Loading 5.5 EDB Files Into 2003

[Myllz]

I have a slight problem I'm working on. We used to have an Exchange 5.5 server running about 2-3 years ago. Eventually we migrated to Exchange 2000, and now to Exchange 2003. During this time, we sold off our copies of 2000 and 5.5. However, our backups of all the data from this time are still available.

Now, our CEO needs to have some portant email restored back from 2000 when we had 5.5 running. The only data I have available to do this is the priv.edb and pub.edb files from 5.5. Since we sold off our 5.5 software, I cannot load this into 5.5. The only software we have available is Exchange 2003.

I'm currently in the process of making a virtual machine with Exchange 2003 so I can test things out. What I'm wondering if there's even a way I can either import or mount these edb files into Exchange 2003. If not, is there another route I can go with this? Thanks for any help.

 

[anawrocki]

Power Controls from OnTrack will allow you to open the DB, search and extract any data from the database, in a corrupt or consistent state. It will extract directly into a running exchange server or a PST.

The tool is awesome, but not cheap. The demo will show you what you could recover.

I use this tool for all Exchange restores. It is nice because you can run it on any Windows box with enough dsik space to contain the DB. No exchange server required.

 

[Myllz]

I did see that software, I'm just not sure I can convince management to spend $1000 on it. I'm looking for the more..."free" way.

 

[anawrocki]

You will love it every time you need to do a restore. Cheaper then a standby server.

 

[jkupski]

The email the CEO wants obviously cannot be that important if $1000 bucks is too high a price to pay to recover it. Tell management that they're also getting an excellent disaster recovery tool as part of the bargain.

Failing that, Exchange 5.5 doesnt exactly command a price premium these days--new (legal) copies in shrink wrap go for under $100 on ebay.

If that's still too expensive, I don't know what to tell you other than: look into message journaling, which might help prevent you from having to relive this scenario in the future.

 

[anawrocki]

You will be able to take a screen shot of text using the free demo.

 

[Myllz]

If it comes down to it, we'll most likely just buy another version of 5.5. I just wanted to make sure there was no way Exchnage 2003 could read it before I did so.