We run SBS 2K w/ Exchange server, we host our own mail. We initially
installed on drive C: and it is filling up quiclky. We only have the server
and five client emails. How can we reduce the size of the Exchange data base?
I have set up the accounts to archive all emails over two months. My bad
email folder is rather large too? Is there a cleanup utility to purge all
email over two months old from the Exchange Data Base?
--
Robert J H

Re: Exchange Cleanup by Kevin

Kevin
Thu Nov 11 17:31:18 CST 2004

First, how big is your C: drive, and how much space is left?

Second, are you doing Exchange aware backups? You would know if you're not
if you have a ton of 5mb .log files in the Exchsrvr/mdbdata folder.

Third, yes you can get rid of the files inside the bad mail folder. However,
depending on how long it's been collecting you may have thousands of files
in there. If so, it is recommended rather than simply deleting the files
inside the folder, that you rename the folder, create a new bad mail folder,
and then delete then renamed old folder.

Here's a link with more information:
http://msmvps.com/kwsupport/archive/2004/04/01/4555.aspx

Finally,as to deleting old stuff, yes you can set up processes to do that,
but even if you delete mail, by default it is retained in Exchange for 30
days. But with only 5 users, why can't you just go into Outlook for each and
delete anything older than 60 days manually.

--
Kevin Weilbacher [SBS-MVP]
"The days pass by so quickly now, the nights are seldom long"


"Robert" <Robert@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:0F19F954-0D38-48DD-97E7-F093F5974A83@microsoft.com...
> We run SBS 2K w/ Exchange server, we host our own mail. We initially
> installed on drive C: and it is filling up quiclky. We only have the
> server
> and five client emails. How can we reduce the size of the Exchange data
> base?
> I have set up the accounts to archive all emails over two months. My bad
> email folder is rather large too? Is there a cleanup utility to purge all
> email over two months old from the Exchange Data Base?
> --
> Robert J H



Re: Exchange Cleanup by Robert

Robert
Thu Nov 11 19:01:01 CST 2004

Kevin:

First of all thank you in advance for the information.

1. We have a 12GB on the C: Drive of which 1.23GB remains. We also have a
26GB D: drive of which 16.5GB remains. Our largest folder size is the
Exchange server folder in Program Files. We are planning to upgrade to SBS
2003 and I think we will need at least 2GB of free space. Plus Exchange
should not be such a "Giga-Byte Hogg".

2. No we are not doing Exchange Aware backups. I just back up our data files
on the D: drive (not related to Exchange). Can I do an Exchange Aware backup
using the backup program that came w/ SBS 2K? And does this purge old data
from log files?

3. I have a script that I found on this site that I may try to run to remove
the "Bad Data" Folder.

4. I recently installed the Trend Micro Client/ Server /Messaging Suite and
enabled eMail Virus scanning. I turn on the spam filter an saw that an
ex-employee is still recieving eMail. That ex-employee does not have an
Exchange account on the server. However, the Exchange server is still
de-quing the mail from the ISP, it would appear from the spam log. Should'nt
Exchange send a message back to the sender and delete the eMail if a user
account does not exist?

"Kevin Weilbacher [SBS-MVP]" wrote:

> First, how big is your C: drive, and how much space is left?
>
> Second, are you doing Exchange aware backups? You would know if you're not
> if you have a ton of 5mb .log files in the Exchsrvr/mdbdata folder.
>
> Third, yes you can get rid of the files inside the bad mail folder. However,
> depending on how long it's been collecting you may have thousands of files
> in there. If so, it is recommended rather than simply deleting the files
> inside the folder, that you rename the folder, create a new bad mail folder,
> and then delete then renamed old folder.
>
> Here's a link with more information:
> http://msmvps.com/kwsupport/archive/2004/04/01/4555.aspx
>
> Finally,as to deleting old stuff, yes you can set up processes to do that,
> but even if you delete mail, by default it is retained in Exchange for 30
> days. But with only 5 users, why can't you just go into Outlook for each and
> delete anything older than 60 days manually.
>
> --
> Kevin Weilbacher [SBS-MVP]
> "The days pass by so quickly now, the nights are seldom long"
>
>
> "Robert" <Robert@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:0F19F954-0D38-48DD-97E7-F093F5974A83@microsoft.com...
> > We run SBS 2K w/ Exchange server, we host our own mail. We initially
> > installed on drive C: and it is filling up quiclky. We only have the
> > server
> > and five client emails. How can we reduce the size of the Exchange data
> > base?
> > I have set up the accounts to archive all emails over two months. My bad
> > email folder is rather large too? Is there a cleanup utility to purge all
> > email over two months old from the Exchange Data Base?
> > --
> > Robert J H
>
>
>

Re: Exchange Cleanup by Kevin

Kevin
Thu Nov 11 23:01:20 CST 2004

Well, if you are not using NTBackup to do "Exchange aware" backups, then
that's your biggest problem. The issue is not that Exchange is a giga-byte
hog, but that it builds these log files for recovery purposes. The only way
these logs files can, and should be deleted is by doing a proper backup.
Once backed up, NTBackup will automatically purge the unneeded log files.
But you don't want to just delete those .log files.

