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I have an exchange 2010 server where the domain controller/DNS has crashed and is beyond recovery (No backup, dont ask).

The Exchange server is still alive, but management and such cant load. I have access to the .edb file and logs.

I would like to extract the mailboxes to .pst and i have a tool for that (EDBMails, freeware). But when i open the .edb file its almost empty because a backup was never made.

How does i replay/truncate these log files? I have tried with eseutil /r and it does a soft recovery and it completes in 10 sec and says its successful. However, logs are still there and .edb is empty.

Furthermore i have tried to "fake" a backup with diskshadow.exe and then used eseutil, but same thing.

I know that i can use Windows Server Backup to perform a backup, and then it should be fine, but ServerManager has crashed and i cant seem how to get it working again (CbsUpdateState.bin does not exist). Its a Server 2008 (not R2).

Are there any freeware tools that simply just truncate/purge/replay the log files into the .edb file? (Im aware of Lucid8 Digiscope, but i cant afford it)

Seriously hope to get some help! Thanks.

/Rasmus

Reaces
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Rasmus
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  • You said Diskshadow and Windows Server Backup so I'm guessing mine and other answers here: http://serverfault.com/questions/539985/pseudo-backup-procedure-to-force-exchange-log-truncation/ won't help. If the user's all had OST files have you considered just creating a PST of each of their local OST files instead? I'm assuming your mainly looking for the mailbox data and can rebuild the Exchange server if you had that to re-inject? – TheCleaner Feb 18 '15 at 19:20
  • TheCleaner, exactly, i have tried that. Unfortunate not all users have .ost files. And yes, it is just the mailbox data. I have rebuilded a new exchange (and domain) which is up and running, but i need the old data. – Rasmus Feb 18 '15 at 19:27
  • could you try Windows backup from the cmd line (wbadmin)? – TheCleaner Feb 18 '15 at 20:01
  • I can start the Windows Backup, but the feature isnt installed. Its when loading servermanager for adding the feature it fails to "collect data". (:\Windows\system32\ServerManager\Cache\CbsUpdateState.bin does not exist.) I have just fetched the file from another server, i'll give it a try now and see if i can get windows backup server to work. I cant figure out how else to get this fixed :|) – Rasmus Feb 18 '15 at 20:06
  • The log files themselves aren't the actual data, you can in a pinch delete them and that doesn't cause the mailboxes to lose that mail. So I'm not sure why the edb file would be almost empty. See here:https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa996118%28v=exchg.65%29.aspx - and https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb331958%28v=exchg.141%29.aspx -- really unless the logs weren't COMMITing at the end to the EDB file, everything should be in the EDB file save for possibly the last transaction log file. Meaning you shouldn't have to truncate/purge/replay any log files INTO the edb file – TheCleaner Feb 18 '15 at 20:10
  • You may want to run Eseutil /ml against some recent logfiles just to ensure that you have what you think you have - a complete fileset. https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb331958%28v=exchg.141%29.aspx – mfinni Feb 18 '15 at 20:37
  • alternatively, are you able to run Powershell and see if you can do new-mailboxexportrequest, if Exchange will start? – mfinni Feb 18 '15 at 20:38
  • mfinni, i've done eseutil /ml against one of the databases and all log files are fine. The .edb file it self is in clean state as well. I cant connect to exchange - neither via powershell or EMC. The reason why i cant connect with powershell is due to no logon servers available because of the AD crash. Can i connect to the server without authenticating through Active Directory (and will it even help?) – Rasmus Feb 18 '15 at 20:45
  • The problem may be with your EDBMails program in that case, sorry to say. – mfinni Feb 18 '15 at 21:17
  • Regarding access - if Exchange services can start and the databases are mounted, you might be able to log into the Exchange server as the local administrator account and get Powershell to run. – mfinni Feb 18 '15 at 21:18
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    The log files don't have anything to do with extracting the contents of the EDB file. I just tried that program on a mailbox database with the same results. My test mailbox has 8 emails in the Inbox and that software discovered and exported 0 of them. What did you expect for free? – joeqwerty Feb 19 '15 at 01:45
  • Hmm guys, i was figuring out the same. That EDBMails-program seems to be some bullshit. I'll try to find another program - especially if you say, that no data is in the log files. Furthermore, i'll se if i can connect as local administrator and do a mailbox-export via powershell. I'll get back. – Rasmus Feb 19 '15 at 07:08
  • you can easily Export Mailboxes without log file by using PowerShell eseutil utility provided by Microsoft. to know more about this error you can visit http://www.edbtopstpro.com/blog/exchange-server/recover-exchange-database-without-log-file.html –  Nov 05 '15 at 07:05

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Okay guys,

I guess TheCleaner was right about the log files containing no data. I have now recovered all my mailboxes and exported them to pst files without truncating them. Although im not sure if the export used the log files for something - it asks for the log directory.

I searched the web for edb to pst converters and found multiple, but all pretty expensive. EDBMails dosnt work at all - dont use it allthough its free.

What i did was, downloading a trial of Veeam Backup & Recovery. It includes their Veeam Explorer for Microsoft Exchange. It can open edb files and export them to .pst - WITHOUT buying a license!

After exporting them i just imported the pst files to the new exchange server with powershell.

Thank you all for the help.

Rasmus
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