I installed Exchange 2013 on a new server (on the same network as Exchange 2007 - I realise my error now) in hopes of a mailbox migration, not a full one. Now that I know it is not possible just yet, but I need to set EX2013 up as a brand new separate Exchange server. I will recreate the entire mail system and turn off the 2007 box. There are only 15 mailboxes to recreate so its not a problem.

It seems as though during the install, Exchange2013 found Exchange2007 and tried to coexist them. This has disallowed me to login to the ECP on 2013 (i get a page not found). Now I'm trying to uninstall 2013. The following error appears when uninstalling:

Error:Uninstall can't continue. Database Mailbox Database 2067414591 : This mailbox database contains one or more mailboxes, mailbox plans, archive mailboxes, public folder 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 public folder mailboxes in this database, run the command Get-Mailbox -Database <Database ID> -PublicFolder. 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. To disable a public folder mailbox so that you can delete the mailbox database, run the command Disable-Mailbox <Mailbox ID> -PublicFolder. 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>. It was running the command 'Remove-MailboxDatabase 'CN=Mailbox Database 2067414591,CN=Databases,CN=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Administrative Groups,CN=xxx,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=UnitedBagSales,DC=local' -whatif'.For more information, visit: http://technet.microsoft.com/library(EXCHG.150)/ms.exch.setupreadiness.UnwillingToRemoveMailboxDatabase.aspx

Whenever I try and connect to the mailbox above in PS, I keep being redirected to the 2007 mailbox. I cannot actually proceed with removing Exchange 2013 and I have not created ANY new mailboxes so I don't know why this error appears. And I cant access ECP so I cannot see whats going on!

Any help is appreciated!

Hi,
The Exchange Installations creates several "System Mailboxes" (Arbitration,Monitoring and Discover) that you need to delete before you can uninstall your last Exchange 2013 Server. I have listed them below and you will find them in the Users Container.

DISCOVERY MAILBOX
DiscoverySearchMailbox {D919BA05-46A6-415f-80AD-7E09334BB852}

MONITORING MAILBOXES
HealthMailbox62256620620346798029c55bfe0fcc5d
HealthMailboxb67c72c285f54c30bad37dd37eec361a
HealthMailbox721771958fa64a53aa78527c02caf55b
HealthMailbox995793b82c2c4a14b6173e54371179ec
HealthMailboxc8603cb9bb41442e8b402db42f93dc16

ARBITRATION MAILBOXES
SystemMailbox{1f05a927-c403-4250-9f07-c5e43605c1ac}
SystemMailbox{bb558c35-97f1-4cb9-8ff7-d53741dc928c}
SystemMailbox{e0dc1c29-89c3-4034-b678-e6c29d823ed9}
FederatedEmail.4c1f4d8b-8179-4148-93bf-00a95fa1e042
Migration.8f3e7716-2011-43e4-96b1-aba62d229136


Delete them all and try and uninstall Exchange again.

Thanks. I can delete the DiscoveryMailbox but not the others. When I run the cmdlet I keep getting an error back that tells me no mailbox exists on the 2007 mailstore. How can I run a cmdlet against the 2013 database?

• Proposed as answer by Friday, December 13, 2013 2:02 PM

I managed to find a way to disable the mailboxes with the following command:

Get-Mailbox -Arbitration -Database <MailboxDatabase> | Disable-Mailbox -Arbitration -DisableLastArbitrationMailboxAllowed

This has allowed me to start the uninstallation.

• Marked as answer by Scott McCann Thursday, January 03, 2013 7:48 AM

Thanks. I can delete the DiscoveryMailbox but not the others. When I run the cmdlet I keep getting an error back that tells me no mailbox exists on the 2007 mailstore. How can I run a cmdlet against the 2013 database?

I managed to find a way to disable the mailboxes with the following command:

Get-Mailbox -Arbitration -Database <MailboxDatabase> | Disable-Mailbox -Arbitration -DisableLastArbitrationMailboxAllowed

This has allowed me to start the uninstallation.

Learnt it the Hard way:

if you want to uninstall Exchange 2013, you need to go to the user management console and delete all users that looks like below basically would have a bunch of guid kind of number in it, those are all exchange mail box related. For sure after you delete all those user from the AD user console the Exchange uninstallation shall work with a charm.

