Cannot delete Default Exchange 2010 Mailbox Database

When an Exchange 2010 mailbox role is installed, a default mailbox database is created. In Exchange 2007, the default database is named "Mailbox Database" whereas in 2010, it comes with a random numbering at the end of the "Mailbox Database" name since you cannot have the same Mailbox Database in your Org with multiple server environments. This is to make the mailbox database name unique. Mine is named "Mailbox Database 0683456784".

 

As most of the admins, your first instinct is to remove the default database and create ones with your company's naming convention or the names of your choice. You created a new database named "MDB1" and tried deleting the default one, only to be greeted with the error below.

 

"This mailbox database contains one or more mailboxes or arbitration mailboxes. Before you can remove this mailbox database, you must disable, move or remove user mailboxes and move arbitration mailboxes"

 

Technet explains arbitration mailboxes as the mailboxes used for managing approval workflow. For example, an arbitration mailbox is used for handling moderated recipients and distribution group membership approval.

 

You moved your user mailboxes to another database and ran the following command to find the arbitration mailboxes.

 

Get-Mailbox –Database "Mailbox Database 0683456784" –arbitration

 

You moved the arbitration mailboxes as well to the second database with the command below.

Get-Mailbox –Database "Mailbox Database 0683456784" –arbitration | New-MoveRequest – TargetDatabase MDB1

You confirmed that the arbitration mailboxes were successfully moved using the

Get-MoveRequest cmdlet.

Once the mailbox move was completed, you could delete your default database!