NEED HELP - EXCHANGE DATA RESTORE!!!

[dropshadow]

hi. i need help. first, let me preface by saying that i have no idea how this software works, what all the lingo is, anything. i am an ASP and database programmer.

recently our backup guy was let go, and without getting into all the details, let's just say he won't be helping anymore. my problem is that i have to restore some email off backup tapes, and i have no idea where to start, what to do. i am hoping that someone would be willing to walk me through what to do, what to look for.

i believe that the data i am looking for exists on a backup tape, however our network structure has changed since this backup tape was made. i do not know how to "browse" the tape and "restore" the files that i need, or whether this is even possible.

hopefully, someone would be willing to work with me through email or IM to get this working because the emails are integral at this point to litigation in the coming months. if this is something that could take hours of consulting time, i am sure that i could get a consulting fee by the hour to whoever is willing to help. i'll try and explain it the best i can, but remember, i am a programmer.

 

[Zelandakh]

fine the date of the emails you need. Find the backup job that you need to get the emails from. Look in the restore list for the right date and open the catalogue. Select the emails by browsing down the mailboxes. Then click the restore button making sure the right tape is in the drive.

If you can't find the tape details in the restore list, find the physical tape then inventory it then catalogue it.

 

[dropshadow]

hello. thank you for your reply.

i am pretty sure i know where the data is...tape 19. how do i "inventory" or "catalog" this tape after loading it? under media view, i do not have any of the tapes listed, and i cannot "browse" the data that is backed up, if that makes any sense.

to complicate matters, the exchange server that was on the network no longer exists. we upgraded from exchange 5.5 to exchange 2000, and from NT to advanced server, so our domain controller and exchange server are different from when the tape backups were made.

 

[Zelandakh]

put the tape in, go to media. Right click the drive and inventory. After that completes, click the drive again and the tape name should be right. If it is, right click and catalogue it.

Then you can browse the tape in restore selections.

 

[testbhoy]

hi let me suggest, since you are not familiared with the software, the media he's talking about is in the devices button, you might looking it on media button at the bottom of your screen, this is on the immediate left side of media button. hope this would help.

 

[dropshadow]

ok! everything is working so far! i can now browse tape 19, and i think i know what i need. it looks like we have incremental and full backup jobs, and one of the full jobs will should suffice my needs.

what i want to do at this point is restore the entire information store and mailboxes, however, since i do not have the original exchange server, is it possible for me to just restore the files to a directory of my choosing? and then i plan on importing the files to a local exchange install off the network. i'm scared to restore at this point, because i don't want anything happening to our current exchange server.

 

[Qdog]

Ok, you said your tape is from Exchange 5.5, but you have Exch2000 running in production. What is the version of Exchange running offline? If it is 5.5, you could restore the entire Information Store to the recovery server offline IF the org and site names on the recovery server are exactly the same as the Exchange 5.5 server it was backed up from. If it is not 5.5, you cannot restore the Information Store from a 5.5 backup to Exch2000. You can however restore mailboxes from a 5.5 backup to Exch2000. You will not get the Calendar, Notes, etc back however, just mail. You mentioned you want to restore the Information Store and the mailboxes. The Info Store contains all the mailboxes. If mailboxes is all you need, it might be easier just to restore those. Just make sure the mailboxes to restore are: 1. Already created in Exchange. 2. You have previously sent email to them. Do this prior to the restore or the restore will fail.
Dude, forget the hourly fee you're willing to pay a consultant. Call Veritas Support and for $91 you can open up a case with them to help you. They will go as far as they can to help you up until the point that Microsoft has to get involved. Or go to

http://support.veritas.com

and find the Free Email Support link.
If you are going to be responsible for this stuff from now on, you need to read the following:
Disaster Recovery of Exchange 5.5 Whitepaper:

http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/techinfo/administration/55/BackupRestore.asp

Exchange 2000 Database Recovery:

http://support.microsoft.com/support/exch2000/whitepapers/E2KDbRecovery.doc

 

[dropshadow]

what do i do now?!?

======================================================================
Job server: TESTSQL
Job name: Restore 0118
Job started: Thursday, October 03, 2002 at 12:42:47 PM
Job type: Restore
Job Log: BEX92.txt
======================================================================

Drive and media information from media mount:
Robotic Library Name:
Drive Name: BNCHMARK 1
Slot: 0
Media GUID: {DC6924E3-5077-4FD8-988C-91291CEBA2A3}
Media Label: DLT000019
Overwrite Protection Time Left: Infinite
Append Time Left: None

======================================================================
Job Operation - Restore
======================================================================
Unable to attach to \\EXCHANGE\Microsoft Exchange Mailboxes.
Access is denied.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^

======================================================================
Job ended: Thursday, October 03, 2002 at 12:43:05 PM
Job completion status: Failed
======================================================================

 

[JazzGeek]

YOu need to know what the exchang mailbox password is in User Manager. I'm sure your ex-backup guy can tell you. Unless of course you fired him, in which case he will never tell you and you're screwed. Sebastian Jazzer
MCSE 4.0, Network+, A+, Web Developer

 

[dropshadow]

the password for user manager in exchange? i know all the passwords. where would i enter this?

 

[JazzGeek]

when you SETUP the exchange agent in Backup Exec, it asks your for various password for exchange. Those passwords much match exactly.

So, try uninstalling the exchange agent and reinstalling it to set it up from scratch with the new password so they will match. (this is only if you have to do it this way.) Sebastian Jazzer
MCSE 4.0, Network+, A+, Web Developer

 

[Rearview]

When I installed my Exchange agent it did not ask me for any information. Am I installing the Exchange agent to the bacup server or to the Exchange server? It does not ask me which machine to instlal it to, nor does it ask for any passwords.