Problem with dir.edb

[Molenski]

Hi there,

Have just been handed a piece of paper and some information with regards to one of our Exchange Servers (5.5), the story goes like this.....

Some time ago, there was a problem with one of the discs in the server (RAIDed) and the backup started failing (for a good few months now!) with an "Exchange Store service is not responding" message. There hasn't been one good backup since time began! The hardware problem was sorted out.

Within the Event Viewer on the server are events generated by Veritas and also Exchange which point to the dir.edb being corrupt. I've had a look on the web and it looks like this is the problem/solution -

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q151789

As it stands the Exchange server seems to be working fine, mail flowing in and out etc. and the backup is only failing on this "Exchange Store service" but it looks like it's going to need a repair by reading the article above. I'm just wondering what the implications are, whether I should go ahead as the Server does seem to be working fine. I realise that the dir.edb is not being backed up but what are the chances of say, an Eseutil repair working? I need some basic advice on how to work this one as I've never been involved with Exchange disaster recovery at all!

Please bear in mind that there's no chance of a restore from a good backup or if so, it will be months old.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks a lot.

Molenski
As my bessie bud Kev always says - Get involved!!!

 

[zbnet]

Dir.edb problems are not good - this is a critical file for your installation.

Is it a single-server site, or a multi-server site? Does it also host an IMS?

Your first job (as you're not experienced with Exchange DR) is to read

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

and understand some of the key concepts involved. Then we can talk about your options.

Ignoring Exchange backup failures is generally not a good idea - you usually have to face the music eventually.

 

[Molenski]

Hi and thanks for getting back to me. Have downloaded the file you suggested and am gonna give it a read through.

As for your questions - doesn't host an IMS and is a single server site.

Thing is, our networks are being upgraded pretty soon to Win2k and Exchange 2k. Am just wondering whether it's worth hanging on or not as this problem has been ongoing for some time.

Many Regards and thanks for your help.

Molenski
As my bessie bud Kev always says - Get involved!!!

 

[zbnet]

Depends on how you're going to upgade to 2000 (are you really not going to go to E2K3?). An in-place upgrade would really need the server running properly. A 'forklift upgrade' (where you add a 2000 server to your existing 5.5 site and move mailboxes to the new server) won't care what state your dir.edb is in.

 

[Molenski]

Hi again and thanks for getting back.

Am afraid that the decision to move to 2000 as opposed to 2003 is made way above my head - shame really! I am pretty sure that the upgrade will be the 'forklift' as you call it.

I have just found out that this isn't gonna happen till about this time next year so as for the networks being upgraded pretty soon - that's changed.

I've read through the documentation etc. and seen that an eseutil /p is the last thing you should carry out.

If I decided to carry this out, could it end in massive tears? What exactly would be lost, would it mean a reinstall of Exchange? If so, we use Veritas and have a backup of the Information Store which is OK, just the Directory is failing. Obviously, one depends on the other. Would it be easier to export the mailboxes to a .csv file, have the users export mail to .pst's just in case and then give it a go.

Sorry for the what must seem like pretty basic questions to you but I'm an Exchange dr complete novice.

Once again thanks for your help.

Molenski
As my bessie bud Kev always says - Get involved!!!

 

[zbnet]

You have to decide what solution best fits your needs.

I'd be wary about running eseutil /p on a dir.edb - who can tell what might be removed when it starts deleting pages out? Not good. Repair tools are generally intended for the mail databases, not the directory database. You could always try it, of course, so long as you have good backups, but I wouldn't rate your chances.

You could just live with the problem... but for a year that sounds like tempting fate.

You could rebuild the server - sort of a hardware upgrade DR; this would involve removing Exchange, then reinstalling it again with EXACTLY the same configuration, same org name and site name, same SP and hotfix level etc etc; this would effectively recreate your dir.edb for you. You would then restore your backed up priv and pub.edb.

And when you've finished, stop the DS service, and make a file copy of dir.edb as recommended by

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;184186

so that you don't get into this pickle again!

 

[DestinysDream]

I have used the eseutil /p on the dir.edb with great success. But have good backups and try the soft recovery first eseutil /r. I would say give it a try.

If anyone calls and says "I know a little something about computers" just tell them to reformat it.

 

[Molenski]

Thanks a lot for the advice that you've given me.

Have still not decided what to do exactly but our correspondence has given me a few options.

Cheers.

Molenski
As my bessie bud Kev always says - Get involved!!!

 

[Alshrim]

ONe of the things I found is - that if the directory store starts to cave.. if you know you have ONE good Directory store backup - no matter how old .. you can restore it ..

The logfiles from the the Information store WILL bring the DS up to date - so long as you have circular logging turned off !!!

I have done it before where i have used month old directory store backups with an up-to-day backup for an information store and i find the logs restore the DS without incident...

This may - or may not help .. but i figured I'd put this out there as a 'last-ditch' effort procedure..

Alshrim
System Administrator
MCSE, MCP+Internet