Fix Cannot Delete Exchange 2013 Mailbox Database Error
Question details
The user is unable to delete an Exchange 2013 mailbox database because the system detects remaining mailboxes.
- Product
- Microsoft Exchange 2013
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to remove or decommission an Exchange 2013 mailbox database via the Exchange Management Shell or Admin Center.
- Observed behavior
- Exchange prevents the database from being removed, throwing an error that it still contains user, arbitration, archive, audit, discovery, or public folder mailboxes.
Ensure you have the necessary Exchange Administrator privileges and open the Exchange Management Shell (EMS) as an administrator to execute the required diagnostic commands.
Identify and Move Public Folder Mailboxes
Use Exchange Management Shell commands to locate often-overlooked public folder mailboxes and move them to a new database.
Public folder mailboxes are frequently the cause of this error because they do not always appear in standard mailbox searches. Moving them is essential before database deletion.
In the Exchange Management Shell, run the command 'Remove-MailboxDatabase -Identity "YourDatabaseName" -Verbose'. The verbose output will help identify exactly which mailboxes are preventing the deletion.
Execute the command 'Get-Mailbox -Database "YourDatabaseName" -PublicFolder' to specifically check for any remaining public folder mailboxes in the target database.
Use the 'New-MoveRequest' cmdlet to migrate any discovered public folder mailboxes to an alternate, active mailbox database.
Once all move requests have successfully completed and the database is entirely empty, run the 'Remove-MailboxDatabase' command again to delete it.
Check for Hidden Arbitration and Audit Mailboxes
Search for and relocate hidden system mailboxes, such as arbitration, audit, and archive mailboxes, that prevent database removal.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Exchange say the mailbox database contains a mailbox when it looks empty?
Exchange databases often contain hidden system mailboxes that don't appear in the standard Admin Center view. These include arbitration, audit log, discovery, and public folder mailboxes, all of which must be moved before deletion is allowed.
How do I check the status of my mailbox move requests?
You can check the progress of your move requests by running the command 'Get-MoveRequest | Get-MoveRequestStatistics' in the Exchange Management Shell.
Can I force delete a mailbox database using ADSI Edit?
While it is technically possible to remove database objects via ADSI Edit, it is highly discouraged by Microsoft. Doing so leaves orphaned mailboxes and can cause severe active directory and routing issues. Always clear and remove databases gracefully using EMS.
What is an arbitration mailbox in Exchange 2013?
Arbitration mailboxes are system mailboxes used for storing different types of system data, such as administrator audit logs, metadata for federated sharing, and unified messaging data.
