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thung226

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HELP! - Exchange 5.5 - MULTIPLE problems - No external email - crashes - Store.exe taking up CPU

Running NT 4.0.1381
Exchange 5.5 (sp4?  last good was sp3)
NAV 7.0
BackupExec 8.0

Our exchange server went down this weekend.  I first noticed the issue when I tried to access the online web email, which failed (OWA was unable to open the folders, etc).  Here are the chain of events:

1.  I noticed that IMS, MTA and NAV were shut down. So I rebooted the server and the firewall (running ISA 2k) and they wouldn't startup.

2.  Trying to manually start IMS gave me this error number: 4294965485.  An online search for this error told me to remove (not delete, so I moved the files) both edb.chk files, then attempt to restart the services.

3.  Trying to start the services gave me this new error:  1011.  Another online search told me to run isinteg -patch to fix the system.  New edb.chk files were created

4.  It appeared to work as I was able to access my inbox, but a few things were inconsistent.  For one, it says that I have (2) new mail messages, but there are no unread messages in my Email.  Another issue is that it would not send/receive emails to external domains.  Internal Emails were working.

5.  It went down again the next day.  I noticed that error id 4117 was showing up in the logs for exchange.  Microsoft's online website suggested an update to sp4 (I was running sp3).

6.  I stopped all exchange services and attempted to update to sp4.  The installation craps out on a number of .dlls and .asp files, which I initially aborted, but on the second try, I Ignored all occurrences to completion.  Exchange now says that it's sp4, but I'm confident it didn't install correctly.

7.  I ran isinteg -patch again after the attempted sp4 update, which ran, and I was able to access inboxes again, but it was still inconsistent.  Email was like this until sometime last night, when it went down again and nothing was accessible.

8.  Today, we're down again.  I noticed that store.exe is taking up close to 100% of the CPU cycles and is slowing down the entire system.  I can't seem to stop it.  I've attempted to stop all exchange services, but even though it says they're not running, I think they are (store.exe is running... an attempt to stop Exchange System Attendant is failing b/c the other services appear to be running, but according to Services, they are not).

HELP!  Our Email is being backed up at our provider, but as of right now, nobody has access to Email.

Thanks in advance,

thung226
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Avatar of David Wilhoit
David Wilhoit
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Avatar of thung226
thung226

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Which logs would you need to see?

NAV for Exchange is not running (actually I get error 2140... online search says that it thinks whomever is logging in doesn't have rights, but Admin is listed with proper rights???).

I agree in thinking that the database is corrupted, but I'm unsure how to go about fixing it.  I know it will involve isinteg and eseutil, but I've never used these before and I want to make sure I backup everything properly before attempting to do anything.  Not sure which files to backup.  I also have a tape backup of the information store/exchange files from Friday.

So, I guess I really have two main problems:

1.  Database corruption in Exchange.  How to fix?
2.  Improper sp4 installation.  How to fix?

Anytime I try to install sp4, .dlls/.asps are in use.  I've disabled Backup exec, NAV, and most Exchange services, rebooted, then tried to reinstall, but it still says .dlls/asps are in use.   How do I update this properly.  

I think if update to sp4 first, it will go through an integrity check, and if it fails, perhaps I should then persue the corrupt database issue... agreed?
To be honest, you should open a case with Microsoft PSS. We can give you direction out on the message boards, but you've added some things to the mix with the SP4 install, now The database has started with SP4, and you can't roll the database back from that. You've got multiple issues, like you said, and I'd hate to see anything happen to your data when a $250 phone call will give you guaranteed support. It may be SLOW support at this stage of the game, but in the long run, you'll be better off.

D
Thanks, but I have some of the issue solved...

I renamed some dlls on the installation, and it only failed on the asp files.

I used eseutil and isinteg to fix the pub/priv/dir files, and everything seems to be working now EXCEPT for NAV for Exchange.  It keeps giving me error 2140, and an online search on symantec doesn't solve my problem.  It is definitely logging on with the correct rights (admin), so my only option right now is a reinstallation....
check the event logs, forget the pop-up error. the problem will be logged in the applog most likely.

D
Just a quick note: Microsoft has put out a fix for Exchange 5.5 that acknowledges the 100 percent usage on the store. You have to call Microsoft to get the patch. This is a free call. And if the Store.exe fails to start, chances are it is your .chk files.

jramirez66002
Avatar of december41991
A program called FireDaemon.It has 4 services running, including
Videox32.  Disabled these services and everything began working perfectly.  
FireDaemon is a program that will allow any Win32 app to run as a service.

Dominic
India

This Happened to us a while back, check your m: partition (mailbox store), for space. I think there is an upper limit of 16GB on the
DB's, however if there is no space, store.exe will try and reshuffle the DB to make space.

Dismount everything before you start and check free space on all partitions.
Upper limit of 16gb is for standrad version of exchange.Enterprise version has no limit.
To know if its a standrad version or enterprise, just check if you have X400 connection option in NEWOTHER--- OPTION(from where you create new mail box...and al that