The email you dont want at all are the ones on the deleted items folder right?> What is your current policy and when did you change this date/time? To reduce the space, when the OLM kicks in it will create whitespace internally. This will then be used. If you want to reduce, you need to consider the options above. Is this local attached storage on the server? How manu disk do you have/parttion layout? Can you get more disks for the new database just while you sort this mess out? Sukh

If you cant get any more disk space then you will have to perform an offlien defrag to reduce the edb file, but again the issue you have is you need disk space of around 110% of the orginal database to perform the offline defarg. Even with this, it inloves downtime as you have to take the DB offline. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/328804 I have no idea how big your edb file is on your HD size, either get temp storage attached or consider an external HD.Sukh

Sukh is absolutely correct and the above link will help you with the defragmentation process. If you want some assistance via a 3rd party product to run maintenance against that database in an automated process check out Lucid8's GOexchange http://www.lucid8.com/product/preventative.asp which will do the defragmentation for you as well as other maintenance processes to ensure the database is optimized on all frontsTroy Werelius www.Lucid8.com Search, Recover, & Extract Mailboxes, Folders, & Email Items from Offline EDB's and Live Exchange Servers with Lucid8's DigiScope

We have hit a big problem with Microsoft Exchange 2003. Our Deleted Items Retention policy was set to something like 24,820 days and is causing a space issue! I have successfully changed the amount on the Limit tab within Server and Storage group properties but how do I delete the deleted emails that have been building up over the past number of years. Will they just disappear after the new time specified or do I need to do something else. I have checked with all my users and these can safely be discarded.

When the OLM runs it will start deleting then exchange will use the whitespace as needed. THE OLM is scheduled based so will take time to run through all thoses mailboxes. The edb file ownt shrinl in size, if you want to reduce that, either perform an offline defrag or create a new database and move users across. I would create a new database and moves users across.Sukh

Hi Sukh How do I perform either an offline defrag or create a second database and move users across. This is quite urgent as we have no space on our server and the file(s) that contain all the deleted deleted emails must be massive by now. My goal is to free up space on my server and emails between 12 months and 8 years are just not required. Thank

See this - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/821748 But the issue you have is space. So if creating a new DB on the same hard disk or LUN, then it isn't going to help. You need to create this on a new disk. The disk issue, I assume this is because of a big edb file? Also, does you policy delete items for good or put them into the deleted items folder. To clear them down, get rid of them for good, moving them to deleted items isnt going to help. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/319188Sukh

To be clear 1. We do not want the emails in any form - most of them are over 5 years old - so we don't need to save them. 2. We have run out of space so I need to reduce the size of this file - I DO NOT WANT THE EMAILS IN ANY SHAPE OR FORM. We do not need to retrieve them, look at them or refer to them. Please, I just want to know how to increase the amount of space on my server be getting rid of all the old emails - nothing else.

The email you dont want at all are the ones on the deleted items folder right?> What is your current policy and when did you change this date/time? To reduce the space, when the OLM kicks in it will create whitespace internally. This will then be used. If you want to reduce, you need to consider the options above. Is this local attached storage on the server? How manu disk do you have/parttion layout? Can you get more disks for the new database just while you sort this mess out? Sukh

I'm sorry but I can't be any clearer than I'm being. 1. We have no space on our exchange server. 2. This is because the deleted deleted emails (THAT WE DON'T WANT - AT ALL, i.e. not saved anywhere even on external hard drives or partitions) have been accumalating. 3. I understand that when the OLM runs it will a) delete all the emails outside the scope of the new limites (re-set today 1 hour ago to 730 days for both emails and mail boxes) and b) create white space which will still leave the file the same size as before. I need to 4. Reduce the file size so that we increase space on our server. I DON'T WANT TO 5. Save the deleted deleted emails of over 730 days newly set. Sorry all I want to know is how to do the above and nothing else - we are desparate!

If you cant get any more disk space then you will have to perform an offlien defrag to reduce the edb file, but again the issue you have is you need disk space of around 110% of the orginal database to perform the offline defarg. Even with this, it inloves downtime as you have to take the DB offline. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/328804 I have no idea how big your edb file is on your HD size, either get temp storage attached or consider an external HD.Sukh

Sukh is absolutely correct and the above link will help you with the defragmentation process. If you want some assistance via a 3rd party product to run maintenance against that database in an automated process check out Lucid8's GOexchange http://www.lucid8.com/product/preventative.asp which will do the defragmentation for you as well as other maintenance processes to ensure the database is optimized on all frontsTroy Werelius www.Lucid8.com Search, Recover, & Extract Mailboxes, Folders, & Email Items from Offline EDB's and Live Exchange Servers with Lucid8's DigiScope