I have tried to clear my transaction logs by performing a full backup with Backup Exec and NTBackup. Neither one will clear my transaction logs after the completed backup. I spoke to the former Systems Administrator for the company and he told me to just delete them manually that what he used to do to clear space up. I am not wondering if my backup issues have to do with him just deleting transaction logs. My databases are not corrupted as far as I can tell, they are still mounted fine, and my server is still functioning on a daily basis. I have server full backups of my Information Store. What's the low down on this transaction log thing? I can seem to find a straight answer anywhere.

It's possible it is an issue with VSS. I would recommened installing this hotfix on you W2K3 server, rebooting and trying again.http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940349Also do you event logs show any VSS errors?Sr. Exchange Engineer - Constellation Energy

Yes I got a failed back with Backup Exec last night with a VSS error.

I have downloaded the patch and I will try it this evening after hours. Anyone else have any other ideas. My biggest questions is will my database remount after I reboot the server tonight? The old admin manually deleted files while the database was mounted, to free up space.

So if you need to free up space you can dismaount the database before you reboot and check the state of the database with eseutil /mh (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/219419). If the database is in a clean state you can delete the TL. Are you running E2K7 or E2K3 on W2K3 or W2K8? ChrisChristopher C

I am running 2003R2x64. Here my backup log file from the last backup I tried to perform with NTBackup. Backup Status Operation: Backup Active backup destination: File Media name: "Backup of Information Store.bkf created 10/13/2009 at 8:43 AM" Volume shadow copy creation: Attempt 1. Backup of "SCTOFCMAIL01\Microsoft Information Store\Directors" Backup set #1 on media #1 Backup description: "Set created 10/13/2009 at 8:43 AM" Media name: "Backup of Information Store.bkf created 10/13/2009 at 8:43 AM" Backup Type: Normal Backup started on 10/13/2009 at 8:44 AM. Backup completed on 10/13/2009 at 9:11 AM. Directories: 3 Files: 28 Bytes: 10,955,155,834 Time: 27 minutes and 37 seconds Backup of "SCTOFCMAIL01\Microsoft Information Store\Integrato-Marketing-CSR-Other" Backup set #2 on media #1 Backup description: "Set created 10/13/2009 at 8:43 AM" Media name: "Backup of Information Store.bkf created 10/13/2009 at 8:43 AM" Backup Type: Normal Backup started on 10/13/2009 at 9:11 AM. The operation was ended. Backup completed on 10/13/2009 at 9:14 AM. Directories: 0 Files: 1 Bytes: 925,169,426 Time: 2 minutes and 9 seconds ---------------------- The operation did not successfully complete. ---------------------- Backup Status Operation: Backup Active backup destination: File Media name: "Backup of Information Store.bkf created 10/13/2009 at 9:14 AM" Volume shadow copy creation: Attempt 1. Backup of "SCTOFCMAIL01\Microsoft Information Store\Directors" Backup set #1 on media #1 Backup description: "Set created 10/13/2009 at 9:14 AM" Media name: "Backup of Information Store.bkf created 10/13/2009 at 9:14 AM" Backup Type: Normal Backup started on 10/13/2009 at 9:14 AM. Backup completed on 10/13/2009 at 9:39 AM. Directories: 3 Files: 24 Bytes: 10,950,961,194 Time: 25 minutes and 6 seconds Backup of "SCTOFCMAIL01\Microsoft Information Store\Integrato-Marketing-CSR-Other" Backup set #2 on media #1 Backup description: "Set created 10/13/2009 at 9:14 AM" Media name: "Backup of Information Store.bkf created 10/13/2009 at 9:14 AM" Backup Type: Normal Backup started on 10/13/2009 at 9:39 AM. Backup completed on 10/13/2009 at 11:16 AM. Directories: 3 Files: 123 Bytes: 48,081,575,434 Time: 1 hour, 36 minutes, and 52 seconds Backup of "SCTOFCMAIL01\Microsoft Information Store\IT" Backup set #3 on media #1 Backup description: "Set created 10/13/2009 at 9:14 AM" Media name: "Backup of Information Store.bkf created 10/13/2009 at 9:14 AM" Backup Type: Normal Backup started on 10/13/2009 at 11:16 AM. Backup completed on 10/13/2009 at 11:31 AM. Directories: 3 Files: 21 Bytes: 6,128,297,510 Time: 15 minutes and 38 seconds Backup of "SCTOFCMAIL01\Microsoft Information Store\Public Folders" Backup set #4 on media #1 Backup description: "Set created 10/13/2009 at 9:14 AM" Media name: "Backup of Information Store.bkf created 10/13/2009 at 9:14 AM" Backup Type: Normal Backup started on 10/13/2009 at 11:31 AM. Backup completed on 10/13/2009 at 11:32 AM. Directories: 3 Files: 4 Bytes: 112,223,146 Time: 15 seconds Backup of "SCTOFCMAIL01\Microsoft Information Store\Sales" Backup set #5 on media #1 Backup description: "Set created 10/13/2009 at 9:14 AM" Media name: "Backup of Information Store.bkf created 10/13/2009 at 9:14 AM" Backup Type: Normal Backup started on 10/13/2009 at 11:32 AM. Backup completed on 10/13/2009 at 12:22 PM. Directories: 3 Files: 52 Bytes: 21,257,154,466 Time: 50 minutes and 38 seconds ----------------------

