Exchange 2003 Public Folder backup fails

[Stuart_Little]

Following upgrade to Exchange 2003 Public folder store backup is failing, relevant error messages follow:-

Access denied to database Public Folder Store (blah).
WARNING: "\\blah\Microsoft Information Store\First Storage Group\Public Folder Store (blah)" is a corrupt file.
This file cannot verify.
Database or database element is corrupt
Log Files

The error number given is:-
Final error: 0xa0008488 - Access is denied.


Now I have been through checking permissions i.e. ensuring the Backup Exec account has Domain Admin, Builtin/Admin permissions so not sure that is the problem. Permissions on the disk seem OK as Mail Store database files in the same area are being backed up OK. This _used_ to be OK, so the upgrade to Exchange 2003 is suspect, but Exchange operation seems fine. Anyone seen anything similar?

[Ajit_Kulkarni]

Hello Stuart,

Firstly I request you to refer to the following technote:

"Access is denied" (a0008488 HEX or e0008488 HEX) is reported when a job fails
http://support.veritas.com/docs/266178

Hope this helps you.

Regards

NOTE : If we do not receive your reply within two business days, this post would be marked "assumed answered" and would be moved to "answered questions" pool.

[Stuart_Little]

The permissions on the failing database folder/files are the same as another storage group that is working.
The permissions on the failing log files folder/files are the same as those of the other storage group that is working.

Can I assume from the Job log that it is in fact the 'Log files' that are the cause of the problem?

I did grab the output of SGMon but there is nothing obviously an error, but then I don't know the sgmon.log format.

Cheers,
Stuart

[Stuart_Little]

Note: I have also check delegation control, as per Document 269946, although since only a single element was failing did not
believe this could be the issue.

[Sharvari_Deshmu]

Hello,

As you are getting access denied error please perform the following steps:

1. create a new account on the exchange server

2. make this account part of domain admin and local administrators group

3. create a mail box account for this user

4. the mailbox should be unique
Please check the technote below for more information:
http://support.veritas.com/docs/256537

5. create a microsoft outlook profile for this user, Verify that you can send and receive mails from this account

6. Verify that this account is not hidden.
Please see the technote below for more information
http://support.veritas.com/docs/243328

7. From exchange system manager give this account "exchange full administrator rights" at site level

8. Now go to Backup Exec-network logon accounts-create a new account

9. when you go to backup-when it asks you to select an account to backup mailboxes please select this account

In addition please see the technotes below for more information:

http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/242606.htm

http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/249456.htm


Please update the results.

Thanks,

NOTE : If we do not receive your reply within two business days, this post would be marked assumed answered and would be moved to answered questions pool.

[Stuart_Little]

Already had a separate account & was meeting all points except 'Delegated Control..' on Exchange site as a 'View-only Administrator'. Modified to full administrator as requested and repeated test run, backup still fails with original error.

Note: mailbox backups are working OK, only this public folder store that has a problem, with 3 other Storage Groups OK. Since the backup fails on 'Log files' is it possible to isolate the problem further? Since it appears to be backing up more data now but the Public Folder store changes only slowly, only the amount of log files growing since they are shared with the Mailbox Store in that Storage group.

[Stuart_Little]

This is probably not an issue with Veritas at all, since it was complaining the log files were corrupt I decided to dismount the store and run some integrity checks, this reports that the Exchnage database itself is corrupt. Since the store dismounts/mounts OK
and _appears_ to be operational going to try a move to another server.
At that point I will hopefully be able to confirm that the issue is fixed and not a Veritas problem.

[Sharvari_Deshmu]

Hello,

Thanks for the update we request you to keep us updated.

Regards,

NOTE : If we do not receive your reply within two business days, this post would be marked assumed answered and would be moved to answered questions pool.

[Stuart_Little]

Replicated/rehomed Public folder contents to another server. Test Backup on it passed OK. Ran integrity check/repair on original database, passed OK, ran defrag/integrity check again, still OK.
Ran backup on Public Folder Store on other server and the repaired server..OK. Started replication to repaired server.

Ran normal backup last night, it failed. Checked database, corrupt.
Said a few rude words.

At the moment my only thought is that something about certain items is OK with Exchange 2000 on Win2k Server, but not Exchange 2003 on Win2k. Either that or a new item has been received.

:(

[Stuart_Little]

Just for info, as suspected earlier this was not an issue with Veritas at all, but a problem with Exchange 2003 SP1, probably triggered by AV s/ware that results in corrupt databases.
Unpredictable as to when it occurs, since only the Public Folder and 2 out of 9 mailstores were affected but it requires the MS Hotfix KB889528.