Error with powershell command to delete emails through Purview

Question

Error with powershell command to delete emails through Purview

EBER Alexis 0

Hello folks !

For security reason, I have to delete emails from a mailbox time to time.
Therefore, I created this script below in Powershell to be run every day with a scheduled task.

Everything works fine, despite numerous problem due to lack of rights that I resolved, except when it comes to delete those emails.

It throws me this error :

Write-ErrorMessage : |Microsoft.Exchange.Management.Tasks.ComplianceJobTaskException|Unable to execute the task. Reason: The search "Messages_scans_suppression" 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.
Au caractère C:\Users\XXX\AppData\Local\Temp\tmpEXO_ltltarxx.uae\tmpEXO_ltltarxx.uae.psm1:1189 : 13
+             Write-ErrorMessage $ErrorObject
+             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : WriteError: (:) [New-ComplianceSearchAction], ComplianceJobTaskException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : [RequestId=8ace4e0d-9213-86c8-a828-3e35111e4532,TimeStamp=Thu, 24 Apr 2025 13:59:16 GMT],Write-ErrorMessage

Here is my script :

# ID application (client)
$clientID = "XXXX"
# Emprunte du certificat
$clientThumbprint = "XXXXX"

Import-Module ExchangeOnlineManagement

# Connexion en utilisant un certificat 
try{
    # Security&Compliance
    Connect-IPPSSession -AppId $clientID -CertificateThumbprint $clientThumbprint -Organization "myorg.onmicrosoft.com" -ShowBanner:$false
    }
catch
    { throw $_.Exception}

# Recherche des messages à supprimer
$Search=New-ComplianceSearch -Name "Messages_scans_suppression" -ExchangeLocation "******@XXX.org" -ContentMatchQuery 'kind:email'

Start-ComplianceSearch -Identity $Search.Name

# Attente de la fin d'exécution de la recherche
while((Get-ComplianceSearch $Search.Name).Status -ne "Completed")
{
    echo "attente execution job"
    Get-ComplianceSearch -Identity $Search.Name | FL name,items,size,jobprogress,status
    Start-Sleep -Seconds 10
    
}

Get-ComplianceSearch -Identity $Search.Name | FL name,items,size,jobprogress,status

Echo "Suppression"

Get-ComplianceSearch -Identity "Messages_scans_suppression" | Select *
(Get-ComplianceSearch -Identity "Messages_scans_suppression").Items

# Suppressions des courriels
New-ComplianceSearchAction -SearchName "Messages_scans_suppression" -Purge -PurgeType HardDelete -Confirm:$false


# Suppression de la recherche, car 1 seule recherche portant ce nom là peut exister
Remove-ComplianceSearch -Identity "Messages_scans_suppression" -Confirm:$false

# Déconnexion
Disconnect-ExchangeOnline -Confirm:$false

Here is the full console output :

attente execution job


Name        : Messages_scans_suppression
Items       : 0
Size        : 0
JobProgress : 0
Status      : Starting



attente execution job


Name        : Messages_scans_suppression
Items       : 0
Size        : 0
JobProgress : 0
Status      : Starting



attente execution job


Name        : Messages_scans_suppression
Items       : 0
Size        : 0
JobProgress : 0
Status      : Starting



attente execution job


Name        : Messages_scans_suppression
Items       : 0
Size        : 0
JobProgress : 0
Status      : Starting



attente execution job


Name        : Messages_scans_suppression
Items       : 0
Size        : 0
JobProgress : 0
Status      : Starting



attente execution job


Name        : Messages_scans_suppression
Items       : 0
Size        : 0
JobProgress : 0
Status      : Starting



attente execution job


Name        : Messages_scans_suppression
Items       : 0
Size        : 0
JobProgress : 0
Status      : Starting





Name        : Messages_scans_suppression
Items       : 0
Size        : 0
JobProgress : 100
Status      : Completed



