Use MFCMapi to locate the Categories used in your mailbox

Scenario:  After mailbox categories have mysteriously disappeared, you want to verify that the categories are not hanging around in the backend of your mailbox.  The concern is that you re-add the categories and if they mysteriously show up, it would create a headache to clean it up.

Solution: The categories that is used throughout the mailbox is located in a hidden area in the calendar. Using MFCMapi, navigate to the PR_ROAMING_XMLSTREAM by following:

1. Session –>Logon
2. Select the mailbox profile for the user affected.
3. Expand Top of Information Store
4. Right click on Calendar and select ‘Open Associated Contents Table’
5. Select the entry with Subject  “IPM.Configuration.CategoryList”
6. Locate and open the property “PR_ROAMING_XMLSTREAM”
7. Copy the contents of the Text value into notepad and parse everything that starts with <category name =”…”
8. Now you can see a list of every category that is associated with the mailbox.