Exchange 2010 – Can’t Delete Mailbox Database

While doing some housekeeping on an Exchange 2010 server, I needed to delete a mailbox database but couldn’t getting the error shown below:

PROBLEM:

The mailbox database ‘Mailbox Database 2 G-L’ cannot be deleted.

Mailbox Database 2 G-L

Failed

Error:This mailbox database contains one or more mailboxes, mailbox plans, archive mailboxes, or arbitration mailboxes. To get a list of all mailboxes in this database, run the command Get-Mailbox -Database <Database ID>. To get a list of all mailbox plans in this database, run the command Get-MailboxPlan. To get a list of archive mailboxes in this database, run the command Get-Mailbox -Database <Database ID> -Archive. To get a list of all arbitration mailboxes in this database, run the command Get-Mailbox -Database <Database ID> -Arbitration. To disable a non-arbitration mailbox so that you can delete the mailbox database, run the command Disable-Mailbox <Mailbox ID>. To disable an archive mailbox so you can delete the mailbox database, run the command Disable-Mailbox <Mailbox ID> -Archive. Arbitration mailboxes should be moved to another server; to do this, run the command New-MoveRequest <parameters>. If this is the last server in the organization, run the command Disable-Mailbox <Mailbox ID> -Arbitration DisableLastArbitrationMailboxAllowed to disable the arbitration mailbox. Mailbox plans should be moved to another server; to do this, run the command Set-MailboxPlan <MailboxPlan ID> -Database <Database ID>.

RESOLUTION:

You’ll find there is some mailbox(es) still on the database, but they may not be visible via the GUI. A possible is a person has a mailbox created, but they have yet to login or recieve a mail, in which case a mailbox is not created yet but is still homed there, the other is an arbitration mailbox that needs to be moved before the database can go.

To fix follow the procedure below:

> get-mailbox -database "Mailbox Database 2 G-L" -Arbitration

Name Alias ServerName ProhibitSendQuota

—- —– ———- —————–

SystemMailbox{1f05a927… SystemMailbox{1f0… exch-mbx2 unlimited

SystemMailbox{e0dc1c29… SystemMailbox{e0d… exch-mbx2 unlimited

Here there are two arbitration mailboxes that need to be moved!

> get-mailbox -Database “Mailbox Database 2 G-L” -Arbitration | New-MoveRequest -TargetDatabase “MBX2_DB1”

DisplayName Status TotalMailboxSize TotalArchiveSize PercentComplete

———– —— —————- —————- —————

Microsoft Exchange App… Queued 161.1 KB (164,933 bytes) 0

Microsoft Exchange Queued 22.7 MB (23,803,480 by… 0

> Get-MoveRequest

DisplayName Status TargetDatabase

———– —— ————–

Microsoft Exchange Approval Assistant CompletionInProgress MBX2_DB1

Microsoft Exchange CompletionInProgress MBX2_DB1

Wait for them to complete then re-run the first command to check for any hidden mailboxes again.

Nothing shown, we should be good to delete that mailbox store now!