Exchange 2000 down cannot start due to virus.

[AzDan]

Our Exchange server went down yesterdat due to a virus and it won't start. The last Exchange backup was in January (I know,I know) should I try and restore with this backup?
We are running SBS 2000. Do you think now would be a good
time to upgrade to SBS 2003 and start clean? All but two of our workstations are running 2000 professional. The other two are running Win XP pro. Are there any surprises in store for me. I will have help from a local network guy.
Any and all opinions are appreciated.

 

[zxice]

When you say it won't start what exactly do you mean? Have a look in the logs and find out what service isn't starting.

 

[AzDan]

It shows all the services running but when anybody in the
office opens Outlook they get an error message that the Exchange Server cannot be connected or is down for maintenance. NAV showed the e00.log was in quarantine.
After that no email for anybody.

 

[jakhan]

try to shift all log files into some other folder and then run information store service

or if information store is running, try to mount mailbox store and public store from system manager.

thanks
jahangir

 

[AzDan]

If e00 is the current log and e00000001 is the next can I rename e0000001 to e00 and remount. The e00.log file went missing and the local tech installed a e00 file from I don't know where. The Exchange will still not work.

 

[xmsre]

You shouldn't scan the directory that contains your logs. Use an AVAPI compatible scanner to scan the exchange database and logs. If you rip a log file out from under exchange, that's what happens; the database is inconsistent.

1. Exclude the exchange database and log directories from your realtime scan.
2. Whack the logs.
3. Do a hard repair with eseutil. This will generate a new checkpoint and log, however you will lose all transactions that were not committed.
4. Install an AVAPI compatible scanner {symantec mail security if you go the norton route] to handle scanning of exchange.

 

[tpulley]

I have just let the file out of quarrentine (it is often a false error) went back to working perfectly.

 

[AzDan]

Thanks to everyone for their tips and advice. We did a restore off a tape from January and all is now working.
I shall now be doing regular backups of Exchange Server
from now on.

 

[1Ankton1]

You could have tried exmerge to extract the mailboxes to .pst's then you would have had mail up until the time it went down. Just did this sort of thing recently