On just an average day, you may have several of these 5MB files. Multiplied
by how many days you've been running your server without a proper backup,
and yopu have a lot of disk space being eaten up unneccessarily.

After that, if you are still short on disk space, then follow the documented
steps for moving your Exchange database to the D: drive. Most of us install
and setup SBS servers with 3 partitions, one for OS only, one for Exchange
and or other databases, and a third for custom company data files.

You definitely don;t want to update to SBS2003 until you take care of your
disk space problem.

--
Kevin Weilbacher [SBS-MVP]
"The days pass by so quickly now, the nights are seldom long"


"Robert" <Robert@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:D1B04CC6-8FF8-4F61-B9C8-4209619FC060@microsoft.com...
> Kevin:
>
> First of all thank you in advance for the information.
>
> 1. We have a 12GB on the C: Drive of which 1.23GB remains. We also have a
> 26GB D: drive of which 16.5GB remains. Our largest folder size is the
> Exchange server folder in Program Files. We are planning to upgrade to SBS
> 2003 and I think we will need at least 2GB of free space. Plus Exchange
> should not be such a "Giga-Byte Hogg".
>
> 2. No we are not doing Exchange Aware backups. I just back up our data
> files
> on the D: drive (not related to Exchange). Can I do an Exchange Aware
> backup
> using the backup program that came w/ SBS 2K? And does this purge old data
> from log files?
>
> 3. I have a script that I found on this site that I may try to run to
> remove
> the "Bad Data" Folder.
>
> 4. I recently installed the Trend Micro Client/ Server /Messaging Suite
> and
> enabled eMail Virus scanning. I turn on the spam filter an saw that an
> ex-employee is still recieving eMail. That ex-employee does not have an
> Exchange account on the server. However, the Exchange server is still
> de-quing the mail from the ISP, it would appear from the spam log.
> Should'nt
> Exchange send a message back to the sender and delete the eMail if a user
> account does not exist?
>
> "Kevin Weilbacher [SBS-MVP]" wrote:
>
>> First, how big is your C: drive, and how much space is left?
>>
>> Second, are you doing Exchange aware backups? You would know if you're
>> not
>> if you have a ton of 5mb .log files in the Exchsrvr/mdbdata folder.
>>
>> Third, yes you can get rid of the files inside the bad mail folder.
>> However,
>> depending on how long it's been collecting you may have thousands of
>> files
>> in there. If so, it is recommended rather than simply deleting the files
>> inside the folder, that you rename the folder, create a new bad mail
>> folder,
>> and then delete then renamed old folder.
>>
>> Here's a link with more information:
>> http://msmvps.com/kwsupport/archive/2004/04/01/4555.aspx
>>
>> Finally,as to deleting old stuff, yes you can set up processes to do
>> that,
>> but even if you delete mail, by default it is retained in Exchange for 30
>> days. But with only 5 users, why can't you just go into Outlook for each
>> and
>> delete anything older than 60 days manually.
>>
>> --
>> Kevin Weilbacher [SBS-MVP]
>> "The days pass by so quickly now, the nights are seldom long"
>>
>>
>> "Robert" <Robert@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:0F19F954-0D38-48DD-97E7-F093F5974A83@microsoft.com...
>> > We run SBS 2K w/ Exchange server, we host our own mail. We initially
>> > installed on drive C: and it is filling up quiclky. We only have the
>> > server
>> > and five client emails. How can we reduce the size of the Exchange data
>> > base?
>> > I have set up the accounts to archive all emails over two months. My
>> > bad
>> > email folder is rather large too? Is there a cleanup utility to purge
>> > all
>> > email over two months old from the Exchange Data Base?
>> > --
>> > Robert J H
>>
>>
>>



Re: Exchange Cleanup by Robert

Robert
Fri Nov 12 14:11:05 CST 2004

Dude!!!
Thanks for the info.... Went from 1.2GB on the C: drive to 4.5GB. Thanks again

"Kevin Weilbacher [SBS-MVP]" wrote:

