Repair Corrupt EDB files in Exchange 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, 2003 – Fix & Recovery

This write-up will guide users to repair corrupt EDB files in Exchange 2016, 2013, 2010 and below version without losing any data.

Most of the Outlook users have MS Exchange Account. When the Outlook is connected with MS Exchange Server, the mailboxes are synced with it. The organizations using MS Exchange Server stores many mailboxes in it. So, in the case of technical faults, it requires a lot of time and effort for finding the problem and then rectifying it. Many times, these problems can be figured out and that leads to problems.

Before jumping to the conclusions, let’s come across the root causes of the problem:

Exchange Server Corruption Issues

While using the term Exchange Server Database Corruption, the very first thought that strikes the mind is EDB file Corruption & how to repair corrupt Exchange Mailbox? The EDB files can be termed as the storehouse of information in which the entire data of Exchange Server Resides. Any single fault in the system can lead to the Corruption in the Exchange Server. Few of the causes behind the EDB file corruption are jotted below:

1. Virus infections
2. Abrupt shutdown of the system
3. Malfunctioning of Applications
4. Errors created by users
5. Database Objects found missing

Causes that can lead to the Corruption of Database Errors

Many times the server depicts symptoms that create corruption of the files. The symptoms are previewed in terms of error that damages the database and performs many operations on the database. We have a list of various  Exchange Jet Errors that may sound common but are highly effective and leads to the file corruption.
1. Error -515: “JET_errInvalidLogSequence”: In this error, the log files are missing or are totally different from the other files in sequence.
2. Error -1018: “JET_errReadVerifyFailure”: It is just like Page-level corruption in EDB files.
3. Error -1216: “JET_errAttachedDatabaseMismatch”: It comprises of the header information of the log files and perverts as some log files of extreme importance have been removed.
4. Error -1601: “Operation Terminated with Error 1605 JET_errKeyDuplicate, illegal duplicate Key after 2.354 seconds”: It implies that the internal structure of the STM files has been damaged while recovering the files.
5. Error -1605: “Operation Terminated with Error -1605 (JET_errKeyDuplicate, Illegal Duplicate Key) after yyyy.yyyy seconds”: It explains that there is some premature exit of the Eseutil /p while recreating the B-trees.
6. Event ID 9175: “The MS Exchange Server computer is not available. There are Network problems or MS Exchange Server Computer is down because of maintenance. MAPI provider failed”: The MS Exchange Mailboxes failed to mount as Information Store is either stopped or damaged.
7. MS Exchange Dirty Shutdown Error: “Error Database is in dirty shutdown state”: Information store service abruptly shut down leading to issues related to corruption in the EDB or STM files.

As you can see various error occurs in Exchange Server and that to inaccessibility of mailbox of that user that configure an account with Exchange environment. So to Repair Corrupt EDB files in Exchange Environment, first we go for Manual Solution then we try other solutions.

Manual Method to Repair Corrupted EDB File in Exchange Server 

Microsoft provides the user with inbuilt utility termed as ESEUTIL that performs Repair Corrupted EDB files in Exchange 2013, Exchange 2010 mailbox repair and also easily repair edb file exchange 2013. The ESEUTIL can be abbreviated as Exchange Server Database Utility. It is basically an executable program that repairs all the errors in the Exchange Mailboxes, public folders, and transport server queue databases.

The software is executed via the number of switches that performs a number of functions(Repair Corrupted EDB files in Exchange 2003, 2007, 2010). The main case of the corruption of the files lies between the ESEUTIL repair mode i.e., ESEUTIL/p. This mode auto corrects the corrupted or damaged Exchange server database at page or table level, not in application level. The main syntax of the ESEUTIL command while in Repair mode is:

ESEUTIL/P databasefilename.edb

After the Exchange EDB file repair process is successfully completed, it is preferred to check the integrity of the database by integrity check tool and it also ensures that the process is consistent. For this, make use of ISInteg built-in software

ISInteg-fix

After completion of the process started by the tool, users need to save the files to a PST folder using the ExMerge Utility. It saves all the data files from newly created PST in the database.

Situations Where Inbuilt Repair Process is of No Use :

Though the ESEUTIL is a freeware, it can be used to fix many minor issues in a corrupted exchange database. But, the main disadvantage of the tool is that it is not that much effective. There are many situations in which the Exchange mailbox repair processes fails and leads to data loss.

Let’s go by the exact issue:

The restoration process initiated while executing the ESEUTIL command with /p switch attempts for the repair and validation of all the system tables and the indexes. Many cases occur where a table, or an index, or any other data that can be repaired or discarded. In this case, the repair corrupted EDB files in exchange 2003 process is terminated with the ESE Event ID 500. It indicates that either or more pages are lost during the EDB Recovery process.

Best Alternative Solution

Final Thoughts!!!

Now users have detailed information to repair corrupt EDB files by using the solution mentioned here. To avoid the complexity of manual method users can use the automated approach from any fortune organization. It is an old saying, “Prevention is Better than Cure” and “To Err is a Human”. The advanced software in the above section remove corruption from offline EDB file without losing any data and export the recovered mailboxes to the Exchange Server, O365, and different file format in a hassle freeway.