Exchange Database Corruption?
We're using Exchange 2003 and Backup Exec 2010 R2 to do the full backups off the database and receive the following errors when backing up the Exchange 2003 Datastore: Error category : Resource Errors Error: e000fedf - A failure occurred reading an object. For additional information regarding this error refer to link V-79-57344-65247 And Error: e000032c - The consistency check of the snapshot for the Microsoft Exchange database has failed. You should check for possible data corruption in the Exchange Server that is online. Agent used: YesAdvanced Open File Option used : Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) I've restarted the information store quite a few times and tried the backups a couple of times and it still fails to backup. Can anyone give me some help on using the eseutil with the proper switches? Also, this is on a production Windows 2003 Server and I want to know in order to use the database checker do I have to be offline in order to perform the operation? Thanks.Bryan
March 25th, 2011 10:42am

Sure, here is the KB Article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/192185 A few things to note, when you run the defragment it will create the temporary DB in the location you run the ESEUTIL from UNLESS you specify the temp directory location. Two things from this, if you run it locally make sure you have 2X free space over the total size of your DB's. Ideally you want at least 2.5x to be safe. In addition, if you run the utility and use a temp location in a different place make sure it is high speed, I have been forced to run it on a USB drive and a 40GB store took 30 hours to run! Basic steps: - Dismount DB - browse to the BIN folder in your exchange store via the command prompt - run eseutil /d 'DBPath' (example: eseutil /d c:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\MDBDATA\Priv1.edb Here is an excellent article that discusses the eseutil as well as the isinteg tool to verify DB integrity: http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Exchange-ISINTEG-ESEUTIL.html Thanks, Jorge R. Diaz, PMP, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, MCTS Senior Microsoft Consultant Planet Technologies, Inc. Check out My Blog!
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March 25th, 2011 11:07am

no, please do not perform an offline defragmentation! It is not recommended unless there is a lot of free space on the database (event 1221 in Application log). You have to check the integrity of your database. There are two tools working on an exchange database. The first one is isinteg and the second one is eseutil. Because the two tools are working on different leyers. Please start at the highest level and use the isinteg command. The coammnd looks like isinteg -s ServerName [-fix] [-verbose] [-l LogFilename] -test TestName[[, TestName]...] if you use the test-name "alltests" then all available tests will be executed on the database. When I have to check my Exchange databases i always run this test. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa996953(EXCHG.65).aspx regards Thomas Paetzold visit my blog on: http://sus42.wordpress.com
March 25th, 2011 11:25am

Thanks for the reply everyone... yes... I don't want to run an offline defrag since my db is over 130gb for the edb and the 56gb for the stm files. It would take days and the corporation would not like me if I did this since I would be offline for quite few days. Anyway, I wanted to know if you need to be offline (taking the information store offline) when performing this utility? Once I run this isinteg -s ServerName [-fix] [-verbose] [-l LogFilename] -test TestName[[, TestName]...] line, and there is an issue will it automatically correct the problem or issues with the db? Bryan
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March 25th, 2011 11:34am

Bryan, Yes, the store needs to be offline to run an Isinteg check. And yes the isinteg will attempt to automatically fix any corruption based on the switches you run against it. On a side note I have seen cases where that utility has to be run a couple of times to clean and re-clean corruption. But that is usually in extreme cases. Good luck! Jorge R. Diaz, PMP, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, MCTS Senior Microsoft Consultant Planet Technologies, Inc. Check out My Blog!
March 25th, 2011 11:38am

Does it take a long time to run the Isinteg? I might have to plan for a late night in order to have it happen. Should I also backup the db before I run it and do I have to have two times the hard drive space in order to run it?Bryan
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March 25th, 2011 11:45am

There are several variables involved, including your system specs, other apps running, etc. But given the size of your DB I'd say its safe to say it will be several hours to run the utility. I have seen it run anywhere from 1-2 hours to 8+ hours on really bad machines. I think you should be fine on disk space. Isinteg creates a file called refer.mdb but it is just a reference table for comparing information during the repair process. And I am sure it goes without saying, but make sure before you run the utilty that you have a solid backup of your production DB. Jorge R. Diaz, PMP, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, MCTS Senior Microsoft Consultant Planet Technologies, Inc. Check out My Blog!
March 25th, 2011 11:51am

Okay so when I take it offline I just have to copy the *.edb and *.stm files over to another drive? Are these all the files I need to backup when performing the util? As stated before I have the Backup Exec System to backup but you can see how that went above... :( We have a pretty good machine as far as the server goes an HP Proliant Server Virtualized with plenty of mem so I'm not too worried about the physical specs.Bryan
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March 25th, 2011 12:00pm

Yeah, worst case I'd make a backup copy of the EDB and STM files to another drive, or maybe try to do a windows backup of the store to see if you have more success. You'll have to have the store dismounted to copy those files. Jorge R. Diaz, PMP, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, MCTS Senior Microsoft Consultant Planet Technologies, Inc. Check out My Blog!
March 25th, 2011 12:02pm

Hey. isinteg will not automatically fix problems unless you give the parameter -fix isinteg -s ServerName [-fix] [-verbose] [-l LogFilename] -test TestName[[, TestName]...] It taks a log time, and depends on the size of your database and the performance of the harddisk subsystem. I think that it is recommended to make a backup befor starting database repair operations. So please copy the content of the edbfilepath and logfolderpath to a diffrent location or use your backupprogram. regards Thomas Paetzold visit my blog on: http://sus42.wordpress.com
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March 25th, 2011 1:11pm

Hi Bryan, is it working. Or what´s your decision doing next? regards Thomas Paetzold visit my blog on: http://sus42.wordpress.com
March 25th, 2011 5:09pm

I actually did another call Symantec and opened a ticket. We ran some tests and looked at the logs. We're finidng out that the errors are coming from the Public store. We don't really use it much so I'm not too worried about it. I will update you when I find out a little more on this. I'm going to try another run on the backups tonight after the work environment is down. The AV might be causing some of the dilemma so we'll see what happens. Can anyone of you explain to me what is the difference between the edb and stm files? What do each hold? Thanks.Bryan
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March 25th, 2011 6:43pm

When a mail is transmitted from the internet to your Exchngeserverr it is stored in the stm file (internet streaming file) . Messages transfered between two Exchange mailboxes are stred in the edb file (also call MAPI Database). If a user reads an mail from internet it is also transfered to the stm file. Both files ork together. If you only have got one of these is it not worth mutch. If you need further reading on the database architecture you will find some deeper information on http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb124808(EXCHG.65).aspx http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa996118(EXCHG.65).aspx regards Thomas Paetzold visit my blog on: http://sus42.wordpress.com
March 26th, 2011 7:23am

Hi Bkuser, Any update for your issue? Regards! Gavin TechNet Subscriber Support in forum If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tngfb@microsoft.com Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
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March 28th, 2011 5:22am

We went ahead and created another backup and restarted services a day later on just the public store. At first there were errors but again, we restarted the Symantec Backup Exec Services. The Public Store backed up completely. I went ahead and backed up the entire Exchange Datastore including the Public folders and everything was backed up correctly. I have a call into Symantec checking to see if possible the services for Symantec could have been the culprit. Anyway, I'm not sure but is it possible that Exchange corrected itself with the daily maintenance defrag? Our issue is resolved. Thanks for all the help everyone.
March 28th, 2011 10:03am

In this case I would recommend you next utility http://www.exchangeserver.repairtoolbox.com to repair corrupted exchange database any version starting with MS Exchange Server 2000
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June 25th, 2012 4:49pm

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