Data security remains paramount for small and big organizations, as data lies at the helm of their business. Without a proper backup and recovery strategy, their voluminous data may become vulnerable to virus attacks, data loss, or other mishaps.
The crucial role of Windows Server Backup (WSB)
Windows Server Backup is a widely embraced technique to ensure data safety. It allows ample data backup and recovery solutions for applications in the Windows Server environment. This also subsumes the Exchange Server.
Despite the effectiveness of WSB in allowing satisfying data protection, it may fall victim to several issues. As a result, the data may get compromised or corrupt. The error “Exchange database consistency check failure” is one of the most common issues arising with WSB in this context.
What is the error all about?
Microsoft Exchange Server uses a plug-in for WSB that enables the user to create Exchange backups based on Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS). This native utility ensures the consistency of the EDB files and their usability for database recovery by running a consistency check on them. It performs the consistency check to ensure some vital facts:
- The backup of the database is the most recent one
- The log file consists of updated information on all the events in the database
- The information in the log file matches the content contained in the database file
If any flaw exists during the consistency check, it still finishes the backup but flashes a few warnings. In addition, it will show an error message similar to those given below:
“The application will not be available for recovery from this backup. The consistency check failed.”
OR
Consistency check for the component ‘Code’\’Microsoft Exchange Server\ Microsoft Information Store\ Server’ failed. Application ‘Exchange’ will not be available in the backup done at time ‘4/25/2024 7:52:10 PM’
Your system may display some other backup failure messages depending on the Exchange server version you are using. In any case, getting away with this error should be high on your priority list.
What is the reason behind the error?
The error results due to the failure of Windows Server Backup to carry out the database consistency check with success. The reason may differ, such as:
- A corrupted EDB file
- Missing transaction log files
- Inconsistency of the database with the log files
You can check the database consistency by running the cmdlet ESEUTIL/mh
This will find out if your database is in a Dirty Shutdown State or clean. Here is a brief explanation for both:
- Clean Shutdown State: In this state, you can mount back the database if it was dismounted because of some temporary server issue
- Dirty Shutdown State: This state indicates an inconsistent, corrupted, or damaged database.
You may skip this consistency check when backing up your database. However, in the event of a corrupt or inconsistent database, you will struggle to restore it properly for data recovery.
Methods to Fix Exchange database consistency check failure
To deal with this repair manually, you can proceed manually by using the ESEUTIL tool. This method however accompanies drawbacks, such as time delays, data loss, etc. To avoid these flaws, you may choose to perform a full recovery through Stellar Repair for Exchange, a popular Exchange EDB recovery tool.
1. Using ESEUTIL
- Open the ESEUTIL tool from the Exchange server bin directory
- Check the database status by running the cmdlet ESEUTIL/mh
- A clean shutdown state will ensure an error-free database
- A dirty shutdown state will indicate a corrupted database
- Carry out soft recovery by running the cmdlet ESEUTIL/r
- If the soft recovery fails to repair the database, perform hard recovery through cmdlet ESEUTIL/p
- Proceed with database defragmentation and do an integrity check
- After performing database repair run the WSB tool
Trying a hard recovery option with the help of ESEUTIL can repair your database, but it may also lead to several unavoidable issues, such as:
- Failure to solve the issue of Exchange database consistency check failure
- Permanent data loss
- Data recovery failure despite the repair
- Running PowerShell cmdlets consumes excessive time
- Need for detailed technical knowledge about EMS and PowerShell commands
Admins hence prefer using a comparably faster, easier, and more reliable method to perform complete data recovery from a corrupt Exchange database file. Stellar Repair for Exchange, a reputed Exchange recovery tool is a widely embraced name in this line.
2. Using Stellar Repair for Exchange
This Exchange recovery tool is among the best to repair corrupt Exchange database files. It leverages upscale algorithms to recover data from a corrupted EDB file and proceed to export it to a PST file.
While leveraging ESEUTIL is a bit cumbersome, the Stellar Repair for Exchange tool with a clean UI is easy to use for all users irrespective of their respective technical levels.
Steps to recover EDB file through the Exchange recovery tool
- Install and Run the software on your PC or laptop
- Click the Browse button to choose the corrupt EDB file
- Choose Quick Scan or Extensive Scan to scan the EDB file. Click OK
- The software allows you to preview and single out specific mailboxes for recovery
- Click File Menu Save
- Select Save as PST. Click Next
- You may also export the recovered file directly to Office 365 or Live Exchange
Features of Stellar Repair for Exchange
Here is a list of a wide range of features that you should know before using this Exchange recovery tool.
- Recovers deleted mailboxes, including emails, contacts, calendars, etc., from the Exchange Server Database
- Repairs and exports the file to live Exchange Server, PST, or Office 365
- Recovers mailboxes from crashed or failed DAG servers
- Recovers multiple mailboxes from a corrupt EDB file without any size limitation
- Supports all the Exchange Server versions from 5.5 to 2019
Final Words
With these and many more features, Stellar Repair for Exchange would be an Exchange recovery tool to help you recover data from a corrupted database. What ESEUTIL can do, this software can do the better way to repair corrupt Exchange database in most of the corruption errors. To know more about this tool or to buy it, feel free to contact Stellar Info today.
