Extract Emails from EDB

[Chris]

Hi Everyone,
I am Running SBS2008 w' Exchange 2007.

I removed two users from my server and I should not had done that. I was
cleaning out old employees from the server...when two were removed accidently
by me.

To remove them, I went through the wizard located in SBS console. I also
chose to remove their mailboxes and files.
I now need to retrieve those two mailboxes, or just their emails. Luckily,
I did do a back using Acronis TrueImage, i was also able to find the edb from
that backup.

I am not sure how to approach this matter...

We have come to the conclusion that they only had a username and password
for email purposes(we use pop connector), no files were stored, nor sharddocs
etc...the clients use outlook exchange.

I recreated their account on the server, re-issued them their email accounts
as well, so they can continue receiving email. But their outlook is empty,
evidently because i deleted their mailbox.

I tried restoring from autoarchive, kinda worked but it was a 6 month old
archive.

I have a backup of the edb, and i dont know what to do with it. My desired
options are:

-Extract the 2 mailboxes from the edb only, and replace their current one
with these two.

or

-Extract their mailboxes as pst, and import them to exchange via an Outlook
client.

At the very least i need to obtain only the email messages somehow and
restore them.

It sounds like a fairly easy task to do. However i am proven wrong, most
likely due to my inexperience. I have used exmerge in the past with SBS2003,
worked like a charm, but it doesnt work with SBS2008. (i get a missing "dapi"
sort of error trying to run it on SBS2008).

I have read about expensive 3rd party software that does the trick, and i
have also read about mounting and dismounting using RSG.

I am hesitant in performing the RSG method, although i tried and reached up
to the point were i created the RSG, via wizard...not shell/cmd. But was
unsure how to proceed so i halted before any further damage is done.

There MUST be an easier way, am i missing something? Can someone please help
me?

Thank you,

Chris

[Ace Fekay [MCT]]

"Chris" <Ch...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:2DD557AF-A67E-4C3D...@microsoft.com...

Hi Chris,

You pretty much already stated your options, but you missed one. Your
options are either a third party recovery tool, such as Ontrack
PowerControls, the RSG method if the mailbox is no longer in the dumpster
(past the deleted mailbox retention time value setting on the mailbox
database), or if the mailbox is still in the dumpster, simply pull it out of
the Disconnected Mailbox list.Of course you'll want to check the dumpster
(Disconnected Mailbox) first.

Single Mailbox RecoverySep 15, 2006 ...
Two Options: Recover from the Dumpster, or RSG
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb124357.aspx

How to Recover a Deleted Mailbox from Disconnected Mailboxes
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa997182.aspx

How to Recover a Mailbox by Using the RSG (Recovery Storage Group) Method.
(Ex2007 SP1 & SP2) ...Nov 16, 2007 ...
If no longer in the dumpster, this topic explains how to use the Microsoft
Exchange Server 2007 recovery storage group (RSG) to recover a mailbox.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa997694.aspx

Onntrack Power Controls
http://www.ontrackpowercontrols.com/

Let us know how you make out.

--
Ace

This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees and
confers no rights.

Please reply back to the newsgroup or forum for collaboration benefit among
responding engineers, and to help others benefit from your resolution.

Ace Fekay, MCT, MCTS Exchange, MCSE, MCSA 2003 & 2000, MCSA Messaging
Microsoft Certified Trainer

For urgent issues, please contact Microsoft PSS directly. Please check
http://support.microsoft.com for regional support phone numbers.

[Chris]

After several failed attempts using powershell, i tried via the sbs
console....i receive the following message:

Error encountered while trying to create the recovery storage group
(Recovery Storage Group). Error message is: The location of the system file
is not available in the file system.

Parameter name: SystemFolderPath

I am unable to create an RSG..

[Chris]

I created an RSG, the chk files that i used were the originals(?)...the ones
that were defaulted, the only thing i added was the location for the edb i
recovered. Did i do something wrong?

thanks

[Ace Fekay [MCT]]

"Chris" <Ch...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:78C127F3-60CB-4AB0...@microsoft.com...

>I created an RSG, the chk files that i used were the originals(?)...the
>ones
> that were defaulted, the only thing i added was the location for the edb i
> recovered. Did i do something wrong?
>
> thanks

I don't know. Can't see your machine from here or all the steps you've
followed. Did you follow the links I provided?

Here's a couple more:

wbadmin.info - Articles - HOWTO: Restoring Exchange 2007 Storage ...To merge
mailboxes from the Recovery Storage Group view the following article for
instructions: Merging Exchange 2007 mailboxes with a Recovery Storage ...
http://www.wbadmin.info/articles/howto-restoring-exchange-2007-storage-groups-server-2008.html

Exchange 2007 Recovery Storage Group16 posts - 1 author - Last post: May 30
Exchange 2007 Recovery Storage Group : utilizing power shell. Microsoft
introduced the Recovery Storage Group with Exchange 2003 which added ...
http://www.exchange-genie.com/2007/11/exchange-2007-recovery-storage-group/

Ace

[Ace Fekay [MCT]]

"Chris" <Ch...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:78C127F3-60CB-4AB0...@microsoft.com...

