Applies to: Exchange Server 2007 SP3, Exchange Server 2007 SP2, Exchange Server 2007 SP1
Topic Last Modified: 2010-02-24

This topic explains how to use the Exchange Management Shell to import mailbox data from a .pst file to a mailbox.

Note:
You cannot use the Exchange Management Console to import mailbox data.

What Data Is Imported

By default, the Import-Mailbox cmdlet imports all empty folders, special folders, and subfolders to the target location. To specify folders to either include in or exclude from the import, use the IncludeFolders or ExcludeFolders parameter. The special folders include:

  • Inbox

  • Deleted Items

  • Drafts

  • Junk E-Mail

  • Outbox

  • Sent Items

  • Journal

  • Calendar

  • Contacts

  • Notes

  • Tasks

The Import-Mailbox cmdlet imports all associated folder messages if they exist in the .pst file. Associated messages contain hidden data with information about rules, views, and forms.

The Import-Mailbox cmdlet imports all messages from the transport dumpster if they exist in the .pst file.

The Import-Mailbox cmdlet imports all message types, including messages, calendar items, contacts, distribution lists, journal entries, tasks, notes, and documents.

When data is imported from a .pst file, it is merged into the existing mailbox. If a message from the .pst file already exists, it will not be imported as a duplicate message.

Before You Begin

To perform this procedure, the account you use must be delegated the following:

  • Exchange Server Administrators role and local Administrators group for the source server and the target server

  • Full access to the target mailbox

To grant full access to a mailbox, use the Add-MailboxPermission cmdlet and specify FullAccess for the AccessRights parameter. For example, if the user Admin01 needs to import data from a .pst file to John's mailbox, you must first run the following command:

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Add-MailboxPermission -Identity john -User Admin01 -AccessRights FullAccess

For more information about permissions, delegating roles, and the rights that are required to administer Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, see Permission Considerations.

Also, before you perform this procedure, be aware of the following:

  • To import data from a .pst file, you must use the 32-bit version of the Exchange management tools. You cannot run the 32-bit version of the Exchange management tools on a server that is running Exchange 2007 because it is a 64-bit computer. You must run the Import-Mailbox cmdlet from a 32-bit computer that has the following installed:

    • The 32-bit version of the Exchange management tools

    • Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 or Outlook 2003 Service Pack 2 (SP2)

  • To import data from a .pst file to a mailbox, the server on which the .pst files reside must be running Exchange 2007 Service Pack 1 (SP1). However, the server on which the target mailbox resides can be running the release to manufacturing (RTM) version of Exchange 2007 or Exchange 2007 SP1.

  • You cannot use the Import-Mailbox cmdlet to import data to a mailbox that is on a server running Exchange Server 2003 or Exchange 2000 Server. To import data from a .pst file to a mailbox on a server that is running Exchange 2003 or Exchange 2000, you must use the Microsoft Exchange Server Mailbox Merge wizard (ExMerge.exe).

  • You cannot import data to a public folder database.

  • The mailbox to which you import data must exist. You cannot import data to a user account that does not have a mailbox.

    To download the 32-bit version of the Exchange 2007 management tools, see Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Management Tools (32-Bit).

Procedure

To use the Exchange Management Shell to import mailbox data from a .pst file

  • To import mailbox data from a .pst file named john.pst to John Peoples' mailbox, run the following command.

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    Import-Mailbox -Identity john@contoso.com -PSTFolderPath C:\PSTFiles\john.pst

  • To import all the mailbox data from a .pst file named john.pst that was received between January 1, 2007 and April 1, 2007, run the following command.

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    Import-Mailbox -Identity john@contoso.com -PSTFolderPath C:\PSTFiles\john.pst -StartDate 01/01/2007 -EndDate 04/01/2007

  • To import mailbox data from all the .pst files that are located in C:\PSTFiles into the corresponding mailboxes, run the following command.

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    Dir C:\PSTFiles\*.pst | Import-Mailbox -StartDate 01/01/2006 -EndDate 04/01/2006

    The .pst files in C:\PSTFiles must each be named <alias>.pst.

  • To import mailbox data from .pst files that are located at C:\PSTFiles into all the mailboxes whose user accounts are in the organizational unit named Students, run the following command.

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    Get-Mailbox -OrganizationalUnit Students | Import-Mailbox -PSTFolderPath C:\PSTFiles\

  • To import all the mailbox data from the john.pst file for which christine@fabrikam.com is the sender, run the following command.

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    Import-Mailbox -Identity john@contoso.com -PSTFolderPath C:\PSTFiles\john.pst -SenderKeywords christine@fabrikam.com

  • To import only the mailbox data from the john.pst file that is in the Sent Items folder, run the following command.

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    Import-Mailbox -Identity john -PSTFolderPath C:\PSTFiles\john.pst -IncludeFolders '\Sent Items'

  • To exclude folders from the import, such as excluding items in the Junk E-Mail and Contacts folders, run the following command.

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    Import-Mailbox -Identity john -PSTFolderPath C:\PSTFiles\john.pst ExcludeFolders "\Junk E-Mail","\Contacts"

  • To use filters to specify which items in the .pst file to include in the import, run the following command.

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    Import-Mailbox -Identity contoso\john -PSTFolderPath C:\PSTFiles\john.pst -ContentKeywords "merger" -AttachmentFilenames "*orgchart*" -StartDate "03/01/2006 12:01:00" -RecipientKeywords tony@fabrikam.com

    This example imports all items from the .pst file named john.pst that:

    • Contain the keyword "merger" in the message body or in the content of an attachment.

    • Have an attachment named *orgchart*.

    • Are dated later than 03/01/2006 at 12:01:00 A.M.

    • Have tony@fabrikam.com as one of the recipients.

For detailed syntax and parameter information, see Import-Mailbox.

For More Information

For more information about exporting mailbox data, see How to Export Mailbox Data.