> Well, if you are not using NTBackup to do "Exchange aware" backups, then
> that's your biggest problem. The issue is not that Exchange is a giga-byte
> hog, but that it builds these log files for recovery purposes. The only way
> these logs files can, and should be deleted is by doing a proper backup.
> Once backed up, NTBackup will automatically purge the unneeded log files.
> But you don't want to just delete those .log files.
>
> On just an average day, you may have several of these 5MB files. Multiplied
> by how many days you've been running your server without a proper backup,
> and yopu have a lot of disk space being eaten up unneccessarily.
>
> After that, if you are still short on disk space, then follow the documented
> steps for moving your Exchange database to the D: drive. Most of us install
> and setup SBS servers with 3 partitions, one for OS only, one for Exchange
> and or other databases, and a third for custom company data files.
>
> You definitely don;t want to update to SBS2003 until you take care of your
> disk space problem.
>
> --
> Kevin Weilbacher [SBS-MVP]
> "The days pass by so quickly now, the nights are seldom long"
>
>
> "Robert" <Robert@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:D1B04CC6-8FF8-4F61-B9C8-4209619FC060@microsoft.com...
> > Kevin:
> >
> > First of all thank you in advance for the information.
> >
> > 1. We have a 12GB on the C: Drive of which 1.23GB remains. We also have a
> > 26GB D: drive of which 16.5GB remains. Our largest folder size is the
> > Exchange server folder in Program Files. We are planning to upgrade to SBS
> > 2003 and I think we will need at least 2GB of free space. Plus Exchange
> > should not be such a "Giga-Byte Hogg".
> >
> > 2. No we are not doing Exchange Aware backups. I just back up our data
> > files
> > on the D: drive (not related to Exchange). Can I do an Exchange Aware
> > backup
> > using the backup program that came w/ SBS 2K? And does this purge old data
> > from log files?
> >
> > 3. I have a script that I found on this site that I may try to run to
> > remove
> > the "Bad Data" Folder.
> >
> > 4. I recently installed the Trend Micro Client/ Server /Messaging Suite
> > and
> > enabled eMail Virus scanning. I turn on the spam filter an saw that an
> > ex-employee is still recieving eMail. That ex-employee does not have an
> > Exchange account on the server. However, the Exchange server is still
> > de-quing the mail from the ISP, it would appear from the spam log.
> > Should'nt
> > Exchange send a message back to the sender and delete the eMail if a user
> > account does not exist?
> >
> > "Kevin Weilbacher [SBS-MVP]" wrote:
> >
> >> First, how big is your C: drive, and how much space is left?
> >>
> >> Second, are you doing Exchange aware backups? You would know if you're
> >> not
> >> if you have a ton of 5mb .log files in the Exchsrvr/mdbdata folder.
> >>
> >> Third, yes you can get rid of the files inside the bad mail folder.
> >> However,
> >> depending on how long it's been collecting you may have thousands of
> >> files
> >> in there. If so, it is recommended rather than simply deleting the files
> >> inside the folder, that you rename the folder, create a new bad mail
> >> folder,
> >> and then delete then renamed old folder.
> >>
> >> Here's a link with more information:
> >> http://msmvps.com/kwsupport/archive/2004/04/01/4555.aspx
> >>
> >> Finally,as to deleting old stuff, yes you can set up processes to do
> >> that,
> >> but even if you delete mail, by default it is retained in Exchange for 30
> >> days. But with only 5 users, why can't you just go into Outlook for each
> >> and
> >> delete anything older than 60 days manually.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Kevin Weilbacher [SBS-MVP]
> >> "The days pass by so quickly now, the nights are seldom long"
> >>
> >>
> >> "Robert" <Robert@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:0F19F954-0D38-48DD-97E7-F093F5974A83@microsoft.com...
> >> > We run SBS 2K w/ Exchange server, we host our own mail. We initially
> >> > installed on drive C: and it is filling up quiclky. We only have the
> >> > server
> >> > and five client emails. How can we reduce the size of the Exchange data
> >> > base?
> >> > I have set up the accounts to archive all emails over two months. My
> >> > bad
> >> > email folder is rather large too? Is there a cleanup utility to purge
> >> > all
> >> > email over two months old from the Exchange Data Base?
> >> > --
> >> > Robert J H
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>

Re: Exchange Cleanup by Lanwench

Lanwench
Sat Nov 13 10:42:57 CST 2004

Robert wrote:
> Dude!!!
> Thanks for the info.... Went from 1.2GB on the C: drive to 4.5GB.
> Thanks again

Glad to hear it. In addition, I strongly recommend that you move your
database & log folders to another volume - ideally one with no other
function/use. See
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q257184 for help.

