Exchange Server

Changing Default Mailbox Database Path in Exchange Server 2010

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When creating a new mailbox database with the Exchange 2010 Management Console you may have noticed that the database and log paths are automatically populated.

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This path comes from the value of the DataPath attribute on the Exchange Server object.

[PS] C:Admin>Get-ExchangeServer | fl name, *path*

Name     : EXCH2010-TEST
DataPath : C:Program FilesMicrosoftExchange ServerV14Mailbox

Unfortunately this attribute is not exposed to modification via the Set-ExchangeServer cmdlet. However like all attributes it is stored in Active Directory. In this case it is the msExchDataPath attribute on the Exchange Server object, viewable in ADSIEdit.msc.

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You can edit the attribute in ADSIEdit.msc and it will take effect immediately. The next time you run the New Mailbox Database wizard it will pre-populate the paths with the new value plus the name of the new database.

[PS] C:Admin>Get-ExchangeServer | fl name, *path*

Name     : EXCH2010-TEST
DataPath : C:ExchData

ex2010newdb2

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About the Author

Paul Cunningham

Paul is a former Microsoft MVP for Office Apps and Services. He works as a consultant, writer, and trainer specializing in Office 365 and Exchange Server. Paul no longer writes for Practical365.com.

Comments

  1. Farah 8 Feb 2022 Reply

    If we don’t chose the path of the user mailbox where will be stored

  2. Declan Agrinya 8 Aug 2017 Reply

    I had cause to move a database from one server to another and had to use ADSIEdit to complete the path change.

    After making the requisite changes to msExchEDBFile, msExchESEparamLogFilePath, msExchESEparamSystemPath, I had to also change, msExchMasterServerOrAvailabilityGroup, msExchOwningServer to reflect the new server name (all in the database properties).

    Then changed the msExchMDBCopy class Object CN name to the new Exchange Server CN, and edit the msExchHostServerLink property accordingly.

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      Paul Cunningham 8 Aug 2017 Reply

      If you were moving a database to a different server (presumably because of a failed server) then you should have been using the documented process for using database portability.

  3. Steve 8 Nov 2015 Reply

    Thanks for this Paul – but is there an attribute you can set for the DB LOG path as well as for the DB? Can’t seem to find one in ADSIEdit for the server…

    Thanks – Steve

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      Paul Cunningham 8 Nov 2015 Reply

      To be honest I would not both with this any more. As an ADSIEdit change it would also very likely be unsupported.

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