Hi there,I'm wanting to completely uninstall exchange from our machine without formatting - other software is on the server and needs to keep running. Exchange didn't really work out for us. I wasn't the person who set it up, and this is my first time with exchange. I'm the company linux admin but we lost our Windows admin so I'm having to do this. So I go to add/remove and deselect the rolls for the server and go to next step. It thinks about things for a little while and then comes back with:Summary: 2 item(s). 1 succeeded, 1 failed. Elapsed time: 00:00:18Mailbox Role PrerequisitesFailedError:Uninstall cannot continue. Database 'Public Folder Database': The public folder database "MARY\Second Storage Group\Public Folder Database" contains folder replicas. Before deleting the public folder database, remove the folders or move the replicas to another public folder database. For detailed instructions about how to remove a public folder database, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=81409.Recommended Action: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=30939&l=en&v=ExBPA.3&id=b6e3b32a-8848-46cb-9567-72288ac15f60Elapsed Time: 00:00:15Organization PrerequisitesCompletedElapsed Time: 00:00:02So I go try remove the public folder through the management console, and again with the public folder replicas error message.I don't care that there are replicas. I don't care about any data being lost, there is no data to be lost. The public folder database is empty anyway. I just want to uninstall it without ever being set up on another exchange server or anything. I want a big DONOTWANT button to press.Can anyone help?

You will have to remove public folders first. Please follow the instructions in section "Removing the last Public Folder Database from an Organization" of the article http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc164367(EXCHG.80).aspx. After you have successfully removed the PF Database, you will be able to successfully uninstall Exchange from the server.

Sorry about the late reply here. That's the thing, my public folder databases are empty. When I go to the public folder management console there is nothing there. Both "default public folders" and "System public folders" are empty, nothing there at all.Any ideas where the mystery public folder could be hiding?

It sounds like you may have Offline Address Books configured for public folder distribution. Please follow the section "Removing the Last Public Folder Database From an Organization" from the article: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc164367(EXCHG.80).aspx. The following steps will disable public folder distribution for your OAB. Code SnippetOpen the Exchange Management Console.Expand Microsoft Exchange, expand Organization Configuration, and then select Mailbox.In the results pane, click the Offline Address Book tab.On the Offline Address Book tab, select "Default Offline Address Book".To disable public folder distribution of the offline address book, from the Distribution tab, clear Enable public folder distribution.Click OK to save the changesAfter doing this, you will be able to follow steps to remove public folder database and remove Exchange installation.