Error Solved: new-mailboxexportrequest couldn’t connect to the source mailbox

Exchange server includes inbuilt utilities that can help database administrators (DBAs) perform the most complex of tasks easily, with the help of a few lines of code. However, utilities such as Exchange Management Shell (EMS) sometimes fail to perform the task owing to technical issues. In such cases, administrators can take the help of a reliable third-party software to accomplish what they set out to do.

In this post we’re taking up the case of a failed new-mailboxexportrequest cmdlet issued to export Exchange mailboxes to PST format due to problems with connection or source mailbox. In such a case, you may experience the following error,

Couldn’t connect to the source mailbox. MapiExceptionProtocolDisabled. Unable to make connection to the server.

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Couldn’t connect to the source mailbox.

    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (0:Int32) [New-MailboxExportRequest], RemoteTransientException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : 6B6493C8,Microsoft.Exchange.Management.RecipientTasks.New-MailboxExportRequest

About New-MailboxExportRequest Cmdlet

Before heading to fixes and solutions, you must know about the New-MailboxExportRequest and its pre-requisites. The New-MailboxExportRequest cmdlet is used to export the contents of a primary Exchange mailbox to a PST file or archive it. This cmdlet is available only with the on-premise Exchange server 2010 SP1 or later versions. Also, only users assigned with the Mailbox Import Export role can use and execute this cmdlet.

Thus, to use this cmdlet, you must assign the Mailbox Import Export role to a user or role group to which the user belongs. By default, this role isn’t assigned to any user or group, including the administrator.

The syntax used to run New-MailboxExportRequest cmdlet is as follows,

New-MailboxExportRequest -Mailbox <username> -FilePath “FullFilePath.pst”

By using this New-MailboxExportRequest  cmdlet, administrators can create multiple mailbox export requests, but each request should have a unique name. This unique name can be later used to view the progress or status of the export requests by using the Get-MailboxExportRequest cmdlet

Methods to Fix “Couldn’t Connect to the Source Mailbox” Error

While trying to export a user mailbox from EDB to PST, if you encountered an error like “couldn’t connect to the source mailbox”, it indicates an underlying technical issue. Thus, the New-MailboxExportRequest cmdlet fails. To resolve this error, you must find the reasons and fix the issues. Plus, you need to ensure that the cmdlet is correctly executed.

To know more, read how to use the New-MailboxExportRequest cmdlet

1. Connectivity issues with the Exchange server 

 The reason for the ‘New-MailboxExportRequest couldn’t connect to the source mailbox’ error is most probably network related. Thus, you must check and verify that all the connections to servers and systems are working, before running the mailbox export commands. Also, ensure that you have the required permissions to access the folder paths and required files. Read More

2. Disabled MAPI protocol

The problem can also be associated with the MAPI protocol that permits access to MS Exchange mailboxes from MAPI clients such as Outlook. Thus, you must check that the MAPI profile is enabled/disabled. If not, enable it to connect to Outlook and also check the ‘MAPIBlockOutlookNonCachedMode’ feature. The steps are as follows,

1. Check and rectify Internet connectivity and Exchange connectivity issues
2. Login to Exchange account through the Outlook Web App (OWA) and see if you can get through. If yes, manually export your inbox data to PST from the OWA.
3. Check if the MAPI mode is enabled or not by verifying the Client Access Server mailbox status of the user. For this either right-click on the user mailbox from the Exchange Management Shell (EMS) and check its properties or run the following command:

Get-CASMailbox –Identify user name

4. To double-check if it’s working, disable the MAPI mode and re-enable it immediately. To disable it, use the following command:

Set-CASMailbox ID –MAPIBlockOutlookNonCachedMode:$false

5. Now enable it through this command:

Set-CASMailbox ID –MAPIBlockOutlookNonCachedMode:$True

6. Now run the export cmdlet again:

New-MailboxExportRequest–Mailbox USERID– FilePath\\SERVERNAME\ SHAREPATH\name.pst

Alternative Method to Convert EDB to PST

If you’re still encountering the New-MailboxExportRequest couldn’t connect to the source mailbox error, use reliable third-party software to export mailboxes from Exchange server databases to PST.

We recommend using Stellar Converter for EDB to perform the EDB to PST export task. This professional Exchange database (EDB) to PST converter software is also recommended by Microsoft MVPs and IT admins to export PST from the Exchange mailbox database. Moreover, you don’t need additional permissions or roles to run this software. Only admin access is required to save EDB data to PST files. Plus, this powerful software can convert offline or hosted EDB files and export the data to PST, Office 365, or Live Exchange server without dismounting the Exchange database files.

In addition to the capability of performing the hassle-free and accurate conversion, the software is packed with other impressive features such as an interactive user interface, granular mailbox content export, and much more. You can start by downloading the free demo version by using the following link.

Conclusion

There could be several reasons why you’d need to export mailboxes from Exchange server EDB to PST format. New-MailboxExportRequest is one such cmdlet that makes it easy for the Exchange admins to create mailbox to PST export requests in MS Exchange 2010 SP1 or later versions. However, manual techniques and command-line scripts often come with their share of difficulties and risks. You may experience errors and technical challenges while exporting the PSTs.

In such cases, you can choose Stellar Converter for EDB software. Whether you’re moving to a new email client at work, opting for better storage management that PST files offer, or looking for improved server response, Stellar Converter for EDB can help you to effortlessly extract mailbox data stored within EDB file and convert it to PST format or export to Live Exchange and Office 365 accounts.

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About The Author

Eric Simson

Eric Simson is an Email Platform Consultant and is associated with Stellar Data Recovery from last 6 years. He writes about the latest technology tips and provides custom solutions related to MS Outlook, MS Exchange Server, Office 365, and many other Email Clients & Servers.