But before this step make sure to:

• Disable all your regular mailboxes from the Exchange Control panel web interface.
• Please make sure to go to Services and stop all Exchange 2013 related services those would all start with "Microsoft Exchange..." there would be more than 20 of such services and all needs to be stopped. 

Enjoy

_________________________________________________________________________________

HealthMailbox62256620620346798029c55bfe0fcc5d
HealthMailboxb67c72c285f54c30bad37dd37eec361a
HealthMailbox721771958fa64a53aa78527c02caf55b
HealthMailbox995793b82c2c4a14b6173e54371179ec
HealthMailboxc8603cb9bb41442e8b402db42f93dc16

SystemMailbox{1f05a927-c403-4250-9f07-c5e43605c1ac}
SystemMailbox{bb558c35-97f1-4cb9-8ff7-d53741dc928c}
SystemMailbox{e0dc1c29-89c3-4034-b678-e6c29d823ed9}
FederatedEmail.4c1f4d8b-8179-4148-93bf-00a95fa1e042
Migration.8f3e7716-2011-43e4-96b1-aba62d229136

• Edited by SHRIMANT PATEL Tuesday, January 29, 2013 8:33 AM had missed a step
• Proposed as answer by Sébastien MM Wednesday, August 14, 2013 1:28 PM

Learnt it the Hard way:

if you want to uninstall Exchange 2013, you need to go to the user management console and delete all users that looks like below basically would have a bunch of guid kind of number in it, those are all exchange mail box related. For sure after you delete all those user from the AD user console the Exchange uninstallation shall work with a charm.

But before this step make sure to:

• Disable all your regular mailboxes from the Exchange Control panel web interface.
• Please make sure to go to Services and stop all Exchange 2013 related services those would all start with "Microsoft Exchange..." there would be more than 20 of such services and all needs to be stopped. 

Enjoy

_________________________________________________________________________________

HealthMailbox62256620620346798029c55bfe0fcc5d
HealthMailboxb67c72c285f54c30bad37dd37eec361a
HealthMailbox721771958fa64a53aa78527c02caf55b
HealthMailbox995793b82c2c4a14b6173e54371179ec
HealthMailboxc8603cb9bb41442e8b402db42f93dc16

SystemMailbox{1f05a927-c403-4250-9f07-c5e43605c1ac}
SystemMailbox{bb558c35-97f1-4cb9-8ff7-d53741dc928c}
SystemMailbox{e0dc1c29-89c3-4034-b678-e6c29d823ed9}
FederatedEmail.4c1f4d8b-8179-4148-93bf-00a95fa1e042
Migration.8f3e7716-2011-43e4-96b1-aba62d229136

Hi!

Have tried to do described above nevertheless four mailboxes still present - can't remove: 

FederatedEmail.4c1f4d8b-8179-4148-93bf-00a95fa1e042

Migration.8f3e7716-2011-43e4-96b1-aba62d229136

SystemMailbox{e0dc1c29-89c3-4034-b678-e6c29d823ed9}

Exchange Online-ApplicationAccount

An can't log on to ECP now. Can I remove them from AD directly?

• Proposed as answer by Quest SCs Monday, March 18, 2013 2:01 PM

Hi!

Have tried to do described above nevertheless four mailboxes still present - can't remove: 

FederatedEmail.4c1f4d8b-8179-4148-93bf-00a95fa1e042

Migration.8f3e7716-2011-43e4-96b1-aba62d229136

SystemMailbox{e0dc1c29-89c3-4034-b678-e6c29d823ed9}

Exchange Online-ApplicationAccount

An can't log on to ECP now. Can I remove them from AD directly?

Barver,

Sorry to hear that... OK..please make sure to go to Services and stop all Exchange 2013 related services those would all start with "Microsoft Exchange...", there would be around 20+ services of its kind.

It would not allow you to delete some of those users as some of the exchange services are run under those user names.

I was trapped into an exact similar situation as yours , all exchange admin IDs were disabled thru ECP and I too was not able to get to any administrative utility under ECP.

Hope this helps...

• Edited by SHRIMANT PATEL Tuesday, January 29, 2013 8:37 AM

Barver,

Sorry to hear that... OK..please make sure to go to Services and stop all Exchange 2013 related services those would all start with "Microsoft Exchange...", there would be around 20+ services of its kind.

It would not allow you to delete some of those users as some of the exchange services are run under those user names.

I was trapped into an exact similar situation as yours , all exchange admin IDs were disabled thru ECP and I too was not able to get to any administrative utility under ECP.

