Uninstall/Disable Exchange Server, \MDBDATA Filling up!!

[Samarth]

I have started running out of space probelm on my C: drive. I noticed that C:\Program Files\Exchsrver\MDBDATA is packed with different log files, each exactly 5,120kb in size and there are over a few gbs. What are there and why they are filling up daily? Could I safely delete it and what should I do to prevent them from running or logging? I dont even use the Exchange server and its never setup or installed. We are using Outlook/POP accounts on each client machine and dont bother with Exchange. I have read from somewhere that I cannot uninstall Exchange Server but can disable it? Can anyone tell me how to do that? Thanks.

[The Recruiter]

It seems to me that you are using Exchange because the Exchange Information store grows 2 big plants that are, a set of transaction logs and a database. These are the 2 items that grow as objects that are added to them. If you are not receiving mail via Exchange, then it seems like atleast you are using it for storing messages, calendars, contacts, etc. You can check that out by going into Control Panel >> Mail >> Email Accounts >> View or change existing email accounts. If you see Exchange Server in the list of email accounts then thats your answer and the only way to remove these log files is to run Exchange aware backup program such as NTBackup.

[Samarth]

That seems fine, but I want to let you know that I have never done anything with Exchange. We dont even use it to process mail, store events, etc. I have installed SBS 2003 a couple of years ago out of the box using the default install or settings. I just want to know how to disable it and then delete the gbs worth of data in there. I noticed that we can safely delete them if we are not running Exchange.

[JudoChop]

This is an old thread, but since the original question never got answered...

1) Unmount the data stores. This step is important if you want to avoid corrupt data stores, esp. in Exch 2k3, where corruption can occur if you blow your nose in the server room.

Open Exchange System Manager

[yourdomain] > Servers > [yourstoragegroup] > Right click each and select "Unmount Store"

2) Stop all Microsoft Exchange services and set any that are on automatic to manual. This will allow you to quickly get it running again if necessary, as well as differentiate between the services you had disabled vs the ones that you were using.

So far this has worked for me. When I say "so far" I mean like 10 minutes...