Dear ALL: This is my first post. I am using Windows SBS 2003 Standard Edition. Exchange system is in operation for all mail and OWA services. I have my MDBDATA (priv.edb) getting to 12 GB, I don't have big organization. But for storage and administrative reason I like to start new MDBDATA file without distrubing my mail users (not missing any mails). If you are so kind of me please guide me to reduce the size of MDBDATA or archive this or start new MDBDATA file. Many thanks in advance. Mahendra mplamsal@gmail.com

hi mahendra, you can do a offline defrag of the database (eseutil /d) . this means you have downtime for the users during the windows of this offline defrag. can you check you eventviewer on the server and check for event id 1221 for the amount of whitespace which you can recliam from the defrag. by this approach no emails will be lost. but there will be downtime for the user. if you have exchange 2003 sp2, you can increase the db size to 75gb (just an fyi) http://support.microsoft.com/kb/912375 thanks thiyaguThiyagu | MCTS/MCITP - Exchange 2007 | MCSE 2003[Messaging] | http://www.myExchangeWorld.com. This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

12 gb is tiny. My home Exchange server is larger than that. With SBS 200 you cannot create an additional mailbox store, you can only have the one that you have got. AN offline defrag is usually a waste of time. If you look for event ID 1221 overnight, you will see the amount of free space in the database. That is the maximum space that you will get back. However for a 12gb file I wouldn't even consider it. Furthermore the Exchange database isn't just that one file, it is two files, the edb and stm file. You have to count both files as the total size of the store. Personally I don't think you have anything to worry about. Simon.Simon Butler, Exchange MVP Blog | Exchange Resources