What is .EDB File Extension?

Full Form of EDB File Extension

Extensible Storage Engine (ESE) Database

A Brief Information about what is .EDB file Extension!

The .edb is the database file created by Microsoft Exchange Server to store entire mailbox items (emails, contacts, tasks, calendars, journals and notes). Whole communication held in organization with Exchange server is stored in the Exchange database (EDB) file.

MS Exchange Server uses ESE (Extensible Storage Engine a sequential access method) to access the data of EDB file.

The EDB file stores rich text data (MAPI, SMTP, and HTTPS messages) of MS Exchange in B-Tree structure.

The earlier version of Exchange Server (Exchange Server 2003 and 2000) stores emails in EDB which is of two types priv1.edb, pub1.edb and attachment in separate STM file format

• Priv.edb - These files keep only keeps private data of user mailboxes.
• Pub. edb - These files contain public or shared folders' data of user mailboxes
• .stm - These files were created in Exchange server 2003 and previous editions to save email attachments and no more available in earlier editions of MS Exchange server.

Where are EDB file Located

Default Location of Exchange EDB file is dependent on the installed Version of Exchange server. The location of EDB file varies according the different version

Default Location of EDB of Exchange Server 2000 & 2003

• C:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\MDBDATA\Priv1.edb
• C:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\MDBDATA\Pub1.edb

Default path of EDB in Exchange Server 2007

• C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\Mailbox\First Storage Group\Mailbox Database.edb
• C:\Program\Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\Mailbox\First Storage Group\Public Folder Database.edb

Default Location of EDB in Exchange Server 2010

• C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V14\Mailbox Database\Mailbox Database.edb
• C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V14\Public Folder Database\Public Folder Database.edb

Default Location of EDB in Exchange Server 2013

• C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V15\Mailbox\Mailbox database name

Note: Above we have discussed about Exchange database file extensions. You can check binary form of these files by opening them with the Hex edition program. Internals aspects of the EDB file have not been made public by Microsoft.

Programs to Read EDB Files

EDB is a datbase file of Microsoft Exchange server that requires Live Exchange server envoirnment for accessing mailboxes.

Software to Open EDB File in Windows OS:

1. Microsoft Exchange Server
2. Free EDB file Viewers