Restoration of exchange 5.5 mailboxes using backup exec 1

[dryph]

I am having difficulties restoring an exchange database to a windows NT sp6a in a test environment, we are trying to restore an existing exchange database to this server to test the effects of migrating to 2003, but we cant get the ex database on the test serv. The test serv has the same computer name as the original server, same drive arrangement, same SAM database, same location for the database files and we are using the same account that was used to backu and retore that is the exchange service account. The only differences are the actual space on the drives and the IP address. The restore job is able to restore the public and private stores, the directory service but not the mailboxes, we get an access denied message in the job log.

 

[robmcl]

Here's the process we use:
- Set the Exch System Attendant service to disabled and reboot. The Exch Directory Serv cannot be running during restore...disabling the SA stops everything from starting on reboot. (BTW, you can't just "stop" the Dir service)
- there are two folder which must exist and must be empty
\exchsrvr\dsadata
\exchsrvr\mdbdata
(again note, they must exist and be empty - do not delete the folders themselves)...also they may appear on multiple drives (depending on your server config...eg. check both C: and D: if that applies.)
- After reboot, Set Exch System Attendant serv to auto (for future use) then click Start. (Dir serv won't start because you disabled it)
- Restore Exch Dir and I.S. thru BkupExec
- From the orig Exch 5.5 CD, manually copy setup\i386\bootenv\*.* -to- x:\exchsrvr\mtadata
These files were never backed up, but are required after restore.
Remember if you copy and paste using Explorer you must remove the read-only attribute - otherwise, do it at a command prompt.
- run C:\exchsrvr\bin\mtacheck to verify the database.
- Finally, start all remaining Exch services.

Hope this helps
Rob

 

[justin2000]

dryph

you have restored the mailboxes already when you have restored the priv store, thats all you need to do.

robmcl

the dsadata and mdbdata directories do not need to be empty, whatever happened to
1. install exchange 5.5, same site, same org - exactly the same.
2. Make sure paths to the log and data are the same as the original.
3. service pack the server to the same as the backup you want to restore.
4. make sure exchange can start OK.
5. Stop all Exchange service except System Attendant.
6. Run backup exec, do a Loss restore, make sure you commit the databases.
7. Start the exchange services.

That's it, you don't need to do the mtacheck files at all, as they will be recreated again when the server is up and running.

 

[robmcl]

Sorry justin2000...
dryph's orig question was about "restoring an exchange database", I guess I assumed that he only wanted to restore data and not re-install the exchange software (as you suggest in #1).

In the case of completely re-installing the software, then you're correct - the dsadata and mdbdata dir don't need to be empty...they'll be re-created or at least overwritten.

Same reasoning applies to my instruction to copy file from the orig CD as well as the mtacheck process...if completely re-installing the software, these steps obviously doesn't apply.

In my experience, I just wouldn't have taken the (somewhat) drastic step of reinstalling the software just to restore my data. Oh well...always more than one way to skin a cat, as they say...<grin>

 

[dryph]

thank you very much for your posts i have finally been able to restore the database after 3 days of frustrations.