How to automatically delete messages from the Badmail folder in Exchange Server 2003 and in Exchange 2000 Server

In Microsoft Exchange Server, each SMTP Virtual Server does the following to messages that cause errors during processing. Each SMTP Virtual Server moves such messages into its own Badmail folder. This article describes how to use a script to automatically delete files from the Badmail folders. The procedure eliminates the administrative overhead of manually deleting or archiving the files. Additionally, this procedure makes sure that the Badmail folders do not exceed specific size limits.

This script is designed to run as a scheduled event at non-peak-usage hours, when e-mail flow and network traffic are low. The script can be downloaded from the Microsoft Download Center.

To download the BadMailAdmin.exe file, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
Release Date: May 25, 2004

For more information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

For additional information about the administration of Exchange Server, see the Microsoft Exchange Team Blog. To view this blog, visit the following Microsoft Web site: