XADM: How to Recover a Whole Exchange Server 5.5 Computer Using an Online Backup

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This article was previously published under Q296229

Summary

This article describes how to recover data from an online backup of your Exchange Server computer.

NOTE: When you perform the restore operation to a new or different server other than the original Exchange Server computer or if the server is being restored to new hard disk, you must reinstall the operating system. It is also very important that you configure the new recovery server as close as possible to the original configuration.

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More information

NOTE: You may have previously performed some of the steps in the procedure described in this section; however, it is important to check all steps before you perform the online restore operation.

If you are performing a total server recovery, all the necessary steps are included in this procedure. Even if you have previously performed some of these steps, you must check all steps before you perform the online restore operation of your Exchange Server computer.

NOTE: This article applies if the Exchange Service Account's Security Identifier (SID) has not been lost. For additional information about how to proceed if the primary domain controller has been lost and there are no valid backup domain controllers, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

170810� XADM: Service Specific Error 4021 Starting Information Store

Install the correct version of the operating system (Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 or Microsoft Windows 2000), including the service packs, so that the configuration matches the configuration of the original server.

NOTE: The organization name, the site name, and the server name must be the same as on the original server if you are restoring the directory. If you are only restoring the information store, only the organization name and the site name have to match.
Install Exchange Server 5.5, including any connectors (Internet Mail, x.400, and so on), and then apply service packs and any hot fixes so that the configuration matches the configuration of the original server.
Run Performance Optimizer, and then ensure that all data, log, and working files are configured to the same locations as the original server locations.
Stop all Exchange Server services except the Microsoft Exchange System Attendant (MSExchangeSA).
Set the Directory Service service (MSExchangeDS), the Information Store service (MSExchangeIS), and the Message Transfer Agent (MSExchangeMTA) to Disabled.

NOTE: If you are restoring both the directory and the information store at the same time, you must also modify the Dsadata folders as outlined in the following steps. If you are only restoring the information store, you do not have to perform the steps for the directory (Dsadata) If you are only restoring the directory, you do not have to perform the steps for the information store (Mdbdata).
Rename all copies of Mdbdata folders to "Mdbdataold" on all drives, and then rename all copies of Dsadata folders to �Dsadataold� on all drives.
Create new blank Mdbdata folders to replace the renamed folders, and then create a new blank Dsadata folder to replace the renamed folders.
Use your backup software to restore the public information, private information, and directory database files from your backup media.
After the restore operation is complete, start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe), and then on the Options menu, verify that Read Only Mode is selected.
Check the Restore in Progress registry key that is located in the following registry key:
For the Information Store
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/System/CurrentControlSet/Services/MSExchangeIS
For the Directory Service
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/System/CurrentControlSet/Services/MSExchangeDS
For additional information about the Restore in Progress registry key, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
200941� XADM: How the Restore in Progress Registry Key Works
Check the settings for the subkeys to ensure the file paths match the paths described in step three, for example:
For the Information Store
- BackupLogPath: REG_SZ:\\Server\C$\Exchsrvr\Mdbdata
- CheckpointFilePath: REG_SZ:\\Server\C$\Exchsrvr\Mdbdata
- EDB Database recovered: REG_BINARY:00
- EDB_RstMap:REG_MULTI_SZ:\\Server\C$\Exchsrvr\Mdbdata\Priv.edb
- EDB_RstMap:REG_MULTI_SZ:\\Server\C$\Exchsrvr\Mdbdata\Pub.edb
- HighLog Number:REG_DWORD:0x2
- LogPath:REG_SZ\\Server\C$\Exchsrvr\Mdbdata
- LowLog Number:REG_DWORD:0x1
For the Directory Service
- BackupLogPath: REG_SZ:\\Server\C$\Exchsrvr\Dsadata
- CheckpointFilePath: REG_SZ:\\Server\C$\Exchsrvr\Dsadata
- EDB Database recovered: REG_BINARY:00
- EDB_RstMap:REG_MULTI_SZ:\\Server\C$\Exchsrvr\Dsadata\Dir.edb
- HighLog Number:REG_DWORD:0x2
- LogPath:REG_SZ\\Server\C$\Exchsrvr\Dsadata
- LowLog Number:REG_DWORD:0x1
Confirm the value of the LowLog Number and the HighLog Number:
- Value Name: HighLog Number
  Data Type: REG_DWORD
  Value: 0x000 (where 0x000 is the highest log file that should have been restored)
- Value Name: LowLog Number
  Data Type: REG_DWORD
  Value: 0x000 (where 0x000 is the lowest log file that should have been restored)
Check the Exchsrvr\Mdbdata folder and the Exchsrvr\Dsadata folder for the Edb#####.log files.

These folders should contain all log files from the value identified in LowLog Number value to the log file identified in HighLog Number with no break in sequence. In addition, a Priv.pat and a Pub.pat file must be present in the Exchsrvr\Mdbdata folder and a Dir.pat file must be present in the Exchsrvr\Dsadata folder.

These logs are replayed as part of the recovery process. For example, if the LowLog Number value is "0x2bc" and the HighLog Number value is "0x2c1", then logs Edb002bc.log through Edb002c1.log must be available for the recovery to succeed.

NOTE: If consecutive log files are present after the HighLog Number, you can add these Edb#####.log and Edb.log files to the respective Mdbdata and Dsadata folders. Exchange Server plays the log files identified in the Restore in Progress value, and then continues playing all log files as long as there is no break in the numerical sequence of these log files.
Confirm that an Edb.chk file is not present in any Mdbdata or Dsadata folder. If the Edb.chk file is present in either of these folders, move or delete the file or files. Do not delete or move the file or files from an Mdbdataold or Dsadataold folder.
Set the directory service to Automatic, and then start the service.
Open the server properties, click the Advanced tab, verify that the circular logging options are the same as the options on the original server, and then make changes if necessary.
Set the Message Transfer Agent to Manual, and then start the service.
Set the Information Store service to Manual, and then start the service.

If you receive an "-1011" error message ID, open a command prompt window, go to the location of the Exchange Server files, (usually C:\Exchsrvr\Bin), type isinteg -patch , and then press ENTER.

When the utility is finished, start the Information Store service again.

At this point your services should all be running.
Set the properties of the Information Store service (MSExchangeIS), and the Message Transfer Agent (MSExchangeMTA) back to Automatic.

For additional information about how to recover an Exchange Server computer using an online backup and how to include current log files in the restore process, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

247109� XADM: Steps to Restore an Online Backup Using Current Log Files

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