Suppression


Language                              : 
StatusMailRecipients                  : {}
LogLevel                              : Suppressed
IncludeUnindexedItems                 : True
ContentMatchQuery                     : kind:email
SearchType                            : EstimateSearch
HoldNames                             : {}
SearchNames                           : {}
RefinerNames                          : {}
Region                                : 
Refiners                              : 
Items                                 : 0
Size                                  : 0
UnindexedItems                        : 0
UnindexedSize                         : 0
SuccessResults                        : {}
SearchStatistics                      : {"ExchangeBinding":{"Search":{"Name":null,"Sources":"0","SourcesRaw":0,"ContentItems":0,"ContentSize":"0 
                                        B","ContentSizeRaw":0,"HasFaults":false},"Queries":[{"Name":"_PrimaryQuery","Sources":"0","SourcesRaw":0,"ContentItems":0,"ContentSize":"0 
                                        B","ContentSizeRaw":0,"Query":"kind:\"email\"","Type":"Primary"},{"Name":"_UnindexedQuery","Sources":"0","SourcesRaw":0,"ContentItems":0,"ContentSize":"0 
                                        B","ContentSizeRaw":0,"Query":"((kind:\"email\") AND (((IndexingErrorCode\u003c0) OR (IndexingErrorCode\u003e0) OR 
                                        (IsPartiallyIndexed=True))))","Type":"Unindexed"}],"Sources":[]}}
Errors                                : 
ErrorTags                             : {}
NumFailedSources                      : 0
JobId                                 : f5e34838-2064-4e41-dffb-08dd8338047b
Name                                  : Messages_scans_suppression
CreatedTime                           : 24/04/2025 13:57:57
LastModifiedTime                      : 24/04/2025 13:58:51
JobStartTime                          : 24/04/2025 13:57:59
JobEndTime                            : 24/04/2025 13:58:51
Description                           : 
CreatedBy                             : FFO
RunBy                                 : FFO
TenantId                              : XXX
NumBindings                           : 0
Status                                : Completed
ExchangeLocation                      : {******@XXX.org}
PublicFolderLocation                  : 
SharePointLocation                    : 
OneDriveLocation                      : 
ExchangeLocationExclusion             : 
PublicFolderLocationExclusion         : 
SharePointLocationExclusion           : 
OneDriveLocationExclusion             : 
JobRunId                              : 3600ac93-c5e3-4e2d-e4d3-08dd833805e3
Retry                                 : False
AllowNotFoundExchangeLocationsEnabled : False
JobOptions                            : 304
JobProgress                           : 100
CaseId                                : 
CaseName                              : 
PagingState                           : 
Identity                              : 3600ac93-c5e3-4e2d-e4d3-08dd833805e3
ContentURL                            : 
ResultInEOP                           : False
AzureBatchFrameworkEnabled            : True
IsValid                               : True
ObjectState                           : New

0

Write-ErrorMessage : |Microsoft.Exchange.Management.Tasks.ComplianceJobTaskException|Unable to execute the task. Reason: The search "Messages_scans_suppression" 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.
Au caractère C:\Users\XXX\AppData\Local\Temp\tmpEXO_ltltarxx.uae\tmpEXO_ltltarxx.uae.psm1:1189 : 13
+             Write-ErrorMessage $ErrorObject
+             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : WriteError: (:) [New-ComplianceSearchAction], ComplianceJobTaskException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : [RequestId=8ace4e0d-9213-86c8-a828-3e35111e4532,TimeStamp=Thu, 24 Apr 2025 13:59:16 GMT],Write-ErrorMessage

In order to resolve this issue, I went to Purview to see if my compliance search was created. It is.
But, when I look up for details, I don't see the "target" as specified in my script with the argument "-ExchangeLocation ******@XXX.org" :

Any help would be appreciated :)

Chandra Boorla 14,510 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-25T16:45:53.1333333+00:00

@EBER Alexis

We haven’t heard from you on the last response and was just checking back to see if you have a resolution yet. In case if you have any resolution, please do share that same with the community as it can be helpful to others. Otherwise, will respond with more details and we will try to help.
Chandra Boorla 14,510 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-28T18:52:38.8933333+00:00

@EBER Alexis

We haven’t heard from you on the last response and was just checking back to see if you have a resolution yet. In case if you have any resolution, please do share that same with the community as it can be helpful to others.

