Powershell script to delete emails from mailbox older than an 7 month or specified dates

Question

I have problem with converting my Search-Mailbox command to another one. If you all know in the future as Search-Mailbox is retired. So I need to use another cmdlet for this command.

My working right now command with Search-Mailbox

Search-Mailbox -Identity [email protected] -SearchQuery "(Received:01/12/2017..$((get-date).AddMonths(-7).ToString("MM/dd/yyy")))" -deletecontet

I read a lot of times https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/policy-and-compliance/ediscovery/delete-messages?view=exchserver-2019#step-2-delete-the-message and try do step by step and get this code.

New-ComplianceSearch -Name "Remove older than 7 month messages" -ExchangeLocation [email protected] -ContentMatchQuery "(Received:01/12/2017..$((get-date).AddMonths(-7).ToString("MM/dd/yyy")))"

Start-ComplianceSearch -Identity "Remove older than 7 month messages"

New-ComplianceSearchAction -SearchName "Remove older than 7 month messages" -Purge -PurgeType SoftDelete

But its not work for me. getting error

Unable to execute the task. Reason: The search "Remove older than 8 month messages" is still running or it didn't

return any results. Please wait until the search finishes or edit the query and run the search again.

ADD my full PowerShell script

Start-Transcript


$smtpServer="smtp.office365.com" # Office 365 official smtp server 
$from = "IT Support <[email protected]>" # email from  
$logging = "Enabled" # Set to Disabled to Disable Logging 
$testing = "Disabled" # Set to Disabled to Email Users 
$testRecipient = "[email protected]"  
$date = Get-Date -format ddMMyyyy 

$Username = "[email protected]"
$Password = "test-" | ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText -Force
$UserCredential = New-Object System.Management.Automation.PSCredential -ArgumentList $Username,$Password

$Session = New-PSSession -ConfigurationName Microsoft.Exchange -ConnectionUri  https://eur04b.ps.compliance.protection.outlook.com/powershell-liveid?PSVersion=5.1.17763.1007 -Credential $UserCredential -Authentication Basic –AllowRedirection

 Import-PSSession $Session

Get-ComplianceSearchAction
New-ComplianceSearch -Name "Remove older than 7 month messages" -ExchangeLocation [email protected]  -ContentMatchQuery "(Received:01/12/2017..$((get-date).AddMonths(-7).ToString("MM/dd/yyy")))"
Start-ComplianceSearch -Identity "Remove older than 7 month messages"
New-ComplianceSearchAction -SearchName "Remove older than 7 month messages" -Purge -PurgeType SoftDelete 

Solution

Try:

New-ComplianceSearch -Name "Remove older than 7 month messages" -ExchangeLocation [email protected] -ContentMatchQuery "(Received >= 01/12/2017 -and Received <= $((get-date).AddMonths(-7).ToString("MM/dd/yyy")))"

Comments

[dortegaoh]

Have you tried to wait until the search finishes or edit the query and run the search again?

[mausasu1234]

im using script, it allways finishing search and asking then Confirm Are you sure you want to perform this action? This operation will make message items meeting the criteria of the compliance search "Remove older than 7 month messages" completely inaccessible to users. There is no automatic method to undo the removal of these message items. then i press Y or A i will get what error

[dortegaoh]

Did you run Get-ComplianceSearchAction to check for already running searches?

[mausasu1234]

@GeraldSchneider yes i try it. i will post my all powershell script for to make my question more clearly

[joeqwerty]

Wouldn't it be simpler to use a retention policy to do this?

[mausasu1234]

@joeqwerty i try it with with RetentionPolicy, i add it and dont delete anything

[joeqwerty]

It can take up to 7 days to be applied. If you want to force it, follow this: docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/compliance/…

[mausasu1234]

i try this one, not working

[mausasu1234]

thank you, now then i using first New-ComplianceSearch then Get-ComplianceSearchAction i dont getting error, but then i press Y or A my window close very fast, but dont delete anything of emails.

[mausasu1234]

@Iwan_Wang your email have been deleted?

[Ivan_Wang]

@mausasu1234 It didn't delete my emails, however, I tried to modify the "-ContentMatchQuery" parameter with a subject keyword, it worked. Based on the test result, it seems that the value of this parameter in the above command is inproper.

[mausasu1234]

@Iwan_Wang maybe do you know how to change it ? it seems getting date -7 mouth, but why didn't work i really don't understand

[Ivan_Wang]

@mausasu1234 You could try the following command in my new reply. Hope it's helpful to you.

[mausasu1234]

still dont remove anything

[Ivan_Wang]

@mausasu1234 Which emails do you want to delete? Based on the command you post above, the date range is from 01/12/2017 to the current date(Minus 7 months).

[Ivan_Wang]

@mausasu1234 Hi, i'm here to confirm if the compliance search issue has been fixed, if the above replies are helpful to you, you could mark the best answer. Have a nice day:-)