Comments on: Huge Mail Hangs Machine

By: bmarone

bmarone — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 12:32:55 +0000

If the memberlist is small enough, have each user go in thru OWA55 (webmail) and download/delete it. With the Exchange Administrator’s password, you could login and do it for them.

If the memberlist is too large for that, use exmerge.

If not already installed, you can install webmail on any domain server, even a test server. I wouldn’t host it on the Exchange server, as it needs IIS.

By: stevesz

stevesz — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 10:23:50 +0000

How huge is the huge file? Most organizations set a limit on the size of an e-mail that is accepted at the server, and returns those over the limit. Larger files are usually handled by FTP.

Probably the easiest way to remove the file from the server is to log in as each user via OWA and delete the mail from there to get it off the server. I never really worked with 5.5, so I don’t kow if deleted item retention is an option. If it is, set it to a low value to completely remove the message, or turn it off. Once it has been totally removed from the database, you may wish to revisit the seting for DIR, and set it to a convenient limit for your situation. Then discuss with your manager(s) about setting a limit for the size of incoming e-mail so this situation does not happen again.

You also seriously need to get your organization off Exchange 5.5 to Exchange 2003. (Even though 2007 is close to being released, the hardware requirements might be too much for your organization isnce it will require a 64 bit CPU for starters.) Spec out a server that will give you plenty of room for an information store of up to 75 GB (size is set by organization between the default 16 GB and 75 GB). Remember you need about 110% of the store size available on your drive(s) to do proper maintenence when needed (on those rare ocassions).

By: elmagoal

elmagoal — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 13:22:11 +0000

The problem is that the email is going to a pst file. if the pst file is too big, outlook will sit until it is open. the second problem is that the PST is on the HD of the local machine. Unless you get a 3rd party app that can handle PST you are doing a lot of sneaker net. You can map to every user’s machine and mount the PST to your profile( the original usercannot be logon or you get access denied). Then follow my previous instructions. The second problem is the PST in the local drive. Just think about it: if a machine HD dies, the user lost all their mail. Or, you would need to backup all the machines in your organization, which is a bundle of money in backup agents. So you need to move the PSTs to a network drive. I do agree with the last response that an upgrade is urgently needed.

By: pdmeat

pdmeat — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 13:53:49 +0000

Use exmerge.exe to remove the message from people’s inbox.

You have my sympathy: Exchange 5.5 has fallen off of MS support a while ago. Someone needs to bite the bullet and upgrade to exchange 2003 and win2003 AD if not so already.

good luck.

By: gjmach

gjmach — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 11:36:36 +0000

I believe as the admin you can log in to each user’s information store and remove the large message. Back in my days of desktop support this was a pretty common problem with dial up users – their managers would send 15mb technical manuals through email and effectively stop all the email from working.

To prevent such problems in the future, you may be able to set up a policy that blocks large attachments, and responds to the sender with a message citing the limitation.

Alternatively, if you have outlook web access set up, you could advise users to log in there and remove the large message, but that would probably not be very efficient.

In regards to the other response, I don’t know how anyone can access a pst file’s contents without adding it to a mail profile. Additionally, once it’s in the pst file, it’s off the IS, so therefore no longer an issue.