How can I delete a corrupt email file?: exchange, corrupt, delete, email

by: VahikPosted on 2004-02-24 at 19:08:41ID: 10447339

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;328202

by: winterminutePosted on 2004-02-24 at 23:50:19ID: 10448391

ExMerge may fail since it using MAPI the same as Outlook so it is possible that ExMerge will choke the same as Outlook. I would run an offline defrag against your database which is 100% safe and harmless (it will take some time - A very rough estimate is 1 hour for every 5GB). This will create a new database and will rewrite all the messages which means it will rewrite the corrupt message at the JET level, not MAPI.

Here is how to do an offline defrag:

Stop the information store service:
In Control Panel, double-click Services.
Click the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service, and then click Stop. If a dialog box is displayed that states that additional services will be stopped, note the services that will be stopped, and then click OK.
Defragment the public and private information stores by using one of the following methods, as applicable:
In Exchange Server 5.5, to defragment the private information store, type eseutil /d /ispriv at a command prompt, and then press the ENTER key. To defragment the public information store, type eseutil /d /ispub at a command prompt, and then press the ENTER key.
In Exchange 2000, there is no /ispriv, /ispub, or /ds switch. You must specify the file name by typing the following at a command prompt
eseutil /d d:\path\file_name.edb

and then pressing the ENTER key.
Start the information store service:
In Control Panel, double-click Services.
Click the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service, and then click Start.
Start any additional services that were stopped when you performed step 1.
Perform a full online backup of the information store databases.

Let me know if you need more clarification...

by: realitybytesPosted on 2004-02-25 at 08:55:58ID: 10451963

Alright, I'd like to try the ExMerge first since our Information Store is so large and I can't afford to have our email server offline that long. Problem is that I'm relatively new here, and there was no IT guy before me. Nobody seems to know where the original disk for Exchange 2000 is. Is there any place where I can download the Exchange 2000 version of ExMerge? The Microsoft website only seems to offer the Exchange 2003 version as a download.

by: winterminutePosted on 2004-02-25 at 09:08:54ID: 10452059

Yeah, ExMerge should be your first attempt since it is quick and painless.
I couldn't find the download for it from Microsoft, but these guys are hosting it:
--Scroll down to ExMerge
http://www.dynawell.com/support/Reskit/ex2k.asp

If all else fails, ExMerge 2003 hasn't changed much and should work fine against an Exchange 2000 box.
Let me know if you need more help.

by: realitybytesPosted on 2004-02-25 at 09:11:09ID: 10452079

Ignore the above comment. After much digging, I have located the original disks.

by: smeekPosted on 2004-02-25 at 09:33:06ID: 10452271

I would also check and see if the backup fails during the VERIFY portion or backup portion of your backup.

There is an issue with Veritas where it shows as a corrupt email during the verify portion. I have not found a way to correct (but Veritas asserts that the mail is getting backed up, just isn't verifying properly). There is a registry change for Veritas to tell it to NOT fail the backup job, because of the error. When you make the change, it shows as an exception in your backup but doesn't fail it.

Make sure your backup software is the most current build with appropriate hotfixes.

Steve

by: realitybytesPosted on 2004-02-25 at 10:08:58ID: 10452633

Smeek - Thanks for the info. I already knew that the backup wasn't really failing, but I wasn't aware that there was a registry fix. I still want to get this corrupt message out of the Information Store.

Vahik - Thanks for introducing me to ExMerge. I can see some useful applications for this tool in the future.

winterminute - Sad to say that you were right. The message is corrupt at the MAPI level, and ExMerge will not remove it. Looks like I have yet another weekend project ahead of me :(

Thanks to everyone for your input. I will award the points after I have successfully removed the file from the server.

by: VahikPosted on 2004-02-25 at 23:59:34ID: 10458064

If exmerge cant remove it then exmerge can leave it behind(exmerge will leave behind corrupted emails).For my small customers i have a spa treatment that i use once every year(those that are not concerned with lossing single instance storage advantage on their database)exmerge the mailboxes,pst the public folders(if u have any)delete the mdbdata folder completely restart ur servr and import back the data.Now u have a clean database and clean data.It is like going to a spa for a week once a year.Good luck.

by: winterminutePosted on 2004-02-26 at 01:40:51ID: 10458552

Vahik is correct, although, you shouldn't under estimate Single-Instance store.
Keep in mind that ExMerge is dog-slow pulling mail out and putting it back in, think about 1GB/hour, if I remember correctly.
An offline defrag, is much much faster!

by: winterminutePosted on 2004-03-01 at 18:38:55ID: 10491865

Did you get your issue resolved?

by: realitybytesPosted on 2004-03-04 at 13:36:31ID: 10518033

I have not yet had a chance to work on this. And this weekend doesn't look promising either. Right now there are several more urgent priorities in my queue. I'm sorry. Bear with me please.

by: realitybytesPosted on 2004-04-27 at 18:52:32ID: 10934682

sorry it took so long to award the points.

by: aolshanPosted on 2005-06-23 at 17:31:35ID: 14290163

Hey all, just an FYI since I spent a long night with ExMerge... Be advised that ExMerge seems to have a mailbox size limit or somewhere around 2GB! Soooooo, if your mailboxes are > 2GB then use Outlook 2003 to create a PST on the biggie size mailboxes and use ExMerge on the smaller mailboxes.

by: beatmix01Posted on 2005-07-05 at 07:44:33ID: 14369580

Just an additional note. If you try and use ExMerge to import a PST created from Outlook 2003 it will not import using exmerge due to the different formats of the PST files.

by: davewebster66Posted on 2005-08-10 at 02:05:01ID: 14640012

Here is the key in question hope it helps

The Key is:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VERITAS\Backup Exec\Engine\Backup]"Fail Jobs On Corrupt Files"

set the dword value to 0

by: realitybytesPosted on 2005-08-10 at 07:49:43ID: 14642488

thanks, davewebster. even though it has been over a year since i posted this question, your tip actually does come in handy because for the past two weeks i have been having failed backups due to two corrupt email files. i will use your information immediately. i wish i could still award you some points.

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How can I delete a corrupt email file?

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