Removing email from an Exchange server

Thomas Zucker-ScharffSenior Data Analyst
CERTIFIED EXPERT
Veteran in computer systems, malware removal and ransomware topics.  I have been working in the field since 1985.
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User Beware!  This is a rather permanent solution to removing your email from an exchange server.  The only way to truly go back is to have your exchange administrator restore your mailbox from backups.  This is usually the option of last resort.  At least at my institution, one has to show a business need for such an action.  So proceed with caution, and remember if this is an attempt to keep the email you have received so far private, it won't work.  Backups are there for a reason.  An email you receive going forward would not be stored on the exchange server, so would not be accessible as easily.  But anything going through your work network is available to your bosses in some shape or form.

So first, the easiest way to do this is with outlook.  This example will use Outlook 2010 on a windows 7 Pro 64bit computer connected to an Exchange 2010 installation.  One of the only reasons I am writing this is because in the past week I have either had several requests or seen several questions here on Experts Exchange asking for just this information.  

I made a quick silent video of the process here.  the video repeats what is listed below, with some emphasis of what to do when.  It comes down to the following:
  1. Start outlook
  2. When you see the main Outlook window, click on the file menu
  3. After clicking on the File menu you should see the following screen:file-menu.PNG
  4. Click on Account settings and in the drop down click Account Settings again and this screen should pop up:data-files-settings.PNG
  5. Next click the "Change Folder" button and you will see a warning dialog box like this onemail-delivery-location.PNG
  6. If you answer yes, ALL current and historical email on the exchange server will be downloaded to a pst file on your machine.  It will NO LONGER exist on the live instance of Exchange (snapshots of the exchange server will still have your  complete mailbox up until that point).  This is  a permanent action and cannot be reasonably reversed.  Clicking No in this dialogue box will cancel the operation completely.
On the other hand, if you just wish to have an exact copy of your mailbox, use the export feature built into Outlook.  There is a short silent video on how to do that as well.

If this article helped you fell free to vote it helpful!  In this way I can see which articles I write are most helpful and where I should concentrate my energies.
 
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Thomas Zucker-ScharffSenior Data Analyst
CERTIFIED EXPERT
Veteran in computer systems, malware removal and ransomware topics.  I have been working in the field since 1985.

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