• Ensured all my clients are Outlook 2007 and above
Pre-work:
1. Dismount the database for a duration to ensure no issues are identified.
In my case, the mobile solution in my organization performs a discovery for public folders and fails when dismounted. (see: good – remove public folder discovery for details)
2. Disable public folder distribution of OAB
a. In EMC, Under Organizational Configuration > Mailbox > Offline Address Book tab
b. Highlight the “Default Offline Address List” entry
c. Right-click and select the Properties menu item
d. Under Distribution tab, uncheck Version 2 and Version 3
e. Uncheck Enable public folder distribution
f. Ensure Enable Web-based distribution is enabled
Removal:
1. Remove all system Public Folders content by running the following commands in EMC:
a. Remove user created public folders:
b. Run the following command for both Public Folder Servers
c. Get-PublicFolder -Server “\” -Recurse -ResultSize:Unlimited | Remove-PublicFolder -Server -Recurse -ErrorAction:SilentlyContinue
d. Remove system created public folders:
e. Run the following command for both Public Folder Servers
f. Get-PublicFolder -Server “\Non_Ipm_Subtree” -Recurse -ResultSize:Unlimited | Remove-PublicFolder -Server -Recurse -ErrorAction:SilentlyContinue
Troubleshooting:
Public folder database “MBX-PF-DB” is the default public folder database for the following mailbox database(s):
Remove Default Public Folder database for Exchange Mailbox Database using ADSIEdit
2. Log into Exchange Server
3. Launch ADSIEdit
4. Navigate to CN=Configuration,DC=DOMAIN,DC=LOCAL, CN=Services,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=ORG,CN=Administrative Groups,CN=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Databases,CN= DATABASES
5. Right-click mailbox DATABSE you want to remove the default public folder database from and choose properties
6. Scroll down until you find the msExchHomePublicMDB attribute
7. Click Edit and hit clear. Click Ok twice to commit.
8. Retry to remove Public Folders again.
(Force) Remove Public Folder databases using ADSIEdit
1. Log into Exchange Server
2. Launch ADSIEdit
3. Navigate to CN=Configuration,DC=DOMAIN,DC=LOCAL, CN=Services,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=ORG,CN=Administrative Groups,CN=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Databases,CN=PUBLIC_FOLDER_DATABASE
4. Remove Public Folder Databases
Remove legacy reference
5. Navigate to CN=Configuration,CN=,CN=com, CN=Services, CN=Microsoft Exchange, CN=DOMAIN, CN=Administrative Groups.
5. Remove SiteFolderServer Attribute
Remove the Public Folder database by running the following command (if necessary):
1. Remove-PublicFolderDatabase -Identity “Public Folders Database”
2. Enter Y to proceed
Verification all Public Folders are removed
1. Get-PublicFolderStatistics -Server “PUBLIC FOLDER SERVER” | fl
Remove Public Folder database file (edb) and other associated files (logs).
1. Log into Public Folder Server (Exchange)
2. Navigate to C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V14\Mailbox\Public Folders Database
3. Delete “Public Folders Database” folder
Note: If Folder is locked or in use, place exchange in maintenance, reboot, and retry.
References:
• https://practical365.com/exchange-server/exchange-2010-remove-public-folder-database/
• https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/mukutdas/2015/09/11/remove-public-folder-using-adsiedit/
• https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/bill_long/2011/06/10/do-not-use-remove-publicfolder-to-remove-a-public-folder-database/
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