Moving Hosted Exchange 2003 ExMerge

When moving to Hosted Exchange from Exchange 2003, it is necessary to move the mail. One method is to use ExMerge to export the mailboxes as PST files and then import them using Outlook. This procedure uses a utility called ExMerge.

Overview of Exmerge

Technet

Exmerge: Microsoft Download

ExMerge works on versions of Exchange between 5.5 and 2003. Outlook on the server is not required or recommended for this procedure.

After you download Exmerge, extract it into the C:\Program Files\ExchSrvr\Bin\ folder. You have to put it there because it needs certain DLLs that are located in that folder. You will run the executable from that location.</p>

In order to export mailboxes, you’ll need a user account that has the necessary rights to them. You should create new user and follow the instructions in this link: Microsoft Support

There may be a delay of up to 2 hours until the permissions are applied to the Information Store. (This can be accelerated by restarting Exchange Information Store service). After you have configured permissions, you will logon to the Exchange Server with this new account. Run the ExMerge executable from its location. A graphical wizard will launch, and lead you through the following steps:

1. The first step is to select the Extract or Import (Two Step Procedure)
2. Next, you select which step you want to perform. In this case, it’s Extract data from an Exchange Server Mailbox
3. Next, put in the name of the Exchange server. Don’t bother with the optional info – that’s only for multiple domains. Note the Options button
4. Exmerge won’t extract mailboxes larger than 2GB in size. In order to do so, click the OPTIONS button on the source server window. This gives you the ability to set a date range on the Dates tab. By doing so, you can split up the mailbox into smaller units. Make sure you rename each PST you create from a 2+ GB mailbox; if you don’t, ExMerge will overwrite that last one made
5. Next you have to specify which mailbox database (mail store) you wish to extract from. You should choose the First Storage Group (or whatever database holds the mail for your company).
6. The next step is selecting which mailboxes to export. You can select all of them at once or use the CNTRL key to select multiples.
7. Once you select the mailboxes, click next. After that, you select the location for the newly-created PSTs on your computer. You should know that you will only be able to choose a folder that already exists. You can’t create a new folder from that screen. Once selected click Next.
8. On the next screen you’ll have the option of saving the settings in a batch file. Click Next to execute the procedure.
9. After the successful export of the mailboxes, they are ready to be imported as PSTs.
10. Make sure that the user accounts associated with the mailboxes are not disabled. If you receive a message about corrupt items in the mailbox, then your only option open the mailbox in Outlook and export it using File/Export. ExMerge will not export corrupt email items.

Ken

See our Hosted Exchange page for more information on how we can help you.

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