Exchange Server - help on defragmenting exhcnage databases

Hi,

It has been a while since I have had to do anything substantial with
Exchange (part of SBS 2003).  The databases are in desperate need of
defragmentation.   I think I know what  to do, but hopefully another
set of eyes and another brain will see/think of things I do not.  I
want to defragment the current database and I need to use a temporary
file because of lack of space on the drive where the database is
located.  Are the following commands correct?

1.   stop Exchange servicdes

2.  eseutil  /d  /t i:\temp   priv1db

3.   start exchange services

i:\temp is a temporary directory I have setup for this.

Thanks

Why do you believe that they are in desperate need of defragmentation?
--
Ed Crowley MVP
.

I just  have a feeling....no, wait maybe its it is the 2400 fragments
listed when I use the defrag tool.   From what posts I have read the
only way to fix is by running eseutil /d.  If there are other ways,
feel free to enumerate them.

No, looking at the disk map and seeing fragmentation has got nothing
to do with using the /d switch.

I thought that way, then looked it up and ignore the question.

According to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/328804, Dave is correct.

is complete, the original database is deleted or saved to a
user-specified location, and the new version is renamed as the
original." - this would indeed help with disk defragmentation as the new
file is likely to be contiguous.
--
Leonid S. Knyshov
Crashproof Solutions
510-282-1008
Twitter: @wiseleo
http://crashproofsolutions.com
Microsoft Small Business Specialist
Try Exchange Online http://bit.ly/free-exchange-trial
Please vote "helpful" if I helped you :)

Not really. The store should be on its own drive/disk/partition
(whatever) anyway. Microsoft do not, and never have really understood
how data is laid onto the disk so fragmentation is not an objective
science.
It is rarely worth the effort and the act of doing so introduces its
own risks.

On that I agree, but strictly speaking, creating a new database file
through the use of eseutil /d will contribute to reducing disk
fragmentation.

In my opinion, that is entirely cosmetic.

I cannot remember the last time I bothered to run defrag on my machines.
it is scheduled on our customers' boxes as a matter of precaution. If I
feel the urgent need to run defrag, I probably should clone and replace
the disk instead. I'd also check for degraded arrays.
--
Leonid S. Knyshov
Crashproof Solutions
510-282-1008
Twitter: @wiseleo
http://crashproofsolutions.com
Microsoft Small Business Specialist
Try Exchange Online http://bit.ly/free-exchange-trial
Please vote "helpful" if I helped you :)