Also, for badmail, I usually redirect it elsewhere (d:\badmail) in the
virtual smtp server properties, and use a scheduled batch file to purge it
daily - cheap & cheerful method.

del <full path to badmail>\*.* /q

>
> "Kevin Weilbacher [SBS-MVP]" wrote:
>
>> Well, if you are not using NTBackup to do "Exchange aware" backups,
>> then that's your biggest problem. The issue is not that Exchange is
>> a giga-byte hog, but that it builds these log files for recovery
>> purposes. The only way these logs files can, and should be deleted
>> is by doing a proper backup. Once backed up, NTBackup will
>> automatically purge the unneeded log files. But you don't want to
>> just delete those .log files.
>>
>> On just an average day, you may have several of these 5MB files.
>> Multiplied by how many days you've been running your server without
>> a proper backup, and yopu have a lot of disk space being eaten up
>> unneccessarily.
>>
>> After that, if you are still short on disk space, then follow the
>> documented steps for moving your Exchange database to the D: drive.
>> Most of us install and setup SBS servers with 3 partitions, one for
>> OS only, one for Exchange and or other databases, and a third for
>> custom company data files.
>>
>> You definitely don;t want to update to SBS2003 until you take care
>> of your disk space problem.
>>
>> --
>> Kevin Weilbacher [SBS-MVP]
>> "The days pass by so quickly now, the nights are seldom long"
>>
>>
>> "Robert" <Robert@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:D1B04CC6-8FF8-4F61-B9C8-4209619FC060@microsoft.com...
>>> Kevin:
>>>
>>> First of all thank you in advance for the information.
>>>
>>> 1. We have a 12GB on the C: Drive of which 1.23GB remains. We also
>>> have a 26GB D: drive of which 16.5GB remains. Our largest folder
>>> size is the Exchange server folder in Program Files. We are
>>> planning to upgrade to SBS 2003 and I think we will need at least
>>> 2GB of free space. Plus Exchange should not be such a "Giga-Byte
>>> Hogg".
>>>
>>> 2. No we are not doing Exchange Aware backups. I just back up our
>>> data files
>>> on the D: drive (not related to Exchange). Can I do an Exchange
>>> Aware backup
>>> using the backup program that came w/ SBS 2K? And does this purge
>>> old data from log files?
>>>
>>> 3. I have a script that I found on this site that I may try to run
>>> to remove
>>> the "Bad Data" Folder.
>>>
>>> 4. I recently installed the Trend Micro Client/ Server /Messaging
>>> Suite and
>>> enabled eMail Virus scanning. I turn on the spam filter an saw that
>>> an ex-employee is still recieving eMail. That ex-employee does not
>>> have an Exchange account on the server. However, the Exchange
>>> server is still de-quing the mail from the ISP, it would appear
>>> from the spam log. Should'nt
>>> Exchange send a message back to the sender and delete the eMail if
>>> a user account does not exist?
>>>
>>> "Kevin Weilbacher [SBS-MVP]" wrote:
>>>
>>>> First, how big is your C: drive, and how much space is left?
>>>>
>>>> Second, are you doing Exchange aware backups? You would know if
>>>> you're not
>>>> if you have a ton of 5mb .log files in the Exchsrvr/mdbdata folder.
>>>>
>>>> Third, yes you can get rid of the files inside the bad mail folder.
>>>> However,
>>>> depending on how long it's been collecting you may have thousands
>>>> of files
>>>> in there. If so, it is recommended rather than simply deleting the
>>>> files inside the folder, that you rename the folder, create a new
>>>> bad mail folder,
>>>> and then delete then renamed old folder.
>>>>
>>>> Here's a link with more information:
>>>> http://msmvps.com/kwsupport/archive/2004/04/01/4555.aspx
>>>>
>>>> Finally,as to deleting old stuff, yes you can set up processes to
>>>> do that,
>>>> but even if you delete mail, by default it is retained in Exchange
>>>> for 30 days. But with only 5 users, why can't you just go into
>>>> Outlook for each and
>>>> delete anything older than 60 days manually.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Kevin Weilbacher [SBS-MVP]
>>>> "The days pass by so quickly now, the nights are seldom long"
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "Robert" <Robert@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:0F19F954-0D38-48DD-97E7-F093F5974A83@microsoft.com...
>>>>> We run SBS 2K w/ Exchange server, we host our own mail. We
>>>>> initially installed on drive C: and it is filling up quiclky. We
>>>>> only have the server
>>>>> and five client emails. How can we reduce the size of the
>>>>> Exchange data base?
>>>>> I have set up the accounts to archive all emails over two months.
>>>>> My bad
>>>>> email folder is rather large too? Is there a cleanup utility to
>>>>> purge all
>>>>> email over two months old from the Exchange Data Base?
>>>>> --
>>>>> Robert J H