Exchange Information store selection list is gone in Restore

[beamzz]

Hi All,

I have run in to a strange problem, when trying to do a multiple mailboxes restore from a GRT Store backup and I run in to a mailbox that doesn't exists yet (I was forced to create a new main Store database on the Exchange server) on the server, the job stops with an error saying that the mailbox is not accessible.

-----
Final error: 0xe00002fc - Cannot restore one or more mailboxes. The database that the mailboxes reside in is dismounted or is not accessible. Ensure that the server is available and that the database is mounted, and then run the job again. Final error category: Resource Errors
-----

That is fine and logical, but when I try to run the Restore job once again and edit my selection list and uncheck that specific mailbox the list is totaly empty, I only see the top level, not my mailboxes beneath.

If I instead select "View Selection Details" and manually remove that specific mailbox from the restore job and submit the job it ends with an Mapi error:

------
Final error: 0xe00002f8 - Cannot open one or more mail messages because of unknown MAPI errors. Review the job log for more information. Final error category: Resource Errors
-----

If I go back to another older Store backup and do the same restore again and it runs in to another mailbox that doesn't exists yet the exactly same thing happens.
For mailboxes that exists, the restore job works fine until the missing mailbox.
It´s almost like the backup set is flagged "unreachable" and can't be accessed again.

Doeas anyone have a clue what to do?
I use Backup Exec 12.5

/Peter

[Dev_T]

If the destination mailbox is not initialized or if it is hidden in Exchange address list restore might fail with above mentioned error.

Resolution :

1) Make sure that destination mailbox is not hidden in Exchange Address List

if the above resolution does not work then create a test mailbox on the exchange server database and a run a redirected restore to the newly created test mailbox.

[beamzz]

Yes, I understand that the restore process doesn't work if my mailbox is not initialized or hidden.

My problem is that when I retry the restore Job (without the problem mailboxes) my selection list is gone, I can't select any mailboxes, I only see the top level of the information store.

/Peter

[RahulG]

Let me Know the following detail
1. Is the backup on tape or is it on disk ? If it is on tape Duplicate the backupset from tape to a disk location and  then attempt to restore .
2. What version of exchange are you running ?
3. Make sure the backup is taken when the GRt option selected in the backup Job porperties
4. Try restoring from a different backup set and see if the restore works
5. Once again verify the the account used for restore have proper rights and permission
6. IF you able to see the restore selection list try performing a redirect restore to some other mailbox .


 

[beamzz]

Answer to your questions:

1. The backup is on disk, both on a permanent drive and on hot-swap drives
2. I am running Exchange 2003 sp2
3. It is
4. I have done that and it works, until it runs in to a mailbox not initiated yet. When trying to perform the same restore job again but with that specific mailbox unchecked the same problem appears. The selection list is blank, only the top level is visible. It is almost like my Backup set is removed from all restore operations
5. It must have since running the restore to existing mailboxes work
6. My problem is that I dont see any selection list once a restore job has failed. The only way to continue with the restore operation is using a different backup set (older one).

Can i  force a re-index or re-detect of my Exchange backup sets?

Best Regards:
/Peter

[RahulG]

When you run the Grt Backup to disk the selection list generated autmaticall using the Vff drivers .. it reads the database file for exchange which are in native format and produces the selection list . Make sure the Drive from which you are trying to perform the restore is online as for some reason the backup to disk folder is not acccessible it will not display any restore selection .
You can still run a catalog on the backup to disk folder containg the backup files.

[beamzz]

Hi,

I have verified that my drive is online when performing the restore operation.

If I look at that backup drive and in the "IMG00XXXX" folder, I can see my  databases and logfiles.
The date of all those files is from the date when the backup was performed.

Underneath that folder is a folder named "vdb_date_of_backup".
In that folder there is a lot of files with names "[name_of_database].delta", "[name_of_database].delta.blks", "[name_of_database].delta.Array" and "[name_of_database].delta.View".

I guess this is the selection list that was generated when the backup was performed?

All "blks" files have a date from when the backup was performed, alla "View" and "Array" files have a date from when I tried the last restore operation.
There is also a "E00.log" and "E00.Chk" with the newer date.
Could it be that it is some of theese files causing the problem, for example a lock file or something preventing the selection list to be displayed in the GUI?
Can I rebuild the selection list in some way?

Thanks for your help!

/Peter

[RahulG]

You just need to run a catalog on the backup to disk folder ... Do see vdb_date_of_backup". in the all the Backup to disk folder or for just the IMg folder for which selection is nto generated

[beamzz]

I have tried to run a catalog, but that doesn't help

The "vdb_date_of_backup" is located below the "IMG00XXXX" folder.

I noticed one thing, when I retry a restore on a previously failed backup set and the Selection list is empty, when I then press "Refresh" I can see that the Exchange databases is copied from the "IMG00XXXX" folder to the "vdb_date_of_backup" and the server is busy for a long time.
Probably the selection Index is supposed to be verified / recreated, but my selection list turns up empty anyway.

I managed to work around the problem: On a "fresh" backup set I made a copy of the "vdb_date_of_backup" folder, before retrying a failed restore job (on that same backup set) I replaced the vdb folder with my original backup copy and the selection list showed OK!!!

So the conclusion I can make is that a failed Exchange restore job destroys the selection index and at least I can't find any way to recreate it!!