Backup Mailboxes

[fhvac]

I plan on formatting my server and reinstalling it from scratch. I don't want to lose the messages and contacts in exchange. How do I backup the files appropriately so I can easily restore them on the new instance of the server?

Thanks

 

[wahnula]

You will need to backup & restore the private, public, and streaming databases as well as the logfiles located in the MDBDATA folder. Here's one of many guides:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb125070.aspx

...found at

http://www.microsoft.com

. If you're not familiar with the ESE command-line tool, it may be worth your while to have a pro do the restoration.

Tony

"...an eye for an eye leaves everybody blind" - M.L. King

 

[fhvac]

I ended up using EXMERGE.EXE, I exported all users mailboxes to pfc files and imported them back after I was done. Worked fine

 

[58sniper]

I think you mean .pst files.

You've essentially destroyed Single Instance Storage by doing that.

Pat Richard
Microsoft Exchange MVP

 

[fhvac]

Yes .pst files, sorry.


Can you explain further about single instance storage and how it was compromised, thanks

 

[58sniper]

Let's say you send 10 coworkers a 10MB file attachment in an email message. Exchange stores ONE copy of that attachment, and uses pointers in the mail messages. When the LAST person deletes the message, it's removed from the database.

When you exmerge mail out of Exchange, you essentially created 10 copies of that same 10MB attachment. When you import it back into Exchange, the databases are now bigger than before.

The total amount of data in SIS varies, but it can be a fairly hefty amount.

Have people reported any problems replying to old messages?

Pat Richard
Microsoft Exchange MVP

 

[fhvac]

I dont think that is a major issue for us. The email isn't used that extensivley to create a impact of performance IMO.