Microsoft KB Archive/261272

= XADM: Unable to Delete Active Directory User and Keep Exchange 2000 Mailbox =

Article ID: 261272

Article Last Modified on 2/21/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q261272



SYMPTOMS
When you attempt to delete an Active Directory user that has an Exchange 2000 mailbox associated with it, you receive an Active Directory message similar to the following:

Are you sure you want to delete this object?

The selected object has other associated objects. Select those associated objects that you also want to delete.

A check box with a check will appear next to the following option:

Mark each selected Exchange Mailbox for deletion

You are unable to uncheck this box.



CAUSE
This behavior is by design to prevent unowned mailboxes.



WORKAROUND
WARNING: If you use the ADSI Edit snap-in, the LDP utility, or any other LDAP version 3 client, and you incorrectly modify the attributes of Active Directory objects, you can cause serious problems. These problems may require you to reinstall Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server, or both. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems that occur if you incorrectly modify Active Directory object attributes can be solved. Modify these attributes at your own risk.

You can remove the user from Active Directory by using LDP or ADSI Edit, which will leave the Exchange Mailbox orphaned in the messaging database.

To connect the mailbox to another Active Directory user, right-click the mailbox in Exchange System Manager, and then click Run Cleanup Agent. The mailbox will appear with a red X next to it, and you can either connect this mailbox to a different Active Directory user, or permanently delete it.



MORE INFORMATION
The Exchange 2000 Help incorrectly states that the Exchange mailbox can be made unusable by deleting its user from Active Directory, which makes the mailbox unowned. This is not possible, as described above.

Keywords: kbprb KB261272

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