Exchange 2003 - cannot purge mailbox

[benst...@gmail.com]

Hey all,

I'm trying to remove an oprhaned mailbox from an Exchange 2003 back end
server. Every time I right-click and purge I get this error:

"The operation cannot be performed because this mailbox was already
reconnected to an existing user.

ID no: c1034ad6
Exchange System Manager"

Not sure how this orphan was created but the user exists in AD and has
his exchange mailbox attached on a different server.

If I create a new user and attempt to reconnect the orphaned mailbox to
it, it gives me the same error.

Any ideas anyone .. I've seen this error reported in a few places but
can't find the solution to this specific problem, as I just want to
delete this duplicate not reconnect it to anything.

Thanks
Ben

[benst...@gmail.com]

Is it safe to just dismount the store, rename the edb, and remount the
store? I don't want to save the contents of the mailbox.

Thanks,
Ben

[Andy David - MVP]

Have you tried to simply delete the mailbox first in the ESM?

[Rich Matheisen [MVP]]

benst...@gmail.com wrote:

The legacyExchangeDN name assigned to that mailbox is also assigned to
some other, currently active, mailbox.

Find the active mailbox with the same directory name and the delete
the mailbox from that user. Then purge the mailbox you want to get rid
of. Then reconnect the mailbox you want to keep (the one you deleted
from the active user) to the original user.

--
Rich Matheisen
MCSE+I, Exchange MVP
MS Exchange FAQ at http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm
Don't send mail to this address mailto:h.p...@getronics.com