Best way to shut down Exchange to copy and delete Priv.EDB 2

[pjw73nh]

Hello,

My goal is to copy the Priv.EDB to an external drive and then delete it from the Exchange server. Preferably with the ability to restore it if in absolute dire need. I don't anticipate having to ever restore it, but you never know. I am going to be physically replacing this server in about 2-3 months. I am NOT putting Exchange on the new server.

I have an SBS-2003 server that is my only server. It runs (ran) exchange. I have recently migrated my Exchange users to the cloud. I don't need anything (that I am aware of today) on the old, local, on-premise Exchange system. But I DO use the physical box as my file and print server. I just no longer need Exchange running on it.

I need to recoup the space being used my the Priv.EDB. About 12 GB. I want to copy it off to an external USB drive. I have no intention of firing up the Exchange system again unless there is a dire emergency.

Short of uninstalling the program, what is the best/safest, most graceful method to shut down Exchange, and not have it start up at boot time or affect the booting or operation of the server itself? Is it as simple as stopping the system attendant and setting it to disable? Or if need be, I suppose I could use the Net Stop commands.

Will this allow me to copy and delete the Priv.EDB?

Thank you folks.

 

[ShackDaddy]

I would just shut down all Exchange services and then you can copy the .edb and .stm files as a backup. Set the services to "Disabled" to keep them from coming up on a reboot. Technically you could just stop the Information Store service before copying the files, but since you want to have it all shut off, go ahead and shut down all services.

If you ever needed to bring it back, you could put the .edb and .stm files back in the same directory and start all services, and you should be fine--the database would mount.

Dave Shackelford
ThirdTier.net
TrainSignal.com

 

[pjw73nh]

Thanks Dave. Does it matter if it's a flat file copy instead of a backup? If my day goes better tomorrow (than today), I will probably give that a try. Thanks again.

 

[ShackDaddy]

Nope. If the InfoStore service has been turned off, the database is in a clean shutdown state, and it can be a flat-file copy. With the database mounted, it would need to be a streaming backup in order to be cleanly remounted, but in a shutdown state, you are good for a future remount without hassles.

Dave Shackelford
ThirdTier.net
TrainSignal.com

 

[pjw73nh]

Thank you again sir.

 

[Zelandakh]

(Pssst...."Thank ShackDaddy and star this post!" would go down well)

 

[pjw73nh]

Update: The services shut down fine. I was able to make 2 copies of the MDBDATA folder. All is well. SO far. I haven't tried to reboot yet. That will be the litmus test. Thanks again.