>I created an RSG, the chk files that i used were the originals(?)...the
>ones
> that were defaulted, the only thing i added was the location for the edb i
> recovered. Did i do something wrong?
>

Forgot to ask, were the deleted mailboxes in the Disconnected Mailbox list?

[Chris]

No they werent, i performed the clean-mailboxdatabase, but still nothing
showing up in disconnected mailboxes.

It fails all at once creating a RSG.

First of all, when i create the RSG via the console, what sould the paths be
when asked?

Perhaps i am doing something wrong in that step.

It has an original path and a recovery storage path.

The recovery storage path i used was the location that i saved the
recovered from the backup EDB...including the system folder path and
transaction logs.

This is a fresh copy of sbs2008 w' exchange server 2008! how can anything
have been corrupted already!

sigh...

[Ace Fekay [MCT]]

"Chris" <Ch...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:EE36FAAE-C6F9-45E1...@microsoft.com...

> No they werent, i performed the clean-mailboxdatabase, but still nothing
> showing up in disconnected mailboxes.
>
> It fails all at once creating a RSG.
>
> First of all, when i create the RSG via the console, what sould the paths
> be
> when asked?
>
> Perhaps i am doing something wrong in that step.
>
> It has an original path and a recovery storage path.
>
> The recovery storage path i used was the location that i saved the
> recovered from the backup EDB...including the system folder path and
> transaction logs.
>
> This is a fresh copy of sbs2008 w' exchange server 2008! how can anything
> have been corrupted already!
>
> sigh...
>

I'm not sure if you're following any of the articles or not that I've
provided. I've asked before, but I haven't quite been able to find a
response to the question. Have you?

Regarding selecting a path, it provides the defaults for you, so there's
really nothing to change; just go with the defaults.

I can't see anything being corrupted when creating an RSG. It's just a blank
storage group with nothing in it other than trans logs and associated files
that get initialized.

When you tried creating it...
1. Did you let it check for updates, then if any found, did you let it
update itself with the latest copy from Microsoft?
2. After that, did you type in the name of the Exchange server, then the
name of the DC (which should be the same), unless it was already pre-filled
for you (more than likely since they are both the same)?
3. Did you select First Storage Group?
4. It will create a RSG Storage Group path going through the DR wizard.

So you're saying when just selected the default paths (meaning you did not
change anything), then you clicked NEXT, it's failing?

Try removing the RSG, make sure the RSG folder it created got deleted, and
try again.

Ace

[bonma...@gmail.com]

Lepide Exchange Manager is a user centric professional solution to solving any EDB corruption issues. The software lets the administrator perform EDB to PST conversion and recover crucial information from corrupt EDB files, from a centralized location. The software is capable of extracting precious email information and converting it to PST form that can be easily read and maintained. It helps in restoring the information thus stored in Exchange Server databases, during damage or crash issues.
For more details - http://www.edbtopstutility.com

[technoex...@gmail.com]

Try a Simple & Straightforward Technique to Extract Mailboxes from EDB

Take a rest from complicated PowerShell command, rather you can switch to a Trusted GUI-Based Application to Extract Emails from EDB.

PCVITA EDB Converter, a worthy tool for professionals which recovers corruption from Exchange mailboxes and export all mailboxes entries to PST. The award winning application genuinely extracts all emails, contacts, calendars, tasks, lists, appointment, attachments etc.

Visit the Main Website: http://www.pcvita.com/edb-converter.html

[jennyla...@gmail.com]

Don’t be anxious if your exchange data get corrupted then just use third party tool which definitely helps you to restore all the exchange mailbox items with its all attachments. This Exchange recovery software is simple GUI process based tool which is easy to understand its recovery and conversion process.
Get more information:-
http://www.edbtopsts.com/

[johnsonr...@gmail.com]

Microsoft provides some free utilities, named as Eseutil.exe, Exmerge.exe and Export-Mailbox. These tools convert EDB to PST and extract the user mailboxes in .PST file format. However in case of severely corruption, these tools may fails. The best way to handle this situation is using some advanced third party EDB to PST Converter software. You can use Free Trial version for extracting edb mailboxes.

http://www.edbtopst-converter.com/how-to-extract-edb-to-pst.html

[richh...@gmail.com]

Exchange database corruption is a rather common phenomenon due to a number of reasons some of which are malicious software attacks, hardware failures, log file corruption,improper shutdown etc.Exchange database becoming corrupt or non accessible makes the data stored in user mailboxes vulnerable and this is where exchange recovery using a professional tool becomes need of the hour! A one stop solution for all exchange server recovery needs would be the EdbMails EDB to PST recovery tool. It uses deep scanning algorithms to repair and recover most information from even highly corrupt databases. Apart from maintaining the folder structure intact, EdbMails is also capable of migrating exchange databases to office 365 and Live exchange server.

For more info and download visit : https://www.edbmails.com/