If this answers your query, do click Accept Answer and Yes for was this answer helpful. And, if you have any further query do let us know.

Thank you.

1 answer

Your answer

Chandra Boorla 14,510 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-25T16:45:53.1333333+00:00

@EBER Alexis

We haven’t heard from you on the last response and was just checking back to see if you have a resolution yet. In case if you have any resolution, please do share that same with the community as it can be helpful to others. Otherwise, will respond with more details and we will try to help.
Chandra Boorla 14,510 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-28T18:52:38.8933333+00:00

@EBER Alexis

We haven’t heard from you on the last response and was just checking back to see if you have a resolution yet. In case if you have any resolution, please do share that same with the community as it can be helpful to others.

If this answers your query, do click Accept Answer and Yes for was this answer helpful. And, if you have any further query do let us know.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Chandra Boorla 14,510 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

@EBER Alexis

Thanks for sharing the script and output. The error you are encountering indicates that the compliance search you created is still running or did not return any results, which is why the purge action fails with the following message:

"The search 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."

In your case, the search did complete, but since it found 0 items, there was nothing to delete.

Here are few troubleshooting steps that might help you to fix the issue:

Please add a condition to check if any items were found before triggering the purge action. Here’s a snippet you can add after the search completes:

$searchResult = Get-ComplianceSearch -Identity $Search.Name

if ($searchResult.Items -gt 0) {
    Write-Output "Found $($searchResult.Items) items. Proceeding with purge..."
    New-ComplianceSearchAction -SearchName $Search.Name -Purge -PurgeType HardDelete -Confirm:$false
} else {
    Write-Warning "No items found in the search '$($Search.Name)'. Skipping purge."
}

This will prevent the purge command from failing when there are no matching emails.
Confirm Search Completion - Double-check that the compliance search status is actually marked as "Completed" before the purge starts. From the logs you shared, it seems the job took some time to finish, and the purge might have been initiated a bit early.

Add a Delay or Retry Logic - Even if the search status turns to "Completed", sometimes it takes a few extra seconds for the results to be available. Consider adding a small delay after the status is "Completed" before triggering the purge:

Start-Sleep -Seconds 15  # Add a short wait before purge

Validate Your Query - Make sure the query 'kind:email' is returning results. You can try running a broader search, like:

-ContentMatchQuery 'Received:>=04/01/2024'

If no results are found, the purge will fail with the same message you saw.

Check Your Permissions - Ensure that your account has both of these roles assigned in Microsoft Purview:

Compliance Search
Search and Purge

These are required to create searches and delete content.

Check Mailbox Configuration - Make sure that Single Item Recovery isn’t enabled for the mailbox, as this could prevent permanent deletions.

I hope this information helps. Please do let us know if you have any further queries.

Kindly consider upvoting the comment if the information provided is helpful. This can assist other community members in resolving similar issues.

Thank you.

EBER Alexis 0 Reputation points

2025-05-06T11:41:37.89+00:00
Hi !

Thank you for your answer. I went on holidays last week.

In your case, the search did complete, but since it found 0 items, there was nothing to delete.

Yeah I saw that. That's why I went to Purview, and as you can see, my compliance didn't set up well. If I add manually the location (aka the webmail I need to purge) and I manually run the compliance, I got more than 15000 results ... But none with powershell.
As I'm writing this, that does ring a bell. I didn't try to set up manually the query and run through powershell. I'll might give a shot.

Please add a condition to check if any items were found before triggering the purge action. Here’s a snippet you can add after the search completes:

Done, 0 item found ...

Add a Delay

Already done. I set a timer to 10 minutes, 0 item found

Check Your Permissions - Ensure that your account has both of these roles assigned in Microsoft Purview:

Compliance Search

Search and Purge These are required to create searches and delete content.

