Source: Microsoft Author: By default, Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 does not exist in the drive M mapping to IFS applies IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before modifying the registry, you must back up the registry and must know how to restore the registry when there is a problem. For information on how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the article number below to see the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 256986 Microsoft Windows Registry Description Summary By default, Exchange Server 2003 "installed File System "(IFS) is not mapped to drive M or any other drive letter. By default, IFS in Exchange 2000 Server will be mapped to drive M. This article discusses changes in behavior in Exchange Server 2003 and introduces a method. This method can be used if you want to enable the drive M to IFS mapping in Exchange 2003. MORE IFT When you perform new installation of Exchange Server 2003 or when you upgrade to Exchange Server 2003, the IFS will not map to the M drive. The purpose of this change in Exchange Server 2003 is to prevent accidental data damage caused by manually modifying data on the drive M, or due to an unexpected data damage caused by file-level virus scan or backup and restore operations on the drive M. IFS provides access to Exchange information storage by using Win32 file system API. IFS support //./backofficeStorage/ namespace. Exchange 2000 also supports the drive namespace. By default, M: /. IFS is first introduced in Exchange 2000, where the purpose is to provide a method of accessing Exchange 2000 information stored by using a standard file system interface. Note that even when the drive m (or another drive letter mapping) does not exist, //. / BackofficeStorage / namespace is still available. In some cases, you may wish to enable the drive M to IFS mapping. Here are some examples in these situations you might want to implement this mapping: you use Microsoft FrontPage Extensions and Microsoft Web Storage System. Develop programs that use drives M to IFS. Note: Unless you have specific reasons to enable drive M mapping, please don't do this. Enable drive M to IFS mapping in Exchange Server 2003 WARNING: "Registry Editor" can cause serious problems and may need to reinstall the operating system. Microsoft does not guarantee that you can solve problems caused by improper use of the Registry Editor. Use Registry Editor at your own risk. Enable drive m in Exchange Server 2003: 1. Click Start, and then click Run. 2. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK. 3. Find and click the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / SYSTEM / CURRENTCAL_MACHINE / SYSTEM / CURRENTCAL_MACHINE / SYSTEM / CURRENTCAL_MACHINE / SYSTEM / CURRENTCONTROLSET / SERVICES / EXIFS / Parameters 4. On the Edit menu, point to "New", then click "String Value". 5. Type Driveletter and press ENTER. 6. On the Edit menu, click Modify.
7. In the Value Data box, type M and click OK. Note: If you want to map IFS to other drive characters other than M, type the required drive feeder in the "Numerical Data" box. 8. Exit the Registry Editor. 9. Restart the "Exchange Information Store" service. The drive M can only be seen after restarting the "Exchange Information Store" service. The drive M is only used when you want to access non-MAPI data. If you want to allow users to access the drive M, this is achieved by using the "Web folder". Do not share the contents of the drive M. If you want to disable the drive M (after you have enabled it using the procedure described above), you may have to run the script recorded in the Microsoft Knowledge Base article to successfully remove the IFS drive map in Exchange Server 2003: 305145 How To: remove the ifs mapping for Drive M in Exchange 2000 Server For additional information, click the article number below to see the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 298924 XADM: DO NOT BACK UP OR Scan Exchange 2000 Drive M, HTTP : //www.5dmail.net/html/2004-12-3/2004123175426.htm
