Create New Top-Level Public Folders in Exchange 2000/2003

How can I create new Top-Level Public Folders in Exchange 2000/2003?

Public folders can be administered and created using the 32-bit Exchange clients such as Exchange and Outlook, but also by using other tools such as Windows Explorer etc.
To create a Top-Level Public Folder via Outlook perform the following:

  1. Start the Outlook client
  2. Expand “Public Folders” and double click on “All Public Folders”
  3. From the File menu select New – Folder

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Note: In Outlook 2003 the same process looks like this:
new toplevel pf ol11 small

  1. In the dialog enter a name and click OK

Note: In Outlook 2003 the process looks like this:
new toplevel pf ol11 1 small

  1. To create other non-top-level folders just select the folder that you wish to be the parent and select New – Folder from the File menu. You will then be able to name the sub-folder as with above.
  2. You can also drag any folder from your own Mailbox or from another top-level PF to the PF list.

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To create a new Public Folder from within Windows Explorer do the following:

  1. On your Exchange server open Windows Explorer and go to your M:\ drive.
  2. Drill down to the Public Folder store.
  3. Right click it and choose New.

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  1. Give it any name you want.

Note: To perform some client-side security settings youll have to return to Outlook and change the settings from there.
Exchange 2003 note: Exchange Server 2003 does not expose drive M: by default. In order to access Alternate PF Trees via EXIFS in Exchange Server 2003 youll need to re-create drive M: and only then follow the tip found on this page.
In order to re-create drive M: on Exchange Server 2003 follow instructions on the Restore the M Drive Mapping in Exchange 2003 page. This will re-create drive M: for you.