Remove or modify exchange policy
Download (Requires .NET Compact Framework 3.5)
For all of you that sync your Samsung Epix with an Exchange server that has a security policy, here’s an application for you! The Exchange Policy Patcher lets you control which, if any, Exchange policies you want to have enforced on your Samsung Epix. If you’re sick of entering a PIN to unlock your phone then check this out.
One really nice thing about removing your Exchange server’s security policy is you can use the Red key on your Samsung Epix to lock it – and unlock it using the * key. Oh, and did I mention this app was written by a Microsoft employee? Woot!
After removing the security policy from your Samsung Epix, go to Start > Settings > Personal tab > Lock to remove your PIN password. After this, you can hold down the Red hang-up/lock key for about 2 seconds to lock your phone!
If you get an error screen when you launch it for the first time, you probably need to install the .NET Compact Framework 3.5.
Note: most companies enforce an Exchange security policy for a reason. Please understand what you are doing in removing the Exchange security policy – I nor the author of this application are responsible if someone that shouldn’t gets ahold of your Samsung Epix!
February 6th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
I was able to install this tool (along with the .NET compact framework 3.5), it allowed me to remove the mandatory password policy enforced by my company’s exchange server, but the mandatory policy was in effect again a short time later. I’m guessing my company’s exchange server forces application of the policy every time my phone synch’s with the server or at some regular time interval or something. What a bummer. I find it uber annoying to enter my pin everytime I want to use my phone.
February 6th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
Meng,
From everything i’ve read Exchange tries to reset these settings on restart – but this program will override the Exchange settings on every restart. I havent heard of Exchange being able to push policy on every activesync, but thats not to say its not possible. My Exchange server only pushes settings down every time i restart.
Can you do a test in which you run this App, remove the exchange policy, and then force an active sync and see if they get forced back to your phone? Also – after running this app make sure to remove your PIN password from: Start > Settings > Personal tab > Lock … if you dont youll still have the PIN prompt.
February 23rd, 2009 at 7:42 pm
I’m sure I’m being slow here – How do I actually remove the pin in the Lock application. I go to that app and it is basically asking me still for my password it seems. Do I just reset the pin from the menu option?
February 23rd, 2009 at 9:54 pm
John,
You have to enter your PIN before you can remove it — its a security measure to make sure that someone thats not you doesnt remove the PIN lock. After entering your PIN you will have the option to remove the PIN.
If youve forgotten you PIN youll need to do a hard reset.
February 24th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
David, I have done a hard reset on my phone, connected back up with my corporate exchange server (which forced me to enter a PIN), I implemented this policy fix, and forced an update with activesync. The policy did not reappear following that sync, BUT it did reappear a few hours later when I looked at my phone again. I’m not sure what happened in that time, but since then I have re-applied the policy fix and my phone has been PIN-free for over a day now. Not sure what’s going on, but I wanted to let you know that it doesn’t appear to be sync or activesync related. I’ll update with more comments if and when I learn more details about the issue.
February 24th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
More information: At some point this afternoon the policy was forced back upon my device. I looked at my phone around 1:00 (after last looking at my phone around 12:00) and saw the screen which was asking me to establish a PIN. Clearly the exchange policy was re-applied to my device and before I could use the device I had to enter a PIN. There was no ‘OK’ button, or other apparent way to exit the PIN entry screen. After pushing a few buttons (the windows logo button, the end /talk buttons, the OK, button, etc) I finally got the start menu to pop up before I entered a PIN, re-ran the policy remover application, and got past the PIN entry screen and successfully avoided the requirement to establigh a PIN.
So, in short, I have more evidence that the policy is pushed to my device on some sort of schedule. Perhaps daily at noon. I’ll send more pertinent information if and when I get it.
March 9th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Suddenly I got some problems with this app.. I have installed .net 3.5 framework, and it was working a while ago…. get the following problem:
An unexpected error has occurred in ExchnagePolicyPatch.exe.
Select Quit and then restart this program, or select Details for more information.
Specified argument was out of the range of valid values.
Parameter name: value
I’ve reinstalled everything, soft reboots, etc – any advice/help?
April 17th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
This app does work but just like Meng reported above, the policy is forced back on my epix each day at about 1:00 PM. Oh well.