Exchange 5.5 IS wont start with service specific error 4294966274

[simonigor]

Help!!!!

Yesterday our Mail server is running ok.
the information store cannot be started.
i have a backup last night.
there is an event message

The Microsoft Exchange Information Store service terminated with service-specific error 4294966274

i tried searching for this error message in microsoft but cant find one.

need help fast!!!
thanks...

 

[Robnhood]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;177761

This article says that there is a disk IO error.

I would think it would be a good idea to do a complete backup, and run a check disk on the server drives.

I might also check for other errors in the event log concerning potential hw problems. Craig

http://www.SecurelySpeaking.com

 

[simonigor]

yes, there are also io error messages.
isee no other error msgs aside from the one you mentioned.
thanks craig...
ill do what you suggested...
can you assist me again after the backup?
thanks again...

 

[Andy542]

I have experienced this problem before please check Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - Q272570 (How to recover from Information Store Corruption). Hope this helps.

Andy

 

[Alshrim]

Error is specifically due to the fact that the when trying to read the transaction logs, it is searching the EDB.CHK (or checkpoint file) for the order of the x-action files. This file has become corrupted.

Cut and paste the file to the desktop - removing it from the Exchsrver\Mdbdata folder.

Then try to restart the service again.

Lemme know if it works..

Cheers. Alshrim
System Administrator
MCSE, MCP+Internet

 

[simonigor]

Many thanks to everybody!!!

Our server is now running ok..
what i did was;
1. backup the exchsrvr\mdbdata folder to a new location
2. delete the original contents of exchsrvr\mdbdata folder
3. restore exchsrvr\mdbdata from previous backup
4. restarted the computer
it worked, but i get application log full in my event viewer..

 

[Alshrim]

Yes.. it was replaying your logs.
Had you just moved the Checkpoint files.. it would have been forced to replay the logs anyways.. and should have come out with the same results.

Glad everything worked out. Alshrim
System Administrator
MCSE, MCP+Internet

 

[30362]

Not sure if you tracked down the cause of the DISK I/O error but you may want to verify that compression is NOT turned on for any of the Exchange folders.

I know this is a stupid thing to bring up, but I had a friend with an IS that kept crashing and I kept helping him repair due to Disk I/O errors and it wasn't until I asked the obvious question about compression that he found the cause.

 

[Alshrim]

That's a neat little tid-bit too.
A buddy of mine started getting those kinda errors while installing SP4 for 5.5.

But I'm pretty sure he had just a straight, brand new installation on his test-box when he was getting them...

I thought, at the time that he was having problems with RAID/SCSI drivers for this RAID or SCSI cards. Something wasn't right there anyways.

I'll get him to look at it.

Cheers. Alshrim
System Administrator
MCSE, MCP+Internet

 

[routeconfig]

Just a quick question:
If I want to update IS of my Offline server, Just restoring backup of IS is enough? Do I need to run additional steps?

John

 

[Alshrim]

Yes.. that should be enough -- because the transaction logs with the IS should also update the Directory Store as well.. Alshrim
System Administrator
MCSE, MCP+Internet

 

[routeconfig]

The Application event shows following:
Event ID:102
Source: ESE97
Type : Information
Cat: Logging/Recovery
MSExchangeDS (222) The database engine is starting a full backup.

Questions:
This happens during day (our backup runs at night). Why does this event occurs every day? Is it required?
Do I need to watch this event? Will it impact our users?
Where does Exchange has this backup option?

John

 

[Alshrim]

What are you using to do your backups?

The ESE utility is very very crutial to all of your backups in exchange. it is the mechanisms which literally prepares your exchange server for the backup operation, by flushing out the IS cache or IS buffers (there are differnt terms for the same thing), if you are doing a full back up - it then halts the checkpoint files.. (however if you are only doing an incremental, it allows the checkpoint files to continue as the DB's are not being touched).

It also inventories the transaction logs and creates patch files for the databases - and maintains Database integrity during the database copy (during a full backup)

If you have a huge repository, perhaps it starts this backup process during the day, so that all is ready by the time the actual scheduled backup is set to begin.

I don't know if this completely answers your question, but i think the insight into the mechanism of how the eseutil prepares Exchange for a full backup, may ease your mind.

I would say ''yes'' that this is a needed procedure.

Alshrim
System Administrator
MCSE, MCP+Internet