I had some error first time I run the script, due to lack of those permissions

Validate Your Query - Make sure the query 'kind:email' is returning results. You can try running a broader search, like:

`-ContentMatchQuery 'Received:>=04/01/2024'`

Not tested. I'll try that and keep in touch !
Chandra Boorla 14,510 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-05-06T12:31:56.9266667+00:00
@EBER Alexis

Thank you for the detailed update, and I hope you had a great holiday!

You're absolutely right, if running the search manually in Purview yields over 15,000 results but the PowerShell script returns 0, the issue likely lies in how the script is configuring the ExchangeLocation or the search query itself.

Suggestions Based on Your Observations:

Explicitly Define the Location in PowerShell - Since manually adding the mailbox works, try specifying the exact mailbox address in the -ExchangeLocation parameter like this:

New-ComplianceSearch -Name "Messages_scans_suppression" ` -ExchangeLocation "******@domain.com" ` -ContentMatchQuery 'Received:>=04/01/2024'

This ensures the search targets the correct mailbox and avoids ambiguity.

Query Test Through PowerShell - As you mentioned, trying out a broader query like 'Received:>=04/01/2024' is a great next step. That should help confirm whether the issue is with the scope or structure of the query when run via script.

Logic to Skip Purge if No Items Found - Good call on adding that check, this avoids unnecessary errors when the search returns 0 results.

I hope this information helps.

Thank you.
EBER Alexis 0 Reputation points

2025-05-07T10:12:37.6166667+00:00

With the argument

'Received:>=04/01/2024'

The compliance query seems to be good. I got the source webmail as you can see below

When I launch through powershell, it get significantly more time to execute, even though I got 0 result, which is normal, I got no emails in the Inbox.

Seems to be good :)

To satisfy my curiosity, do you know why I need to specify this content match query ?
I need to erase all emails, and some of them are wayyyy older, and in a different folder (sent, junk, deleted elements, ...)
Chandra Boorla 14,510 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-05-07T18:12:43.2833333+00:00
@EBER Alexis

Great to hear that the query is working properly now!

Why Specifying a Content Match Query is Necessary:

When you perform a compliance search in Microsoft Purview (or via PowerShell), the -ContentMatchQuery parameter helps define what you are specifically searching for. Without this query, the search may not always include all emails, especially in folders beyond the Inbox.

Why Your Initial Search Missed Emails:

Default Search Behavior - If you don't specify a query, the search may not cover all folders (Inbox, Sent Items, Junk, Deleted Items, etc.).

Indexing Variations - Some older emails or those in non-default folders may not be indexed in the same way, making them harder to locate without a specific query.

Performance Optimization - Specifying a query helps the search engine optimize the search, avoiding unnecessary items.

Solution for Your Scenario:

Since you want to delete all emails across all folders, you can use a broader query like this:

-ContentMatchQuery 'kind:email'

If your goal is to ensure older emails are also captured, you can further refine the query:

-ContentMatchQuery '(kind:email) AND (Received:>=01/01/2000)' # This date can be adjusted

This approach should include all emails, regardless of folder or age.

I hope this information helps.

Thank you.
Chandra Boorla 14,510 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-05-08T16:45:56.5433333+00:00

@EBER Alexis

We haven’t heard from you on the last response and was just checking back to see if you have a resolution yet. In case if you have any resolution, please do share that same with the community as it can be helpful to others.

If this answers your query, do click Accept Answer and Yes for was this answer helpful. And, if you have any further query do let us know.
EBER Alexis 0 Reputation points

2025-05-19T14:10:22.04+00:00

Hello !

Unfortunately, it still doesn't work.

The query is correctly set up as you can see (I change from my test webmail to the real one) :

I had to change "Received:>=04/01/2024" to "Date>2000-01-01" because the query editor throws me 2 error with ":>=" operator and the date format.

But, when I run the script, I got 0 item found.

If I look at Purview, the query is like not launched

Whereas if I manually execute the case through Purview, without any changes, I got this :

I think I'm missing something, because in Purview, when launching the query, I have a panel in which I have to choose between "Statistics" and "Samples".

