Uninstall Cannot Continue Database mailbox Database Exchange 2010 Contains One or More

Exchange 2013 Database Removal Error: "This mailbox database contains one or more mailboxes"

When attempting to remove a database from an Exchange Server 2013 mailbox server you may encounter the following error.

Error attempting to remove an Exchange Server 2013 database

This mailbox database contains one or more mailboxes, mailbox plans, archive mailboxes, public folder mailboxes or arbitration mailboxes.

This error can occur even on a brand new mailbox database that you have not migrated any mailboxes to or created new mailboxes on.

The error message contains details that describe both the root cause (mailboxes that still exist on the database) and the solution (removing the mailboxes). Let's take a look at each of the mailbox types and the required actions to move or remove them.

• Mailbox Users
• Archive Mailboxes
• Arbitration Mailboxes
• Public Folder Mailboxes
• Mailbox Plans
• Completing the Removal of an Exchange 2013 Database

Mailbox Users

Normal mailbox users can be moved to another database. To move the mailboxes issue a New-MoveRequest command and wait for the moves to complete.

For example, to move the mailboxes from "Mailbox Database 2" to "Mailbox Database 1" the following command is used.

[PS] C:\>Get-Mailbox -Database "Mailbox Database 2" | New-MoveRequest -TargetDatabase "Mailbox Database 1"

Archive Mailboxes

The cmdlet provided in the error message does not actually help you identify archive mailboxes located on the database in question. For example if I am trying to remove "Mailbox Database 2", the error message tells me:

To get a list of archive mailboxes in this database, run the command Get-Mailbox -Database DatabaseID -Archive.

However, running that command shows me no results.

[PS] C:\>Get-Mailbox -Database "Mailbox Database 2" -Archive

Instead I can run this command to identify mailboxes with the ArchiveDatabase attribute matching the database that I'm trying to remove.

[PS] C:\>Get-Mailbox | Where ArchiveDatabase -eq "Mailbox Database 2"  Name                      Alias                ServerName       ProhibitSendQuota ----                      -----                ----------       ----------------- Ana.Williams              Ana.Williams         e15mb1           Unlimited Dawn.Evans                Dawn.Evans           e15mb1           Unlimited Chris Brown               chris.brown          e15mb1           Unlimited

To move those archive mailboxes I can issue the New-MoveRequest cmdlet again.

[PS] C:\>Get-Mailbox | Where ArchiveDatabase -eq "Mailbox Database 2 | New-MoveRequest -ArchiveOnly -ArchiveTargetDatabase "Mailbox Database 1"

Arbitration Mailboxes

Arbitration mailboxes serve a variety of purposes in Exchange Server 2013, but the important thing at the moment is that they will prevent removal of the database on which they reside.

To view the arbitration mailboxes for a database append the -Arbitration switch to the Get-Mailbox command.

[PS] C:\>Get-Mailbox -Database "Mailbox Database 2" -Arbitration  Name                      Alias                ServerName       ProhibitSendQuota ----                      -----                ----------       ----------------- SystemMailbox{1f05a927... SystemMailbox{1f0... e15mb2           Unlimited SystemMailbox{bb558c35... SystemMailbox{bb5... e15mb2           Unlimited SystemMailbox{e0dc1c29... SystemMailbox{e0d... e15mb2           Unlimited Migration.8f3e7716-201... Migration.8f3e771... e15mb2           300 MB (314,572,800 bytes) FederatedEmail.4c1f4d8... FederatedEmail.4c... e15mb2           1 MB (1,048,576 bytes)

Arbitration mailboxes can be moved to another database like any other mailbox move request.

[PS] C:\>Get-Mailbox -Database "Mailbox Database 2" -Arbitration | New-MoveRequest -TargetDatabase "Mailbox Database 1"

Public Folder Mailboxes

In Exchange Server 2013 public folder data is stored in special "public folder mailboxes" that can reside within the same databases as regular mailboxes. To check a database for public folder mailboxes run the following command.

[PS] C:\>get-mailbox -Database "Mailbox Database 2" -PublicFolder  Name                      Alias                ServerName       ProhibitSendQuota ----                      -----                ----------       ----------------- Public Folder Test        PublicFolderTest     e15mb2           Unlimited

Public folder mailboxes can be moved the same as other mailboxes.

[PS] C:\>Get-Mailbox -Database "Mailbox Database 2" -PublicFolder | New-MoveRequest -TargetDatabase "Mailbox Database 1"

Mailbox Plans

Mailbox plans are not relevant for on-premise installations of Exchange Server 2013 so you can disregard these.

Completing the Removal of an Exchange 2013 Database

When all of the above mailbox types have been removed from a database you can proceed with the removal of the database itself.

In the Exchange Admin Center navigate to Servers -> Databases, highlight the database you wish to remove and then click on the trash icon.

If you were successful in identifying and removing all of the mailboxes from the database then the database removal should complete successfully.

About the Author

Paul is a former Microsoft MVP for Office Apps and Services. He works as a consultant, writer, and trainer specializing in Office 365 and Exchange Server. Paul no longer writes for Practical365.com.

childersthatted.blogspot.com

Source: https://practical365.com/exchange-2013-database-removal-error-this-mailbox-database-contains-one-or-more-mailboxes/