How to mount Exchange database using Stellar Repair for Exchange

How to mount Exchange database using Stellar Repair for Exchange – In Depth Review in place of "Stellar Repair for Exchange Server"

How to mount Exchange database using Stellar Repair for Exchange – In Depth Review

In this article we will be discussing on how to mount an Exchange Server database using Stellar Repair for Exchange. In a normal situation, one would mount the database from the Exchange Admin Center (EAC) or the Exchange Management Shell (EMS) with no issues, but when we have corrupted databases or transaction logs, we need to special applications to help us recover our data and services as soon as possible with minimal impact. Stellar Repair for Exchange is an application that will help any Exchange Server Admin to guarantee data recovery with no data loss for any Exchange Server version database. It allows to recovery user mailboxes, archives, shared mailboxes, disabled mailboxes and public folders.

Architecture

For this scenario, we will be having a setup of a standalone Exchange Server 2019 Standard with four databases. The server is running on Windows Server 2019 Standard edition. This is a physical server and there was a power cut and the server was turned off abruptly and after the start-up of the server, the users have reported that they cannot access their mailboxes and public folders.

·????????The Exchange Admin would log into the Exchange Admin Center (EAC).

·????????Click on Servers, click on databases, and you notice that the database DB01 is not mounted. This is the reason that the users are not able to access their resources.

·????????You rightly click on the database, click on the more option and click on Mount.

·????????You will be shown an error that the database is unable to mount. You can use the ESEUtil command to understand more on the database. We use the /mh parameter to get the status on the EDB file.

Eseutil /mh C:\Exchange\Mailbox\DB01\DB01.edb

·????????And we notice that the status is marked as Dirty Shutdown with information that it’s missing a transaction log.

·????????You go onto the event viewer and also notice the error below.

GenericMountFailure

DB01

There is only one copy of this mailbox database (DB01). Automatic recovery is not available.

·????????When you try to do a smooth repair using the ESEUtil you will get the same error and it will not mount. You try to backup the database and then run the hard recovery.

You will notice that the problem still persisted. On the other side, you end up with issues of data loss. The hard recovery is not recommended as it will just purge anything which might be corrupted.

Stellar Repair for Exchange Deployment

Installation of the application is very easy and simple procedure. You just need to open Stellar Repair for Exchange Official website.

·????????Click on the download button

·????????Double-click on the StellarRepairforExchange.exe file from the Downloads location.

·????????Click Next on the welcome screen

·????????Tick, I accept the agreement and click Next

·????????Click Next to accept the default tasks, or change as required.

·????????Click on Install

·????????The application will start the installation.

???????Once done, which will take about 5 minutes, the installation will be successful.

Once the Finish button is clicked, the application will automatically open.

Activation

The application can be installed on a Windows 10 or 11, as well on a Server edition. It can also be installed on the Exchange Server itself. Once opened, the application would need to the license key to be able to export the mailboxes and restore your mailboxes and resources.

·????????Once the licenses are purchased, you need to click on Activation and Activation button

·????????Enter the license key and click on Activate.

·????????Depending on the license, you will have the number of mailboxes to export and the features as below.

Editions:

Corporate

-?????????1 Year license

-?????????Single User

-?????????100 Mailboxes

Technician

-?????????Lifetime Licenses

-?????????Multiple User

-?????????Unlimited Mailbox

Toolkit

-?????????Lifetime Licenses

-?????????Multiple User

-?????????Unlimited Mailbox

-?????????Includes Repair for BKF and VHDX files, EDB to PST Converter, OST to PST Converter and Windows Server password reset

Pre-requisites for mounting Exchange database using Stellar Repair for Exchange

1.??????For recovering data, you will need to create a new mailbox database with all the empty mailboxes already created before exporting. You can use Dial tone recovery process for the same.

2.??????You will need to have Outlook install and configured with a profile with administrator rights to export data to the new mailbox database in the Exchange Server.

3.??????You will also need to have a user in the Active Directory of the Exchange Server, which has rights to connect to all the mailboxes in the Exchange Server.

You can also check this detailed article for the same.

Detailed steps for recovering corrupt Exchange database

·????????After opening the Stellar Repair for Exchange, you will be prompted to select the database file which is corrupted and setup the temporary path. You can open EDB file using ‘Browse’ option.

·????????The temporary path is used for temporary data while working with the database file. Once done, click Next.

·????????Depending on the damage on the database, one would need to select the Quick Scan or the Extensive Scan. Click OK.

·????????You will immediately be presented with the main screen with all the data showing.

Note: Click on Save Scan so that once you re-open the database, you will not need to rescan the database file.

·????????Select the mailboxes to recover and click on Save.

·????????Click on Export to Live Exchange and click Next

·????????Enter the credentials for the Administrator account, which has access to all the mailboxes.

·????????You will need to enter the Outlook profile, which has the administrator rights to export recovered mailboxes from Source EDB file to destination server, along with the password to the profile. Click on Next.

·????????The next screen after the validation of the credentials, is the mapping of the mailboxes. This will automatically map the mailboxes and you can change as desired, and click on Export

·????????The status window will show the progress of mailboxes recovery.

Once the mailboxes are all completed, you can now open the Exchange Admin Center (EAC) and confirm that the mailbox database is now mounted.

Confirm that you can access the mailboxes and get confirmation from the users, and you can go ahead and remove the corrupted mailbox database from your Exchange Server configuration.

In conclusion, we can see that it’s inevitable that something might happen to our Exchange Server, and we cannot predict every failure possible. We need to be prepared and have a contingency plan in hand with the right tools for when these things happen.

Verdict

Stellar Repair for Exchange has proved what it advertises. The application was very easy to install and got the corrupted database data back online in small steps and with no issues. It is fast and the performance was optimal. I was able to recover & mount my database with no complications and all the data was available with no data loss. As said, no one wants disasters to happen, but when they do, you need to have the right tools with you, and Stellar Repair for Exchange is one of them.