Maybye I have to set this value in the cmdlet, but I didn't found where
Chandra Boorla 14,510 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-05-19T18:25:58.9333333+00:00
@EBER Alexis

Thank you for the detailed update.

Based on what you've shared, it looks like the issue is directly related to the search type being used when you run the query via PowerShell.

Why your query works manually but Not via PowerShell:

When you run the search manually in Purview, you choose between "Statistics" (Estimate) and "Samples" (Actual Results).
The PowerShell command is likely defaulting to the "Estimate" mode (-SearchType EstimateSearch), which only provides an estimated count and may not run an actual search, leading to zero results.
This is why your query works manually (samples mode) but returns nothing via PowerShell.

Solution:

Modify your PowerShell script to use "Preview" (Samples) mode instead of the default.
Use the -SearchType Preview parameter in the New-ComplianceSearch command.
Try This:

$Search = New-ComplianceSearch -Name "Messages_scans_suppression" ` -ExchangeLocation "******@yourdomain.org" ` -ContentMatchQuery 'kind:email AND Date>2000-01-01' ` -SearchType Preview # <-- Change to Preview for actual results Start-ComplianceSearch -Identity $Search.Name

Why this works:

The -SearchType Preview forces the search to use actual content rather than just providing an estimated count.
This should align with the behavior you see when manually running the search in Purview.

I hope this information helps.

Thank you.
EBER Alexis 0 Reputation points

2025-05-20T08:58:23.1866667+00:00
Thank you for your quick answer

But I got this error

It looks like it's not a correct parameter, and I don't see it here https://learn.microsoft.com/fr-fr/powershell/module/exchange/new-compliancesearch?view=exchange-ps

I looked at the "Start-ComplianceSearch" explanation (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/start-compliancesearch?view=exchange-ps) no "-SearchType" parameter

But I found a "-Preview" parameter in the "New-ComplianceSearchAction" cmdlet.
I put this command "New-ComplianceSearchAction -SearchName $Search.Name -Preview" between

Start-ComplianceSearch -Identity $Search.Name

and

if ((Get-ComplianceSearch -Identity $Search.Name).Items -gt 0) { echo "Nombre d'éléments trouvés : "+(Get-ComplianceSearch -Identity $Search.Name).Items # Suppressions des courriels #New-ComplianceSearchAction -SearchName "Messages_scans_suppression" -Purge -PurgeType HardDelete -Confirm:$false } else { echo "Aucun résultat, pas de suppression" }

(the delete command is deliberately commented out during the test phase)

I give it a try, and i'll keep you updated
EBER Alexis 0 Reputation points

2025-05-20T13:54:48.41+00:00
The cmdlet

New-ComplianceSearchAction -SearchName $Search.Name -Preview

doesn't work either
Chandra Boorla 14,510 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-05-20T22:36:19.7133333+00:00
@EBER Alexis

Thank you for the update and for taking the time to test those scenarios — it really helps in narrowing down the issue. I sincerely apologize for the confusion caused by the incorrect suggestion regarding the -SearchType parameter.

You're absolutely right:

The New-ComplianceSearchAction -SearchName <name> -Preview parameter does not exist, which is why the cmdlet is throwing an error.

The "Preview" functionality you see in the Microsoft Purview portal is not exposed via PowerShell, which explains the mismatch between GUI and script behavior.

Since your compliance search is working fine manually through the portal (returning 15,000+ results), but not via PowerShell, the root issue likely lies in how PowerShell is setting the search scope.

Please double-check the following:

Explicitly set the ExchangeLocation parameter when creating your compliance search:

New-ComplianceSearch -Name "YourSearchName" -ExchangeLocation "******@domain.com" -ContentMatchQuery 'Date>2000-01-01'

Make sure to wait until the search is fully completed before checking item count or triggering a purge:

Start-ComplianceSearch -Identity "YourSearchName" do { Start-Sleep -Seconds 30 $status = (Get-ComplianceSearch -Identity "YourSearchName").Status Write-Host "Status: $status" } while ($status -ne "Completed") $items = (Get-ComplianceSearch -Identity "YourSearchName").Items Write-Host "Items found: $items"

Once results are found, you can run the purge action (commented out for safety):

if ($items -gt 0) { # Uncomment only when ready # New-ComplianceSearchAction -SearchName "YourSearchName" -Purge -PurgeType HardDelete -Confirm:$false Write-Host "Purge action ready." } else { Write-Host "No results to purge." }

Let me know how it goes and happy to help troubleshoot further if needed!

