Inside iPhone 3.0: Fix too-strict passcode lock settings for Exchange users

I've done "all of the above" to fix this problem with 3.0 syncing with MS Exchange. I've talked with our IT people who told me they have not put any passcode 'rules' on the server.

Bottom line: Iphone 3.0 will not keep my password in the settings for Exchange ActiveSync. I back out of the password entry 'page' and then go back in...and the password is gone.

Solutions? Our IT person wants to know too for other Iphone people. I may have to get an unwanted Blackberry if not fixed. :(

My school required that we download a profile to use POP e-mail and the school's VPN client. This profile added a time-lock and password restriction onto my own personal phone, which I did not agree with. Since the profile was unsigned, I downloaded it onto my own computer and opened it in Notepad to see that it's laid out in an XML-like schema. I merely edited the parameters (which were pretty clearly marked) and searched Apple for the ones I didn't understand, and then downloaded it to my phone. It worked perfectly.

Anyone with a VPN or e-mail profile with similarly restrictive settings might want to try that.

I had this problem for the longest time with the 3.0 beta and had no idea what was causing it. I had to guess every password I could remember before I got it right.

I don`t have any issues with the pass-code lock setting but then I am not sure how our Exchange sever security policy is set up. Good to know regardless.

FWIW, this isn't new with 3.0. I encountered this once or twice on the 2.x.x firmwares. My fix was simply deleting the mail account and recreating it--it never did require a complete restore of the firmware.

this is crap. I know that most people who use exchange usually have long complicated passwords which are hard to remember. this should not be a feature. It should be an option.

My expectations of Exchange-anything is VERY low. I had this problem too, but I managed to figure it out. It was only natural for me to blame Microsoft, as I'm an Entourage user.

I have no idea what my IT department was thinking when they moved to Exchange. It totally stinks from the users vantage point, and the conversion cost in my company was TREMENDOUS.

But admittedly, having a 10,000 mailbox Exchange installation under the IT Director's belt must look pretty great.

Oh yeah, I guess I do know what IT was thinking - career mobility.

I didn't have this problem, but thanks for the info.

Thank you very much! This was bugging me and thankfully is better now.

I had this problem when I first installed the 3.0 betas. The best way to get rid of this problem is to restore your firmware (complete wipe) instead of upgrading (changing OS files).

One other unfortunate problem that's cropped up since installing 3.0 is that you can no longer save your VPN passwords. It now asks for it every time. =/