How to disable mailbox size limit warning messages on a computer that is running Exchange Server 2003 or Exchange 2000 Server

When a Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 mailbox or a Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server mailbox reaches its size limit, a message that resembles the following may be sent to the mailbox from the Exchange system administrator account:Microsoft has released a software update that includes a new feature that lets you change the default behavior so that mailbox warning messages are not sent from the Exchange system administrator account. By default, warning messages are sent from the Exchange system administrator account to warn the user that the mailbox has surpassed the warning size limit or the size limit. The mailbox size limit is specified on the Exchange General tab for a mailbox-enabled user in the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in.

Exchange Server 2003

To enable this feature, you must install the latest service pack for Exchange Server 2003. This feature was introduced in Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1). After you install the latest service pack, you must perform the steps that are described in the "After you install the software update" section later in this article. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Exchange 2000 Server

Software update information

A supported feature that modifies the default behavior of the product is available from Microsoft. However, this feature is intended to modify only the behavior that this article describes. Apply this feature only to systems that specifically require it.

If the feature is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the feature.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific feature. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the feature is available. If you do not see your language, it is because the feature is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

Because of file dependencies, this software update requires Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server Service Pack 3 (SP3). For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

File information

The English version of this software update has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

After you install the software update

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.
Note The steps that are described in this section apply to both Exchange Server 2003 and to Exchange 2000 Server. If you are using Exchange Server 2003, you must install Exchange Server 2003 SP1 before you follow these steps.

After you install this software update, you must create the Disable Quota Messages registry entry for each mailbox store on the Exchange Server 2003 computer or on the Exchange 2000 Server computer. You do this so that mailbox warning messages are not sent from the Exchange system administrator account. When you create the Disable Quota Messages registry entry for a mailbox store, the warning message is not sent to the mailboxes in that mailbox store. If you do not want warning messages to be sent to more than one mailbox store, you must add the Disable Quota Messages registry entry to each registry subkey that represents a mailbox store.

For example, if you have two mailbox stores on your Exchange 2000 Server computer, you must create the Disable Quota Messages registry entry in the subkey. Then, you must also create the Disable Quota Messages registry entry in the subkey.

To create the Disable Quota Messages registry entry, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
2. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeIS\<Exchange Server Name>\Private-<Mailbox Store GUID>
   Note You must create the Disable Quota Messages registry entry in each registry subkey that represents a mailbox store that you do not want to send mailbox warning messages to.
3. On the Edit menu, point to New, click DWORD Value, type Disable Quota Messages, and then click the Disable Quota Messages registry entry.
4. Right-click the Disable Quota Messages registry entry, and then click Modify.
5. In the Value Data area, type 1, and then click OK.

Note When you disable this warning message functionality, you can write a program that monitors the mailbox table and that compares the mailbox size to the mailbox size limit. The program can then send a custom message to a mailbox when the mailbox reaches a specific size.