help restoring exchabge using arc serve

[joewright3]

I am trying to build an offsite exchange 5.5 server using arc serve.
However each time I try to start the services they all fail apart from system attendant.
I have run eseutil /r and /p.
I have tried isinteg -patch but to no avail.
Has anyone had any experience doing this using Arc Serve Exchange agent?
I am running out of ideas.
The exchange server is a new site with same name.
I didn't configure the connetor before I restored which may be an issue.

Cheers

 

[ariehd]

Hello,

What are the specific errors you are receiving when you try to start the services? In addition, what do you mean by "a new site with same name?"

Arieh Davidoff

 

[joewright3]

I have the DS running but get Jet_errlogsigniture when I try to run isinteg -patch on the is. I am building a new server with the same site and org name as our production server. This is or will go to a remote network and be used as a recovery server.

 

[Alshrim]

Joe emailed me today : I just wanted to share my ideas with him for the benefit of the group:

Hey Joe...
I TOTALLY feel your pain. I went through the same s$%|t for nearly 2 months of research trying to figure most of this stuff out. Exchange is a very very finniky Server Application. But, the way it was put to me .. at least you know someone can't just steal your backup tapes and have your Exchange Repository easily.

Ok.. so there are a few things this error points to:

1) After a restore - try starting the services FIRST before running ISINTEG -patch .. Sometimes you may not need it. IF you get a specific error mentioning the Isinteg - then do it - delete all checkpoint files, and run the ISINTEG.

2) What kind of restore are you doing? This kind of history will let me know a few things to look for.

3) If you've done an online restore (from an online backup) you may wish to see if that key in the registry is still there. if it is.. delete it.

The connector thing - sheesh.. you know -- I restored a server that originally had 3 connectors (IMS, CC:Mail, and x.400) and on the recovery server, all i did was properly configure their IMS and once it restored, the other two connectors mysteriously appeared .. that was a curiosity there!! So I don't think that's the issue.. but you may wish to implement them as a final bit of troubleshooting just to rule it out.

I suspect #3 is the issue here. But it could be many things.

Let me know..

Regards.
Alshrim
System Administrator
MCSE, MCP+Internet

 

[joewright3]

Hi Alshrim
Thanks for you advice.
I initially tried to start all the services but DS and IS didnt start.

I am trying to perform an online backup using Arc Serve 6.61.
Do you think an offline is easier?
The key was in the registry and I deleted it as per your white paper, and I still get the same error.
I think I may have some issues with log files as I keep getting two errors when running the isinteg - patch command.
They are the Jet_errbadlogsigniture which is directly from the isinteg program, and "unable to read log header files error 350" in the windows nt 4 event viewer.
Cant see any reference to either error anywhere on the net.

 

[Alshrim]

yes ok.. i saw all this too

are you able to get the DS started? that question #1

Assuming you can..

Once you have tried starting the IS - if you have not DELETED the CHECKPOINT files -- you will get a log error.
Let's Timeline:
Let's say that you initially did delete the checkpoint files .. then once you've tried again to restart them.. a new checkpoint file is created.

The service fails.

You delete the key in the registry.

Then you MUST delete the checkpoint files again! Or you will run into the errors. Alshrim
System Administrator
MCSE, MCP+Internet

 

[joewright3]

The ds starts ok, I am running eseutil /p /ispriv right now and will try to start the is again.
Will delete the chk file again - thanks, and let you know what happens.
If it fails I think I will start a new restore so I know my restored IS and DS is original.
Cheers

Joe

 

[joewright3]

The eseutil just failed because I dont have enough free space. My exchange server is 24 gigs

 

[joewright3]

I have deleted all files in the mdb and dsa folder and I am doing a free restore.

 

[Alshrim]

Ok.. the reason for the failure is because the drive upon which the eseutil is being run does not have enough space.

If you have say .. a 10gig IS -- then you will at least need TWICE that on that drive.

My advice to you is to copy the BIN directory from C:\exchsrvr - and move it to your 24gig partition then run the eseutil..

Cheers. Alshrim
System Administrator
MCSE, MCP+Internet

 

[Alshrim]

let me specify a little:

Line 1: The Partition that you're running eseutil on is too small.

Line 3: Run eseutil from that new location - not from c:\drive Alshrim
System Administrator
MCSE, MCP+Internet

 

[joewright3]

Ihave three partitions
c; is 3 gigg
e: is 120 gigs
f: is 40 gigs
The priv database is 24 gigs.
I will move the bin folder to e: and the priv and pub database to the e: drive, run eseutil and then move the database back to the f: drive.
It seems that niether the c or f drive is large enough.
Will I have any problems moving the databases back to the f: drive after running eseutil ?

Cheers
Joe

 

[joewright3]

OK I have restored the IS and the DS
Started the DS no problem
IS wont start and gives the following error in event viewer

"Unable to initialize the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service. Error Current log file missing."
I removed the reg key prior to trying to start IS, and I have now deleted the latest checkpoint file.
Any idea what log file this is refering to?

Cheers
Joe

 

[joewright3]

Moving on
I ran eseutil /ml <log file location and name>
This failed to display the header saying &quot; log file not found&quot;
At this stage I am beginning to see a pattern developing so I check the log files exists, and they do.
So I am wondering if I have a permissions issue here.

Will keep you all posted. Hopefully I'll get this working before I retire. Yes its Friday night to but I wont be going home early tonight.

Cheers
Joe

 

[joewright3]

got the log file header to work, but still get current log file not found in event viewer when trying to start IS

 

[joewright3]

What do you make of this?
The IS cant find the edb.log , I can't see it listed in the MDBDATA folder, however when I do a search for it - it shows up. I cant open it using eseutil /ml edb.log. In addition I have the first edb log created doing the same thing. All the other edb logs are available and I can read the headers, even the most recent one.
I wonder if Arc Serve has corrupted these two log files.

 

[joewright3]

Have you any idea why the edb.chk file is never restored?
When I go to delete it after restoring the DS, it never there?

 

[beckas]

Joewright3 - I am not sure exactly what you are trying to restore. Are you just trying to recover the Private Information Store or are you also trying to restore the Directory service as well? Does the recovery server have the same name as the original Exchange server? I have instructions that I've written for recovering a Private Information store to a server with a different name using an online ArcserveIT backup and this may help you if this is what you are trying to do. We've switched to a different backup product now but I still have the old ArcserveIT restore instructions.

 

[joewright3]

Hi
I am restoring the IS and DS, in fact I am trying to build a complete exchange server with the same name as our original so we have a recovery server.
However the problem was in fact corrrupt backups of the IS.
I traced the problem to the Ggig NIC card in the production system.
Once it was replaced and a new backup taken, The restore worked great.
Thanks for everyones input-

Cheers
Joe