dir.edb service won't start after an offline backup/restore

[Innqui]

Hi there,

I have built a new Exchange Server on a test domain and want to import an offline backup onto the new server.

The production server is win2k server sp2 and the Exchange is Enterprise Ed SP4.

I built a test NT server and put onto the live as a BDC. I then removed it and promoted to PDC.

I have built the win2k/exchange to be the same (member server) on the test domain as in the live.

I have built the Exchange server to have the same organistation and site names, case sensitive and exactly like the production server.

The server is also the same netbios name on the test domain.

I have ran the optimizer and replicated the live server with regards to the database and log files.

I have stopped the services and restored the dir.edb and log files, priv.edb and log files and pub.edb and log files to exactly the same directory structure and drives as the live but onto the test exchange.

The directory service fails to start after the restore with;

The service could not start the Exchange Directory service on local computer. The service did not return an error. This could be an internal Windows Error or an internal service error.

When I restore the fresh install dir.edb and logs the service starts no problem.

I have run the eseutil /g on the recovered dir.edb file and it comes back saying it's fine.

I can't run the isinteg -patch as it comes up with the DS_E_Communications error. This is due to the directory service failing.

It's really puzzling me!

I am hoping that it something simple I am missing.

Any help gratefully received.

 

[rocky19xx]

I would be interested in this too! I did a restore to a Exchange 5.5 test server and IS will not start....

 

[Innqui]

Hi rocky19xx,

The only way I could get all the services to start was;

Install Exchange Server and patch.

I left the new dir.edb file and logs but restored the priv.edb and pub.edb from backup (just those files and no logs).

Restart the directory service and run ISINTEG -PATCH.

Then start the information store.

Run the adjuster and select all 4 options.

This gave me the information store back but the permissions on the mailboxes were missing and the public folders.

Inq

 

[richough]

I don't know if this will help you out, but here's how I had to get my Exchange 5.5 on the test domain working. Not all of this will apply, this is just what I wrote down after trying to get it working for a couple of weeks due to an improper install of the backup software.

1. Set up a domain using a BDC from the ORIGINAL domain that has been put on an isolated network and promote the BDC to a PDC.
2. Be sure the PC name is the same as the Exchange server whose database is being restored. It is absolutely necessary that the server be named the same when restoring a Directory.
3. Unjoin the backup server from the current ORIGINAL domain and join it to the isolated “ORIGINAL” domain. Set up a static I.P. address that will be used on the isolated network.
4. Set up lmhosts file on each machine with the I.P. addresses of each P.C. on the isolated network.
5. Install Exchange with EXCHANGE ADMINISTRATOR user. Be sure organization name is and site names are the same the same as the original site.
6. Install Exchange Service Pack 4.
7. Install Outlook for mailbox exportation.
8. Under the local security policy on the PC that will have Exchange, add the following users to Act as part of the operating system: BACKUP USER and EXCHANGE ADMINISTRATOR. Also add these users to the local Backup Administrators group.
9. Install the Computer Associates Backup Agent and use Cabackup for the Mailbox alias and EXCHANGE ADMINISTRATOR for the service account.
10. Stop all Exchange services except for the Microsoft Exchange System Attendant.
11. Rename the mdbdata folder and create a new mdbdata folder.
12. Restore the Information Store for the server that needs the mailbox recovered.
13. After the Information Store has finished restoring to the recovery server, start the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service twice. It should fail both times, first with a 1053 error, then with a -1030 error. Leave the Microsoft Exchange Directory service running when trying to start the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service the second time.
14. Stop all Microsoft Exchange services.
15. Open the registry editor and browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeIS\Restore in Progress. Make sure that the "EDB Database recovered" value is 01, not 00. If this value is 01, it means that critical parts of the restore process have finished (specifically, the restored .pat files have been applied to the database) and it is safe now to remove the Restore in Progress key.
16. Start the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service. The Microsoft Exchange Directory service and the Microsoft Exchange System Attendant service will also start. The Information Store service will fail with error 1011, but the Microsoft Exchange Directory service and the Microsoft Exchange System Attendant service will still be running.
17. Open a command prompt and go to \exchsrvr\bin. Run isinteg –patch. The Information Store should successfully be updated.
18. Start the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service.
19. Open the Microsoft Exchange Administrator and navigate to SITE -> ORIGINAL -> Configuration ->Servers and select the server you created, then click File -> Properties.
20. In the Exchange server Properties, click the Advanced tab. Under Data consistency, click the Consistency Adjuster.
21. Under the Operations -> Private Information Store section, check the box next to Synchronize with the directory, and create new directory entries for mailboxes that do not have a corresponding directory entry. Under the Filter section, select All inconsistencies, then click OK. You will get a message about the DS?IS consistency adjuster. Click OK to continue.
22. After the consistency adjuster has run, go to the mailbox(es) that need restoring and specify the user account as Server.
23. While logged on as Server, open Outlook and configure each mailbox, then create a .PST file and copy the data into the .PST file.
24. The .PST file can be copied to their network drive, or the data can be copied back to the Exchange server.




If the Directory needs to be restored as well, follow steps 1 – 15, then do the following: (Note, the server should be named the same as the original server.)

1. Stop all services except for the Microsoft Exchange System Attendant.
2. Rename the dsadata folder.
3. Create a new folder labeled dsadata.
4. Restore the directory store back to the server.
5. Start the Information store. After a while, it will fail with an error 1011.
6. Open a command prompt and go to \exchsrvr\bin. Run isinteg –patch. The Information Store should successfully be updated.
7. Open the Microsoft Exchange Administrator and verify the users are there along with the mailboxes.

 

[Innqui]

Thank you for the info richough.

4. Restore the directory store back to the server.

When I do this it it will cause the Directory service not to start with a very genric error.

Which in turn will not allow the isinteg to run as it can't start the service so will say DS_E_Communications error.

It's getting that Directory service to recognise the restored dir.edb file.

Inq

 

[netometer]

Did you install Exchange using the same Exchange Admin account which the Exchange services were running under in the original domain?

NetoMeter

http://www.netometer.net

 

[Innqui]

Yes it was netometer, it was the domain admin account for the install and the service account.