The most common issue that Exchange Server users face is disk storage. Users may face a ‘disk space full’ issue or a ‘low disk space issue,’ which can disrupt their working. The problems, including interruption and delay in mailing, may occur due to full space. To address this issue, we are going to share some simple tricks. Users must read this blog to the end and know the effective ways to avoid Exchange out-of-space issues.
Causes behind the ‘Disk Space Full’ issue
There are various things that can lead to the Exchange Server getting full. We will list a few of them so users can easily understand the reasons behind this issue.
- The Exchange Server uses transaction logs for data consistency, which grow over time if not reduced from time to time. Then, they will affect the size of the disk in the Exchange Server.
- The oversized mailbox can also become a reason behind getting the full disk storage in the Exchange Server.
- Moreover, the Exchange Server generates some temporary files when updating and processing large emails. These temporary files can affect the space in the Exchange Server’s disk.
- If users do not perform regular backups, the data size will become significant and also directly target the disk storage.
Ways to fix the ‘Disk Space Full’ problem in the Exchange Server
It is necessary for users to address full storage in disk issues before it becomes significant. Here, we will explore a few tricks to fix low disk space issue effectively.
1. Check the disk space:
The first step is checking the space available in the Exchange Server disk. To check disk storage, navigate to File Explorer or PowerShell command.
PowerShell command to check Exchange Server disk space:
Get-PSDrive C
Once you find the disk storage running low, kindly move to the below tricks and fix the Exchange out-of-space issue.
2. Remove unnecessary logs and files:
Users can have unnecessary logs and files on their disk, which must be removed from it to fix the ‘disk space full’ issue in the Exchange Server. Here, we will share the commands that users can use to delete transaction logs and unnecessary files. Let us take a look at them.
Delete unnecessary transaction logs:
Get-MailboxDatabase | Get-MailboxDatabaseCopyStatus
Delete temporary files:
Navigate to the paths shared below and delete the temporary files from the Exchange Server.
- C:\ExchangeSetupLogs
- C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V15\TransportRoles\Logs
3. Archiving or deleting old emails:
Users can archive or delete the old emails to fix the ‘disk space full’ issue in the Exchange Server. Now, we will provide the command to set the retention policy. Users can use it to put old emails to delete or archive automatically. This will help you to reduce the storage in the Exchange Server disk.
To archive old emails:
New-RetentionPolicy -Name “Archived Emails” -RetentionPolicyTagLinks “MyRetentionPolicy”
To delete old emails:
New-RetentionPolicy -Name “Deleted Emails” -RetentionPolicyTagLinks “MyRetentionPolicy”
4. Transfer Exchange Server database or logs to another drive:
The other solution is moving the database or logs to another drive. Users can also use this trick to fix the Exchange out-of-space issue. Users can use the Move-DatabasePath to transfer data to another drive. Before moving data to another drive, kindly ensure that another drive has enough storage and can hold more significant data.
Move database and logs to another drive:
Move-DatabasePath -Identity “Mailbox Database” -EdbFilePath “D:\NewDatabaseLocation\Database.edb” -LogFolderPath “D:\NewLogLocation”
5. Increase Disk Storage:
Moreover, users can also look at expanding their disk space to avoid the full disk space issue in the Exchange Server. Users either install a new hard drive or increase the size of their existing hard drive.
6. Defragment Exchange database:
Optimize the Exchange Server on a regular basis if users want to avoid the ‘disk space full’ issue and manage their data effectively. Users can use the ESEUTIL tool to defragment the Exchange database.
Command:
- eseutil /d “C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V15\Mailbox\Mailbox Database.edb”
7. Regular backup of the database:
One of the best methods to avoid low disk space issues in the Exchange Server is taking the backup of the essential database locally. Users can try the Weeom Exchange Server Recovery Manager for this. This software helps users back up the Exchange database securely on a regular basis. Users can easily manage their Exchange Server disk space issue after backing up the data into PST, EML, MSG, HTML, etc.
This tool is straightforward for all users; so, no technical understanding is necessary for users to handle it. Users can also recover their corrupted Exchange database using this professional software on their system. Moreover, it supports all editions of the Exchange Server, including 2019, 2016, 2013 and 2010. The working procedure of this tool is easy to understand, and users can get the expected results in a few simple steps.
Final Words
This blog has discussed various tricks to resolve the ‘disk space full’ issue in the Microsoft Exchange Server. One of the effective ways to avoid low disk storage problems in the future is by regularly backing up the Exchange data. The Weeom Exchange Recovery Manager will stand out here because of its advanced features and user-friendly interface. Most importantly, users can also try this tool’s free trial version on their system before getting it.
Frequently Asked Questions:
This may affect the functionality of the Exchange server, slow down performance, lead to problems or cause data corruption. Therefore, users should regularly back up the Exchange database on an external or local drive to avoid challenges due to the ‘disk space full’ issue.
The quick steps to defrag the Exchange database:
– Backup Exchange database (EDB file).
– Dismount the File using PowerShell or Exchange Admin Center.
– Then, use the Eseutil command in PowerShell to defrag the Exchange mailbox database.
– Once done, mount the Exchange database again to the server.
Go through this guide for more details on how to defrag the Exchange database.
1. Regularly manage old or unused files.
2. Aware users must archive old emails and use personal archives.
3. Implement a storage quota system for all the mailboxes.
An effective way to prevent data loss when freeing up disk space on the Exchange Server is to back up the Exchange database on a regular basis. Always remember to implement Exchange mailbox backup before any essential changes.
This issue might be caused by hidden or temporary files holding disk space. So, follow the instructions:
1. Check system logs to find error messages related to the disk storage.
2. Also, you can run a dis check to identify and repair file system problems.
