Often, an Exchange Server database (EDB) file can go offline or become corrupt because of several unexpected issues. It could happen because of a power outage, a server crash, a storage failure, malware intrusion, or a sudden system shutdown.
All these instances make the server environment dysfunctional, obstructing business communication, forcing admins to adopt a workable strategy to restore and recover the Exchange server database and its mailboxes. The process requires using native tools, built-in options, such as PowerShell commands, and a deep understanding of Exchange architecture.
At times, missing backups or heavily corrupted databases can make the Exchange recovery process unreliable and challenging. To bypass these traditional repair modes for reducing downtime and effort, the Exchange recovery tools such as Stellar Repair for Exchange can be useful.
In this blog, we will discuss in detail the methods to recover Exchange Server 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016 manually and through any Exchange recovery tool.
Recovering a lost Exchange Server that is not a member of DAG
An Exchange Server may or may not be a member of a Database Availability Group (DAG). Both the cases require distinct Exchange recovery methods. Here, we will focus on recovering failed servers that do not belong to DAG, by using Setup.exe /Mode:RecoverServer switch. Before that, you should ensure to meet several prerequisites to recover a lost Exchange server.
Major Prerequisites
It takes around 20 minutes to complete the entire process, provided you have the membership of:
- Domain Admins security group
- Exchange Organization Management role group
Here are the other major points to consider that will altogether help to avert data loss, reduce downtime, and restore Exchange Server data.
1. Installation media
- Install the same OS version and build that existed on the server earlier.
- Different OS versions can cause incompatibility issues and recovery failure
2. Database Backup
- Make sure to create a reliable backup of the EDB file and store it securely in a sandbox environment
- It will help in safe testing and careful data extraction
- This practice will also ensure recovery of critical data in between or after the Exchange recovery
3. Complete the Exchange Server documentation
- Make sure to have proper and most recent documentation of your original Exchange Server setup
- The documentation should include storage configuration, services, certificates, roles, connectors, and several other custom settings.
- It will help in environment replication during the Exchange recovery process, allowing hassle-free installation.
4. Align the configuration of new server with original one
As already mentioned, the target server must be identical to the existing environment to avert configuration conflicts. This is because Active Directory stores most parts of the Exchange Server configuration.
- It should have the same software version, storage structure, drive letters, and volume labels
- This similarity is essential for the Exchange Server to integrate with Active Directory correctly.
5. SSL Certificates
The SSL certificates do not retain themselves during Server rebuild; the Exchange automatically generates a new self-signed SSL certificate.
- You will need to re-import the original SSL certificates after installing the new server and assign them to the respective SMTP, IIS, POP, and IMAP services
- This ensures security and compliance of communication with the earlier server configurations.
These points are crucial to consider before proceeding with recovering a corrupt server. Moving on, here are the steps to recover and restore the Exchange Server database.
Using /Mode:RecoverServer Switch to Recover Exchange Server
It is possible to recover Exchange Server 2007/2010/2013/2016/2019 with the help of the Setup.exe /Mode:RecoverServer command, especially when the damage occurs because of a corrupt OS or software. However, if this setup switch fails, Stellar Repair for Exchange can prove beneficial in restoring the database and its mailboxes.
To initiate Exchange recovery process through Setup.exe /Mode:RecoverServer, follow the process below:
Create a fresh target server in the Active Directory, which replicates the hardware and software configuration of the lost Exchange server. The recovery won’t be possible if the names of the two servers are different.
1. Build a fresh server instance
- Build a new server instance with the naming convention and service pack of the lost or failed server
- Install characters similar to those on the failed server
- Install the same hardware components as installed in the failed server
- Keep identical drive letters and the partitions
- Install the requisite OS, Antivirus software, and the Exchange server roles
- Run the setup with /Mode:RecoverServer switch
- Verify the application of all custom configurations, and reapply if not applied
- Connect the Exchange Server to the same domain by resetting the existing computer account in the Active Directory. The steps are as follows:
2. Reset the computer account for the failed server
- In the Windows interface, click Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools (double-click) > Active Directory Users and Computers (double-click)
- Next, click Computers in the console tree.
- Look for the details pane, right-click Computer > Reset Account
3. Install the pre-requisites of the Exchange server
- Leverage the /InstallWindowsComponents switch in unattended Setup mode.
- In the Exchange Setup Wizard, select the checkbox to install Windows prerequisites.
Following any of these two options will set you free from restarting the computer after adding the Windows Components.
4. Replicate the Exchange server setup files used in the original installation
- Create a copy of the setup files of the Exchange Server at a location where you can access them easily
- Ensure to use the same setup file for Exchange, as installed on the server earlier
5. Complete the setup
- Open the command prompt with administrator credentials
- Run CD command to change the directory that contains Exchange setup files
- Type the below command in the command prompt window
Setup.exe: /Mode:RecoverServer /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms
- After completing the setup, make sure to reconfigure all the custom settings that existed on the server.
- Put the recovered server into production
- Restart the server.
The hassle-free completion of the setup will indicate success of the lost Exchange Server recovery process. To double check the successful recovery, imitate the following steps
- On your system, press Windows+R key combination to open the Run dialog box.
- Type services. msc and click OK.
- In the services dialog box, find Microsoft Exchange Services.
- Ensure proper installation and running of the services.
This entire method is cumbersome and prone to error, considering a large number of prerequisites and the involved PowerShell cmdlets. Using a professional Exchange recovery tool can make this process far easier and quicker.
Recovering Exchange Server through Stellar Repair for Exchange
Using this Exchange recovery tool is one of the simplest methods to recover Exchange Server mailboxes. Here are some of its crucial features:
• Repairs and recovers Exchange Server database and the contained mailboxes
• Restores data from corrupt EDB files to PST, Live Exchange Server, or Office 365
• Allows you to save recovered mailboxes in EML, PDF, RTF, MSG, and HTML formats
• Resolve Exchange issues like ‘Jet Exchange Error’, ‘Dirty Shutdown Error’, and so on
• Shows a broader preview of the scanned mailbox items before saving
• Works fine with Exchange Server 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 and later versions
Using Stellar Repair for Exchange is simple, and the easy-to-use Graphical User Interface makes it even more convenient to use. All you need is to download and install the software from the official Stellar Info website and follow a few easy steps to perform the recovery of the Exchange server.
To start with, you may download the free trial version of the Exchange recovery tool with restricted features. It will allow you to scan and preview recoverable Exchange mailbox items.
Conclusion
It is essential to recover the mailboxes and the contained data from a corrupt Exchange Server database before you lose them completely. In the case of Exchange Server 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 you can do it through several methods depending on whether the server is a member of Database Availability Group (DAG) in the Active Directory.
In case the Exchange Server is not a DAG member, you can recover a lost Exchange Server with the help of Setup.exe /Mode:RecoverServer command. Considering the sensitivity of the issue and complexity of the recovery process, the admin should have in-depth knowledge about all the related aspects and major prerequisites. Still, it would be hard to sideline the possibility of errors.
A comparably better and error-free method to recover an Exchange Server database file is to use an Exchange recovery tool. This is where Stellar Repair for Exchange can play the key role.