01/2015 16:30
Thank you so much for sharing solution. It helps a lot.
Comment #49 from Sergio [Username: Guest] at 03/02/2015 04:21
I have Exchange 2013 and this did the tricks! Thanks
Comment #50 from Mark Kenney [Username: Guest] at 04/03/2015 02:18
I had similar issue, but was a different error with same event. I was able to resolve it via the follow post... http://www.grishbi.com/2015/03/unable-to-configure-phone-with-exchange-2010-via-activesync-event-1008/
Comment #51 from None [Username: Guest] at 22/06/2015 16:11
After hours of time wasted, this solution worked great. Thanks so much, you saved he day.
Comment #52 from Volker [Username: Guest] at 13/08/2015 17:58
brilliant! 5 hours wasted time, now solved in 5 minutes
Comment #53 from none [Username: Guest] at 14/09/2015 02:43
Worked for me on 14/September/2015
Comment #54 from Marco, from The Netherlands [Username: Guest] at 02/12/2015 16:51
You are my life saver. Thanks for writing this. Had an issue with one user with an iPhone 6 and Exchange 2013. ActiveSync stared working immediately after enabling inheritance.
Comment #55 from Joe Croce [Username: Guest] at 29/04/2016 23:01
Excellent Job. Was driving me nuts. Worked like a charm. Cudos!!!
Comment #56 from Giacomo [Username: Guest] at 23/12/2016 12:07
You are n°1 ! Resolved on Exchange 2013.
Comment #57 from WILLY [Username: Guest] at 14/11/2018 16:08
THANK YOU!! IT WORKS
Comment #58 from CRISTIAN [Username: Guest] at 16/03/2021 16:56
10 years ago, your post is still useful.


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