Cannot remove mailbox database

[This topic is intended to address a specific issue called out by the Exchange Server Analyzer Tool. You should apply it only to systems that have had the Exchange Server Analyzer Tool run against them and are experiencing that specific issue. The Exchange Server Analyzer Tool, available as a free download, remotely collects configuration data from each server in the topology and automatically analyzes the data. The resulting report details important configuration issues, potential problems, and nondefault product settings. By following these recommendations, you can achieve better performance, scalability, reliability, and uptime. For more information about the tool or to download the latest versions, see "Microsoft Exchange Analyzers" at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=34707.]  

Topic Last Modified: 2011-08-22

Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 setup, or Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Setup, cannot continue because the Uninstall Mailbox server role process cannot remove a user mailbox database (store) from the local server without potential data loss.

Exchange 2010 Setup and Exchange 2007 Setup determine whether all mailbox stores are removed from the server before the Mailbox server role is removed. However, user mailboxes might still remain on the server.

To resolve this issue, move or disable all user mailboxes on the server, and then rerun Exchange 2010 Setup or Exchange 2007 Setup.

For more information about how to identify a mailbox in the database in Exchange Server 2010, see Get-Mailbox. For more information about how to identify a mailbox in the database in Exchange Server 2007, see Get-Mailbox.

For more information about how to disable a mailbox in the Exchange Server 2010, see Disable a Mailbox. For more information about how to disable a mailbox in the Exchange Server 2007, see How to Disable a Mailbox.

For more information about how to remove a mailbox database in Exchange Server 2010, see Remove a Mailbox Database. For more information about how to remove a mailbox database in Exchange Server 2007, see How to Remove a Mailbox Database.

For more information about how to manage user mailbox database stores or replicas in Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, see “Managing Mailbox Stores and Public Folder Stores” in Administration Guide for Exchange Server 2003.

Note

The information contained in the “Managing Mailbox Stores and Public Folder Stores” section also applies to Exchange Server 2010 and to Exchange Server 2007.