Try this, I've done it 7 servers that we've rebuilt & it's worked everytime.
This is the procedure to recover an Exchange server from a tape backup of the information store & directory service. The backup type is set to FULL or NORMAL, for a full online backup of the information store & directory.
Prepare the recovery server:
The recovery server must have:
1. Windows NT Server 4.0 installed
2. The same computer name as the crashed Exchange server
3. The same role as the crashed Exchange server: if the server was a BDC, add the recovery server to the domain as a BDC. This means that you have to delete crashed Exchange server account in the domain using server manager, and then re-add the computer name to the domain to create a new SID for the recovery server.
4. The same Windows NT Service Pack as was installed on the crashed Exchange server.
5. Enough disk space to restore the entire information store & directory from the backup tape(s)
6. A tape drive attached to the recovery server, either locally or across the LAN.
Keep the crashed Exchange server configuration sheet handy for important information including protocol installed, IP settings, partition information etc.
Recovery Server Preparation Process:
1. Run the Exchange server setup program from a command prompt using the following syntax: setup /R (The /R switch allows you to recover an existing Exchange server onto new hardware – it does not start any Exchange services – this is Ok)
2. Make sure that the server name is the same as the crashed Exchange server.
3. From the setup program select “Create new site” (do not select Join existing Site).
4. Use the same organization & site names as you have before - CASE SENSitive.
5. Select the same service account as used on the crashed server.
6. Run the Exchange performance optimizer to optimize Exchange for the same configuration that was on the crashed Exchange server. Refer again to your server configuration documentation.
7. Install the same service pack that was on the crashed server at the time of the last full backup. To install the service pack, run Update /R from the command prompt.
8. Install Arcserve 2000 & Exchange Agent & Sp3 as normal. During the Exchange Agent install, Arcserve will ask you for account information, this is only required for brick level backups/restores. Enter no information, click on next & then click on “No”. You can reconfigure brick level information after the server has been restored.
Run the Restore:
This process assumes that you are using Arcserve 2000 & the Exchange agent.
Get your last full online backup tape & insert it into the tape drive & follow these steps:
Restoring an Exchange Database.
To restore a database.
1. Start the ARCserve Manager and Merge the information on the backup tape into the Arcserve database.
2. Go into the Restore Manager from the Quick Access menu. (The Backup Agent for Microsoft Exchange does not support the ARCserve Manager’s Wizard menu.)
3. Select the Restore by Tree option.
4. In the Browser, expand the server from which the database was backed up, and select the databases that you wish to restore.
5. If you have more than one copy of the Exchange databases on the tape, click the Version History button. The Version History dialog box opens:
6. Select a backup version for this database and click the Select button.
7. In the browser, right-click on the object you wish to restore and choose the DBagent Option from the menu. The DBagent Restore Option dialog box opens:
Select “Erase All Data…”.
8. On the recovery server start the MS Exchange System Attendant Service & only this service (Make sure that the service is set to start automatically & runs using the following account: DOMAIN\EXCHANGE SERVICE ACCOUNT)
9. Click the Run/Schedule button to continue. The Session username and password dialog box opens:
10. Verify or change the user name and password for the machine on which the
Exchange Server is loaded. To change the user name or password, select the session and click Edit. Enter the user name in the following format:
DOMAIN\USERNAME
After the restore has completed, manually start the remaining Exchange services.
Log on to outlook on a different pc & check mail connectivity & mailbox content.