I hope this information helps.

Thank you.
EBER Alexis 0 Reputation points

2025-05-21T12:29:49.0466667+00:00

Hello,

It still doesn't work.

I put a "Start-Sleep -Seconds 300" right before running the query and a "Start-Sleep -Seconds 1800" (30 minutes) after the while loop, thinking about a potential throttle from Microsoft, but same result, 0 item found
Chandra Boorla 14,510 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-05-21T19:02:09.7133333+00:00
@EBER Alexis

Thank you for the update and for confirming the additional wait times didn’t help. Given all the troubleshooting you've already done, including specifying the ExchangeLocation, validating the query manually in Purview, confirming permissions, and adding wait periods, it’s clear that the query syntax and environment are correct.

The fact that the same search runs successfully in the portal but not via PowerShell strongly suggests the issue lies with how the compliance search is being processed or interpreted when triggered programmatically.

At this point, I recommend the following:

Use the exact same search name that works in the portal (manually created search) and try executing just the purge command via PowerShell:

Start-ComplianceSearch -Identity "SearchNameFromPortal" New-ComplianceSearchAction -SearchName "SearchNameFromPortal" -Purge -PurgeType HardDelete -Confirm:$false

If this works, it confirms the search creation logic in PowerShell is the root cause, not the query itself.

I hope this information helps.
Chandra Boorla 14,510 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-05-22T18:45:56.1533333+00:00

@EBER Alexis

Following up to see if the above suggestion was helpful. And, if you have any further query do let us know.
EBER Alexis 0 Reputation points

2025-05-23T09:10:41.1633333+00:00

Hello,

I got a strange behavior form Purview with this weird creation date

Since, I can't edit my query through Purview.

So, I ran the "Remove-compliance" cmdlet, and I'm waiting for Purview to erase the case
Chandra Boorla 14,510 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-05-26T19:34:54.2433333+00:00
@EBER Alexis

Thanks for the update, and good catch on that odd creation timestamp, seeing "1 janv. 0001 00:09" typically indicates a corrupted or incomplete compliance search object in Purview.

You're absolutely right to run the Remove-ComplianceSearch cmdlet. These types of cases often behave unpredictably:

They don’t show accurate results.

They can’t be edited via the portal.

And PowerShell scripts end up returning 0 items, even though the data is clearly there when run manually.

Once the deletion is fully completed and confirmed in Purview, I recommend the following to avoid this behavior going forward:

Create a brand-new search case using a unique name (e.g., Purge_MailboxName_001), this helps avoid any caching or metadata residue.

Use a simplified and confirmed working filter like:

-ContentMatchQuery "Date>2000-01-01 AND kind:email"

After running Start-ComplianceSearch, wait 10–15 minutes before checking results or starting the purge, this gives indexing time to complete.

I hope this information helps.
EBER Alexis 0 Reputation points

2025-05-27T14:36:43.2+00:00

I just tried both of your leads (manually specifying the query's name and creating another one) but it didn't work.
I still get 0 item found.

I'm gonna open a case at Microsoft support.

If I don't forget, I'll publish in this thread the correct way.

Thnak you for your time !
Chandra Boorla 14,510 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-05-27T19:07:56.79+00:00

@EBER Alexis

Thank you again for all your thorough testing and for keeping me updated throughout the process. I completely understand the frustration, especially after trying multiple valid approaches with no success.

Opening a support case with Microsoft is definitely the right next step at this point, as they’ll be able to investigate deeper backend or tenant-level issues that might be affecting your compliance search results.

Really appreciate your offer to share the final resolution here once it’s available, that’ll be valuable for others running into similar behavior.

Thank you.

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Error with powershell command to delete emails through Purview

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