Explore Root Causes of Exchange Server Database Corruption & Recovery Methods
This write-up will provide solution to resolve Exchange Server database corruption. Also, users will know the reason behind why corruption occurs in EDB and method to fix it.
Most of the Outlook users have MS Exchange Account. When the Outlook is connected with MS Exchange Server, the mailboxes are synced with it. The organizations using MS Exchange Server stores many mailboxes in it. So, in the case of technical faults, it requires a lot of time and effort for finding the problem and then rectifying it. Many times, these problems can be figured out and that leads to problems.
Know the root Causes of Exchange Server Database Corruption
There are mostly two main causes that lead to Exchange Server Mailbox Corruption. The damage in EDB files occurs because of logical and physical corruption.
- Physical Corruption: This kind of error is occurred because of Hardware Failure. It is considered the lowest level of data corruption.
- Logical Corruption: This kind of problem occurs at various levels. At the database level, it is either because of the invalid index entries, cross object chain linkage because of engine failure in the database. During application level, users face corruption in file header, access control levels.
The Exchange EDB file errors may affect the data. Let’s discuss some common Exchange server issues and errors :
- Exchange Jet error 1018
- Exchange Jet error 1216
- Dirty shutdown State Exchange error
- Unable to mount Exchange database (hr=0x80004005, ec=-528)
- 1056749110 Exchange error
- Unable to initialize Exchange Information Store service – Error 0x8004010f
Corruption Prevention Method
To escape the risk of logical corruption in Exchange Server, following precautionary methods are needed to be taken:
Install latest service pack of MS Exchange Server in your system. These packs are capable of repairing the database issues in Exchange Server. Make sure the configuration is not changed due to virus intrusions, malware, and adware’s, etc. The corruption originates in the database engine or information store. Microsoft Exchange has many inbuilt programs to check problems in primary database components.
Manual Method to Fix Exchange Server Database Corruption
Microsoft provides the user with inbuilt utility termed as ESEUTIL that performs Exchange 2007 mailbox repair, Exchange 2010 mailbox repair, Exchange 2013 mailbox repair. The ESEUTIL can be abbreviated as Exchange Server Database Utility. It is basically an executable program that repairs all the errors in the Exchange Mailboxes, public folders, and transport server queue databases.
The software is executed via the number of switches that performs a number of functions. The main case of the corruption of the files lies between the ESEUTIL repair mode i.e., ESEUTIL/p. This mode auto corrects the corrupted or damaged database at page or table level, not in application level. The main syntax of the ESEUTIL command while in Repair mode is:
ESEUTIL/P databasefilename.edb
After the repair process is successfully complete, it is preferred to check the integrity of the database by integrity check tool and it also ensures that the process is consistent. For this, make use of ISInteg built-in software.
ISInteg-fix
After completion of the process started by the tool, users need to save the files to a PST folder using the ExMerge Utility. It saves all the data files from newly created PST in the database.
Scenarios Where Built-In Repair Process is of No Use
Though the ESEUTIL is a freeware, it can be used to fix many minor issues in a corrupted database. But, the main disadvantage of the tool is that it is not that much effective. There are many situations in which the repair processes fails and leads to data loss.
Demerits of ESEUTIL Inbuilt Command Line
List of additional problems related to the ESEUTIL tool are:
- Lots of consumption of Time
- Incorrect Execution of the Commands
- data that is permanently delete will be recovered
- Lots of Empty space is require
- Requires a technically savvy person with a knack on the technical things
Alternative Solution to Fix Exchange Server Database Corruption
The problem is very devastating as it can lead to data loss permanently. But, we have designed a method to overcome the problem i.e., Exchange Mailbox Recovery Software. This utility provides Quick and Advance scan option recover & repair corrupt Exchange database along with mailboxes automatically without using any Exchange PowerShell command. According to the level of corrupted Exchange EDB file users can select the option and retrieve Exchange mailbox database.
Also, the advance scan mode recovers purged Exchange database mailboxes and data items from offline / dismounted EDB file. After the successful recovery of Exchange mailboxes you can export the healthy and recovered EDB mailboxes you can export it to the Live Exchange Server, Office 365 and multiple file formats.
After conversion, the software auto-generates the export report which save the success and fail count in CSV file format.
Key Features Of Automated Software
- Support private and public EDB & STM file
- Preview Exchange database mailbox items before conversion
- Preserve original folder hierarchy and keep metadata intact
- Export mailbox from Exchange EDB to PST, EML, PDF, MBOX, MSG, HTML file format
- Date filter option export EDB mailbox items in a specified period of time
- Compatible with Windows OS, Microsoft Outlook, and Exchange Server versions
Final Thoughts!
In the blog, we came across the issues of Exchange Server Database Corruption and the ways to restore the data from Exchange Server. In addition to it, the entire write-up serves the users with a built-in method to repair corrupted EDB files. But, trying the inbuilt methods is not an exact solution because it can put the user in more drastic situations that can lead to data loss issues.
