Outlook mailbox size is different from System manager

[maxcessnapilot]

does anyone know why Outlook 2002 would show a different mailbox size than that off the System Manager? Outlook shows 140 mb and System Manger shows 305 mb.


Thanks a lot.

 

[markdmac]

System manager is including what is in the deleted items retention.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

Check out my scripting solutions at

http://www.thespidersparlor.com/vbscript

 

[maxcessnapilot]

do you happen to know how to correct this? thanks ...

 

[58sniper]

You can't correct what isn't a problem. That's by design.

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Want to know how email works? Read for yourself -

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2821.txt

 

[maxcessnapilot]

so you mean to say, if Outlook shows the mailbox size is 140 and system manager shows 305, there's nothing wrong with our system? I would agree if the difference is around 5-20 megs or even a little more than that. But 160 mb difference is a big chunk.

 

[markdmac]

Take a look at the properties of your Information Store and you will see that you have by default a a 30 day retension if memory serves me right. You have the ability (though not adviseable) to turn off the retention if you really feel it is imperative that the numbers match, but this is silly. Your users would never see it since they can't compare. The system will remove those items by itself when the 30 days has passed.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

Check out my scripting solutions at

http://www.thespidersparlor.com/vbscript

 

[maxcessnapilot]

Thanks very much Mark. I actually changed the retention setting from 30 days to 0 days and still the number (I checked the figures the following day) didn't match. I did an offline defrag and that didn't help. Also, I noticed that, If I change the mailbox limit to a bigger number, the size of the mailbox/s on the system manager becomes bigger. This is really weird.

 

[maxcessnapilot]

I really appreciate everyone's input.

 

[Zelandakh]

Can you clarify that?

Outlook details the mailbox size including the items in the bin (deleted items) BEFORE the bin has been emptied. Exchange System Manager details all of that figure PLUS the items that were deleted in the past X days where X is the figure in the retension period box in ESM.

But you are saying that the mailbox size in ESM increases as soon as you increase mailbox limits? Which setting exactly are you changing and how quickly are you seeing this change?

 

[maxcessnapilot]

As soon as I increase the limit of a mailbox - I go to Exchange General, Storage limit properties in AD, the ESM would right away display an increase total mailbox size.