Exchange database stores hundreds or thousands of user mailboxes which contain emails, contacts, calendar events, attachments, etc. Transaction log files play an essential role in the Exchange database. All the changes done to the databases are written in transaction log file first, and then it is written to the Exchange database. However, in some conditions, log files get damaged or deleted leading to Exchange data losses. Some common reasons behind corrupted Exchange log files are sudden termination of system (interrupted power supply), inconsistent database (dirty shutdown state), virus contamination, etc.
Subsequently, you cannot access its data.
Ways to Recover Exchange Data without Log Files
There are two ways to recover Exchange Database without Log Files.
- Soft Recovery
- Hard Recovery
Soft Recovery
When administrators try to remount a database, then the Soft recovery process automatically takes place by reading the checkpoint points. Alternatively, if it is not automatically mounted, you can perform software recovery using Eseutil utility. Use the below-mentioned command in Eseutil:
Rules of replay in Transaction log files
There are some rules of replaying in transaction log files. The log files cannot be replayed again in some cases like:
- Checkpoints point to a wrong log file
- Database files for a storage group are removed
- The path of the log file is modified
- Log files are of a different database
Hard Recovery
To perform the entire process manually, first you need to restore the online backup; once it is successfully done, a file will be generated in the temporary folder with the name restore.env. Now you have to replay log files in restore.env against Exchange Database as below:
Here you can see that C:\Program Files\ Exchsrvr \bin is the location of Eseutil and C:\Temp\First Storage Group is the location of the restore.env file. This process can be done only if your database has a valid backup.
If you don’t have log files or your log files are damaged or missing, then it is not possible to recover data. When your log files are damaged, Exchange will display you some errors like JET-Error -501 (0xfffffe0b), JET-Error -515 (0xfffffdfd), JET-Error -514 (0xfffffdfe), or JET-Error -533 (0xfffffdeb). All these errors indicate that your log files are either damaged or missing. You need to apply Eseutil command to repair the files. You have to use the below-mentioned command in the format:
Both Soft and Hard Recovery may results in errors and some work only if log files are available. When log files are missing, it is hard to recover data using these techniques. In such a condition, we recommend you to prefer a secure and efficient third-party tool for the automated Exchange data recovery.
Recoveryfix for Exchange Server Recovery
Recovering Exchange database with or without log files is a complicated task when performed manually; so you should go for a third-party tool for Exchange Database Recovery. for quick and smooth data recovery. Recoveryfix for Exchange Server is an exceptionally designed tool for repairing damaged Exchange database files. While using this tool, you don’t need log files. After restoring the data, you can save it to Exchange Server or Office 365.
Let us go through the working of the Recoveryfix for Exchange Server to recover Exchange data without log files.
- Download and install Recoveryfix for Exchange Server on your system. Double-click on the software exe to launch it. At the start screen, click on the Add Source icon.
- Choose Offline EDB file as the source option and click Next.
- Click … to browse and add the EDB file for recovery; click Next.
- Next, choose the scanning mode and click Next.
- The EDB file is scanned and repaired. Click Finish.
- The EDB mailboxes will get retrieved successfully; you can preview the selected mailbox items. Right-click on the source mailbox and choose the desired option for exporting EDB data. Here, we are selecting Export mailboxes to PST.
- Next, select the desired mailbox folders and apply filters and other options. Add the destination location and click Export. The migration process starts and completes.
Note: Alternately, Select the desired file items and click the Add destination button. Choose the Create New PST option and click Next. Then enter the destination location to save the PST file. Once the PST file is added, you can simply copy the data from the source to the destination.
Hence, corrupted Exchange data is successfully repaired and recovered with the smart tool.
Conclusion:
Damaged or lost transaction log files often lead to the damage of Exchange data and its recovery is possible with manual solutions like Soft and Hard Recovery. But recovery is complex is in most cases. That is why a full-proof automatic solution is explained for our users at the end part.