Question : Exmerge.exe will not run in exchange server 2003 please help geniuses!

Ok

I need to do some mailbox maintenance on this Exchange server -- The mailbox store is getting out of hand and the several end user in this small enterprise have confirmed that they have no use for even archiving 50% of their many thousands of emails.

So I am just going to trash them -- the easiest way I've found is to use Exmerge.exe -- which I've read works wonderfully... when it works.

I have copied all the necessary files including the .dlls to C:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\bin.
I have given my Exhange administrator account explicit access to the mailbox store

read: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=292509

Administrative tools was installed when i came to this server -- I use the Exchange System Manager and all the other components and they are working fine.

When I try to run Exmerge.exe I get this error:
The Microsoft Exchange Administrator program was not found on the local machine. Please install the Administrator program and then run Exmerge.exe

I have tried everything I can find out there on the Interwebz and I am at the end of my rope. So... I put it to this brilliant community that has helped me so many times before.

Let me know what you think I should do!!! I have to get this done before open of business on Monday

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!!!

Answer : Exmerge.exe will not run in exchange server 2003 please help geniuses!

Another suggestion is to run ExMerge from an XP workstation. You will need to copy one or two DLL's to the same folder, but it runs just fine. I prefer not to run it from my Exchange box so I run it from a test server, but it runs on XP just as well. You need Exchange Admin tools installed, I think.

1. Install Exchange System Manager (Exchange server disk needed, install only administration tools)
2. Download the latest ExMerge version from MS
3. Expand the ZIP file into a folder on machine
4. Copy the DLL's needed to the same folder, from a BIN folder on an Exchange server.

Another option to consider is "mailbox maintenance" which can remove old items from mailboxes as well. I have used it a long time ago, in 5.5, but it allows you to choose which folders you want to maintain and exclude or include certain users. You access it through Exchange System Manager, under "policies". I'm at home but if you cannot find it reply and I'll log in and give you exact steps.

Dan