How to identify empty or unused dist/sec groups and mailboxes.

This worked for me

http://gsexdev.blogspot.com/2006/05/finding-and-removing-empty.html

Or use powershell which is the good way to run queries:

Save to .ps1 and run with .\filename.ps1.
 
 $groups = Get-DistributionGroup
 $amount = @()  
 foreach ($a in $groups)
 {
   $groupMem = Get-DistributionGroupMember $a
   if ($groupMem.Count -eq $null) { $amount += $a }
 }
 Write-Output $amount | Select-Object Name,GroupType,OrganizationalUnit | Export-CSV -notypeinformation -Path C:\Empty.csv

http://forums.msexchange.org/m_1800490641/tm.htm

thanks.

Where and how is this script executed ? do i save it as a batch file ?
does this do security groups also ?

Well the first one goes to a link (http://gsexdev.blogspot.com/2006/05/finding-and-removing-empty.html)...which runs as a VBS.    Just rename to emptdist.vbs

The second one is put in a .ps1 file which is just a notepad and just remove .txt to .ps1   - But you need Powershell

emptdist.vbs.txt

Hi,
i downloaded windows powershell 1.0. How do i execute the script. I copied the script above into a text file, renamed as example.ps1. and saved it under c:\., I opened up windows powershell 1.0 and at the prompt entered example.ps1

"The term 'example.ps1' is not recognized as a cmdlet, function, operable program, or script file. Verify the term and try again.
At line:1 char:11
+ example.ps1 <<<<"

any suggestions ?

Got it to work, now i am facing with this:

The term 'Get-DistributionGroup' is not recognized as a cmdlet, function, operable program, or script file. Verify the
term and try again.
At C:\empty.ps1:1 char:32
+ $groups = Get-DistributionGroup  <<<<
The term 'Get-DistributionGroupMember' is not recognized as a cmdlet, function, operable program, or script file. Verif
y the term and try again.
At C:\empty.ps1:5 char:43
+    $groupMem = Get-DistributionGroupMember  <<<< $a

You'd need Exchange 2007 to be able to use Get-DistributionGroup and Get-DistributionGroupMember. I guess this is 2003?

You can find empty groups easily enough though. You can do that in AD Users and Computers if you wish with this query:

(&(objectCategory=group)(!member=*))

Perhaps the easiest place to put it is...

Right click and Find
Select "Custom Search" from the drop down box
Select Advanced
Enter the LDAP Filter above and hit Find Now

Or if you grabbed these to go with PowerShell:

http://www.quest.com/activeroles-server/arms.aspx

Then you could run:

Get-QADGroup -LdapFilter "(&(objectCategory=group)(!member=*))"

Unused is a bit more difficult, it depends on your definition of unused. Any idea what criteria you would use?

Chris