Hope this helps...

Thanks Scott McCann ... this saved the day. Worked on Exchange 2013

• Edited by Deeply Digital Monday, April 22, 2013 8:01 PM

Thanks Scott McCann ... this saved the day. Worked on Exchange 2013

I am attempting to uninstall exchange and I am also stuck at the mailbox database error as shown above. I have tried the solutions above however whenever I try any of the Get-Mailbox commands I get an error stating, "The term 'Get-Mailbox' is not recognized as as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file or operable program...." Am I missing something?

HI. I am also trying to remove exchange 2013 for a re-install after IIS corrupted the applicationhost.config file and I was unable to recover it. I get the error below related to the W3Svc being unable to start. Any idea how I can bypass this?

Error:

The following error was generated when "$error.Clear();

          if (Get-Service W3Svc* | ?{$_.Name -eq 'W3Svc'})

          {

            Set-Service W3Svc -StartupType Automatic

            Start-SetupService -ServiceName W3Svc

          }

        " was run: "Service 'WAS' failed to reach status 'Running' on this server.".

Got the same issue as Morris Fury. 

After studying the problem found that problem was in certificate for WMSvc service.

Navigate in IIS manager -> Managment Service and assign certificate to WMSvc.

After this you can start WMSvc service, and run Exchange uninstall.

Hope it helps.

p.s. Sorry for my english

• Proposed as answer by vladimir.garbar Tuesday, July 23, 2013 1:42 PM

Yes, this definitely worked for me. Thanks a lot Martina.

You need to login to your Domain Controller and under the Active Directory Users and Computers --> Domain name --> Users--->

You will find above listed mailboxes. You need to delete them all.

• Proposed as answer by Michalg Wednesday, October 09, 2013 3:24 PM

Same for me works really fine !

Thanks Vladimir. I did as you suggested and got one step further but am stuck again. Please see the error below and let me know what you think I should do. The mapi apppool and virtual directory in IIS does not exist. I am running C:\Windows\system32>setup.exe /m:uninstall /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms

Configuring Microsoft Exchange Server

    Preparing Setup                                                                                   COMPLETED
    Client Access role: Client Access Front End service                                               FAILED
     The following error was generated when "$error.Clear();
          $CommandAppCmd = join-path $env:SystemRoot System32\inetsrv\appcmd.exe;
          Start-SetupProcess -Name "$CommandAppCmd" -args "delete app /app.name:`"Default Web Site/mapi`"";
          Start-SetupProcess -Name "$CommandAppCmd" -args "delete appPool /appPool.name:MSExchangeMapiFrontEndAppPool";
        " was run: "Process execution failed with exit code 50.".

     The following error was generated when "$error.Clear();
          $CommandAppCmd = join-path $env:SystemRoot System32\inetsrv\appcmd.exe;
          Start-SetupProcess -Name "$CommandAppCmd" -args "delete app /app.name:`"Default Web Site/mapi`"";
          Start-SetupProcess -Name "$CommandAppCmd" -args "delete appPool /appPool.name:MSExchangeMapiFrontEndAppPool";
        " was run: "Process execution failed with exit code 1168.".

The Exchange Server setup operation didn't complete. More details can be found in ExchangeSetup.log located in the
<SystemDrive>:\ExchangeSetupLogs folder.

http://www.wackytechtips.com/force-removal-of-exchange-server-remove-exchange-2010-manually/

Follow this instruction:

Removing Mailboxes

The Active Directory also stores information about the mailboxes that were located on the non-existent server. To remove these, perform the following steps in the ADSI Edit tool:

1. Navigate to CN=Configuration [domain]  CN=Services  CN=Microsoft Exchange  CN=[organization]  CN=Administrative Groups  CN=Databases

2. Identify the Mailbox Database containers that belonged to the lost server and Delete them.

Make sure that you are not deleting working mailboxes from the list, if you delete any by mistake you will have to delete & recreate the entire user using Active Directory Users & Computers. If there are multiple Exchange servers on the network, the Mailbox Database folders to delete can easily be identified by clicking on the folder and checking the Name field of the first entry, which should contain the name of the lost computer. Do not delete references to databases belonging to other Exchange servers!

This saved me totally. I am busy reinstalling Exchange after WAS errors and could not proceed. Took me 4 hours of searching and trying (and lunching) to go further. Thanks a million !