repair corrupt exchange database

How to Repair Corrupt Exchange Database

Microsoft Exchange Server is mostly used for communication via emails among various organization(s) or inside the same organization as it serves emails to them independent of sizes. Although Microsoft tries its best to improve its security feature. But still, eventually, these databases somehow result in data corruption or inaccessibility. In this blog, I will discuss the simple methods to repair corrupt Exchange database.

 

Before beginning the repair process, first, check out the major causes due to which the Exchange database gets damaged or corrupted.

Reason Behind the Exchange Database Corruption:

 

Inaccurate database objects, Irrelevant  modification in the schema of database, Malicious threat, User error, sudden or immediate shutdown, Application failure. These all are the major factors that cause Exchange database corruption. Another factor or cause responsible for the Exchange Database Failure is EDB files corruption. This sores your data in a structured or organized manner. 

Before we move to any point, we must be aware of the definite reasons responsible for a corrupt or damaged Exchange Database. So that we can take appropriate steps to recover corrupt Exchange Databases accordingly. Generally, there are numerous levels of getting your Exchange database corrupted. These are –

  1. Some faults in level of file system, also referred as Page level corruption
  2. Damage in Application level or Exchange Server Information Store
  3. The Database level is also referred as JET database engine corruption

However anyone of the above discussed is the reason for Exchange DB corruption. Then you will get the following, one or a combination of conclusion or outcome:

  • Shut down of Information Store services 
  • Administrator not able to control the Information Store service.
  • Due to low CPU space, Information Store unable to give response
  • If Microsoft Outlook is not responding properly or can not be used to communicate.

Lots of reasons are there that generate a corrupt Exchange Database. But these are the main one. Now, let’s move forward to solve this issue.

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Repair Corrupt Exchange Database with the Manual method:

You can now easily recover and restore the inaccessible data from the corrupted Exchange database with manual method i.e. Eseutil utility. Before we move ahead we must be aware of the term Eseutil. 

It is an integral utility provided by Exchange Server. This utility completely repairs and restores the faulty Exchange Databases. Then recombine them, take a preview of database integrity, and reduce the size.

Discover Eseutil tool in the Exchange 2013/2016 from the given location –

C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V15\Bin

Method: Rebuild the Database with ESEUTIL 

Always, prefer a backup of the database for safety precautions. Then, move ahead with the database reorganization process.

  1.  At the very first, depart the database from Exchange.
    Dismount-Database –Identity <name of the database>
  2. Start Eseutil /d command

 

eseutil /d <name of the database> /T <location of temporary path>

  1. Once you begin the Eseutil command then, ascend the database again to the Exchange.
  2. Mount-Database –Identity <name of the database>
  3. Then,  again get back your database using Eseutil /p command.

eseutil /p <location of the database>

  1. At last, execute the new-mailbox repair request command to repair the database.

New-MailboxRepairRequest -Database <name of the database> -CorruptionType <type of corruption>

Always, pick or utilize the above command to remove the entire problem in the Exchange database. This manual method is very complex to conduct if any non-techie user wants to perform the above steps. Some more common drawbacks of such manual methods are shown below:

 

Drawbacks of the Manual Method:

  1. One of the first and primary purposes for Eseutil/D is to recombine the database without an internet connection. The primary feature of it is to keep the data adjacent and compress Exchange Database. Also, remove the free space to minimize the database volume and size. 
  2.  The manual steps consumes longer time to implement the process of recombination and doesn’t rely upon the file size. 
  3. While using the above manual ways, you have to make sure of the data content. As there is a higher chance of getting your data lost.

 

Alert!! If anyone wishes to operate the above methods, then he/she should have technical experience. Hence, they are able to operate the above way and recover corrupt Exchange Database.

Therefore, it is required to use an alternative tool that can work for you. It will make your database corruption-free in a safe and secure manner.

Use an Alternative Tool to Recover your Corrupt Exchange Database:

You can fix your issue with Cigati Exchange Backup Extractor that will smoothly recover and repair your damaged Exchange Server BKF Files. This advanced tool swiftly restore the Exchange files and Windows Backup files. It is easily compatible with all the Windows OS platforms. 

Conclusion

In this blog, I explained the most probable reasons for Exchange database corruption. Also, we have provided here the two different methods to execute the whole process. Although the manual process is available for free , it is very lengthy and complicated in nature. Whereas an alternative tool is used to repair corrupt Exchange Database. It is built with a higher GUI that makes it easy and swift to operate by anyone either technical or novice. As it doesn’t require the technical knowledge to operate.

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