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Exchange 2013 database restore successful - but database not mountable / dirty shutdown

Thomas_Buhr_Hau
Level 3

Hi, 

Currently testing disaster recovery of an exchange 2013 server with Backup Exec 2014. Backup job taken successfully with BE Windows Agent. 

Successfully restored the server into a VM using SDR. Afterwards restored Exchange database and logfiles to original location. Instructed BE to overwrite existing. The Exchange restore job is successful - but store is not mounted automatically. Manual mount not possible - getting dirty shutdown error code.

Have tried soft repair with eseutil - but it fails and reports that some logfiles are missing.
Only option that works is hard repair - but my logfiles should be OK..

1. Circular logging is disbled on the production server
2. No other backup software in used for Exchange backup - that could possibly interfere with the logfiles /flush them.

3. Log files are flushed correctly after each full backup job

 

What am I missing here?

We run full backup job each friday and differential other days. Differentials are logfiles only (logfiles not deleted until after successful full backup)

Could there be an inconsistency in my Exchange database that could cause the replaying of log files to fails - or am I just doing the restore wrong?

Regards
Thomas 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

Thomas_Buhr_Hau
Level 3

I think that I have found the reason for my issue... (?!)

Today I just remembered something...
It could be that I am wrong about the way restoring Exchange works.

Until now I have included the logfiles with the restore of the full backup.
But - what does BE actually do with the logfiles when the backup job of Exchange runs?
The database is backed up - and the logfiles are backed up - and flushed / deleted.

But can I be sure that the logs have been comitted to the database before the store i backed up? OR does BE do this before adding the store to the backup... I am not sure about this..

But in that case, I should not restore the logfiles. Only the latest full backup of the database.
And then restore logfiles from a differential backup if that is desired (this is indeed needed for my testing)...

SO - I deleted all of the contents of the Exchange database folder and logs folder before restoring again.
Marked the database as overwritable and ran a restore of a full backup excluding the logfiles backed up with the full backup job. In the same restore job I also included logfiles from a differential backup a few days later.

And Voila!!! The jobs was successful.
And this time, the store was mounted automatically after restore and working..

Regards
Thomas

View solution in original post

4 REPLIES 4

Colin_Weaver
Moderator
Moderator
Employee Accredited Certified

Can you restore from one of the full backups (as part of your tests) or does the restore from full do the same thing?

 

jurgen_barbieur
Level 6
Partner    VIP    Accredited

Is there an antivirus that could harm your logfiles?

Thomas_Buhr_Hau
Level 3

I think that I have found the reason for my issue... (?!)

Today I just remembered something...
It could be that I am wrong about the way restoring Exchange works.

Until now I have included the logfiles with the restore of the full backup.
But - what does BE actually do with the logfiles when the backup job of Exchange runs?
The database is backed up - and the logfiles are backed up - and flushed / deleted.

But can I be sure that the logs have been comitted to the database before the store i backed up? OR does BE do this before adding the store to the backup... I am not sure about this..

But in that case, I should not restore the logfiles. Only the latest full backup of the database.
And then restore logfiles from a differential backup if that is desired (this is indeed needed for my testing)...

SO - I deleted all of the contents of the Exchange database folder and logs folder before restoring again.
Marked the database as overwritable and ran a restore of a full backup excluding the logfiles backed up with the full backup job. In the same restore job I also included logfiles from a differential backup a few days later.

And Voila!!! The jobs was successful.
And this time, the store was mounted automatically after restore and working..

Regards
Thomas

No, there is no antivirus on the server