Thanks did you get any events in the application logs?Christopher C

2073 The Microsoft Exchange Replication Service is unable to create required directory R:\E-mail Replication DB and Logs\E-mail Logs Replication\Sales\inspector for SCTOFCMAIL01\Sales. Please check the file system permissions. The specific error code returned is: System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException: Could not find a part of the path 'R:\E-mail Replication DB and Logs\E-mail Logs Replication\Sales\inspector'. at System.IO.__Error.WinIOError(Int32 errorCode, String maybeFullPath) at System.IO.Directory.InternalCreateDirectory(String fullPath, String path, DirectorySecurity dirSecurity) at System.IO.Directory.CreateDirectory(String path, DirectorySecurity directorySecurity) at Microsoft.Exchange.Cluster.Replay.ReplicaInstance.CreateDirectories(String[] directoriesToCreate, EventTuple eventTuple). For more information, see Help and Support Center at

Also, just make sure, you selecting all the storage groups / stores in your backup selections Take a look @ below Thread too http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/exchangesvrgeneral/thread/f7c70eb2-585f-4a65-bf6d-dbbe2651d10eVinod |CCNA|MCSE 2003 +Messaging|MCTS|ITIL V3|

On Tue, 13-Oct-09 16:34:45 GMT, MaxxamillionAdmin wrote:>I have tried to clear my transaction logs by performing a full backup with Backup Exec and NTBackup. Neither one will clear my transaction logs after the completed backup. I spoke to the former Systems Administrator for the company and he told me to just delete them manually that what he used to do to clear space up. Oh . . . my . . . ghod.>I am not wondering if my backup issues have to do with him just deleting transaction logs. correctly.The database, the checkpoint file, and the log files all have to agreeon what should be in the log file directory. A missing log file willsurely cause the backup to not purge the log files.>My databases are not corrupted as far as I can tell, they are still mounted fine, and my server is still functioning on a daily basis. I have server full backups of my Information Store. What's the low down on this transaction log thing? I can seem to find a straight answer anywhere. You can try this:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/240145If you have missing log files it might be safer to just reset the logsequence (don't neglect the advice to make a backup AFTER thedatabases in the storage group are remounted):http://support.microsoft.com/kb/830408---Rich MatheisenMCSE+I, Exchange MVP--- Rich Matheisen MCSE+I, Exchange MVP

Was/Is this sever part of a cluster (SCC, SCR, CCR, LCR)? The replication service is kicking back an error message that there is a missing path. If there is replication no backup software will reset the logs until the replication is in a health state or removed. Since you can't get a backup to work my suggestion would to dismount the database, make sure it is in a clean state and copy the database to another server\storage. At this point if you where to lose the database.....well.....it wouldn't be a good thing. the command that you want to run is get-storagegroupcopystatus to start with and can you please send us that output.From: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa996020.aspxhttp://exchangeserverpro.com/exchange-server-2007-replication-problems-can-lead-to-backup-issues/ThanksChris Cluster event MSExchangeRepl 2073 is logged alerting that the Microsoft Exchange Replication Service is unable find a specified directory Possible Causes The Error event indicates that the Microsoft Exchange Replication Service could not create the directory that is specified by the event. The Microsoft Exchange Replication Service tries to create several required directories if they do not already exist. These include directory paths for source log files, destination log files, destination system files, and the path for the log file inspector. The Microsoft Exchange Replication Service may be unable to create the specified directory because of a permission issue, a hardware failure, or a configuration failure. Resolution Examine the error code returned by the event. Verify that the directory location is available, and that it can be accessed. Check the file system permissions. Make sure that the storage is configured correctly, and that the hardware is operating correctly. Christopher C

Okay solved my problem. Here how after help from you guys and lot and lot of reading. -Dismounted the databases checked them ESEUTIL /MH and they showed clean shutdowns and no log files needed. -Remounted the databases and ran a full backup -Dismounted the databases, checked again to make sure they shutdown clean and and no log files needed -Deleted all log files manually -Remounted the databases successfully -Sent e-mails to internal and external e-mail address and made sure new log files were being created Done. Prior to this dilemma I only had 4GB free on a 200GB volume. Not I have 111GB of beautiful free space. Now I will run an online differential backup to get a current backup of my current databases and new log files. *There is a second Exchange server for clustering but no cluster is setup in Cluster Administrator.