Manually backing up domain files and exchange

I don't suppose you have backupexec or something alike.
So i would suggest using windows backup and make a system image. But this is timeconsuming.
A better step in my opinion would be to download Acronis, make a boot CD and make an offline image of the server. after that you can just put the image back from the bootcd and done.
of course this depends on what the reason for the crash was

Actually all you need are the exchange databases and log files, you can wipe to server, reset the computer account in ad and then rebuild the server with the same os, servicepack and ip address. You then perform setup /recoverserver this will pull all the configuration from ad returning the server to as it was prior the crash. You can then re add the databases and your done.

This is an accepted method of recovering an exchange server.

I think it's also his DC, since he stated he wants to recover his domain users.

hello
I just have 1 server and exchange and active directory are installed over it
I have backup exec but i don't have any images also backup exec does not run in safe mode
and does the acorns just back up the system state and exchange ?
because as i told you the server is crashed due to power failure while windows update was running in the shutdown process and I tried million things and no luck

so any method to backup just the domain data and exchange so i don't need to change the settings in my clients like (rejoin to domain, change the setting of the outlook ,,,, .etc)

 
for second answer :
I know the place of the database and logs, so is it enough just to copy them?
for active directory files, i don't know where it stores all the files

also          if you give me the location, and if format the server and reinstall with the sane settings can you tell me what are the steps ?


Thanks and Regards

Oh dear. The ad database is a file called ntds.dit but I never heard of recovery of ad this way, even if it's possible.

also if i use windows bacup or acronis can i just restore the domain and exchange data from the whole drive image ?

because if I restore the image after formattting, I will have the same crashed system

Generally you back up ad as part of the system state which in your case is damaged. How many users?

150 users

what is the error you get when booting normally is it a BSOD?
or what?

Acronis makes a full image of the server, in the state it is. But since your server is toast this will not help you at all
Also is this server the PDC or not?
Do you have backup exec system state and Exchange backups?
because if so you could reinstall your server in AD recovery mode, and then recover your domain, then reinstall exchange and recover the database from bckup exec

yes this is the primary domain controller and also  what you mean by BSOD ?

Blue screen of death however I suspect your failed server is stuck in a loop.

no no blue screens, but it start with no network services, no domain, no dns, also server manager stucks and you can't add or delete any features or role, for any settings, if you change anything and you press apply it stuck

also of course backup exec failed to take system state backup because of courpted data

basically most of the system services stop and this prevent backup exec to take any backups

also windows backup, I made the system state backup through cmd and I got the vhd file which i don't think it will help ?
it contain the corrupted data settings

Have a look at this link, what I think you will need to attempt is full rebuild. Your options are to backup the ntds.dit file to get a copy of the directory, all the exchange database files and logfiles. Wipe the system, rebuild windows the same as it was before.

If possible, try running csvde to export all the account settings, this will help you later if you have to rebuild from scratch.

csvde -l displayname,SamAccountName,mailnickname,mail -d "ou=<OU of users>,ou=<OU of users>,dc=<DC of users>,dc=<DC of users>" -r "objectclass=user" -f c:\users.csv

Then have a look at this for AD  http://windocuments.net/activedirectorydisasterrecovery.html

Once your AD is back, you need to reinstall Exchange and then mount the database you backed up previously, it should mount because Exchange supports database portability however there is a chance your mailboxes will be all disconnected, if this occurs you can use the connect-mailbox cmd to reconnect the mailbox back to its user account.

If your AD recovery fails, then you will need to re-create AD as it was, rebuild windows, add AD, create a new domain and instlal exchange, use the CSVDE command agan to import the users you backed up ealier.

csvde -i -r "(objectClass=user)" displayname,SamAccountName,mailnickname,mail -d "ou=<OU of users>,ou=<OU of users>,dc=<DC of users>,dc=<DC of users>" -r "objectclass=user" -f c:\users.csv

Once you re-created the users, you will need to mount the database in Exchange and connect mailboxes.

This might work, Good Luck

Can you go into control panel and view the installed updates, and try to remove the last ones installed?

Sorry submitted too quick:
the VHD will be no help since it has indeed the corrupt data as well

I Uninstalled the last update and now it takes 2 hours every time to boot (it says configuring updates for 2 hours) and the boot and same thing

Do u think it will help if I upgrade to enterprise ? Since I have standard editon ws2008

i doubt it, Do you have ANY recent system state image of the server?
if not then i think you're best off to start restoring your server as per:
Radweld's suggestions

o do you think that the problem will be solved if I upgrade to enterprise since it is standard edition

you could try, but i never tried it, so i cannot say...

The version of windows wont help you, attempting a re-install might help you but I would expect you would be starting again.

Hello

Thanks for your hellp and answer

I copied the database and logs file and also I copied the Directory C:\NTDS folder with all its contents
and also I ran csvde -f export.csv and everything exported

now is there anything else to backup before I go ahead ?

Hello

I had reinstalled the server
Can you please tell me how to proceed with setups ?
Do I need to install exchange and then create new domain and with the same name and then boot through directory service restore mode and overwrite the NTDS folder from the backup files and then mount the databases?
Or I must go through different procedure


Thanks

Hello
I reinstalled the server and I had exported all active directory data as csvde -f export.csv
now how I can import all the from the csv file ?

Did it work then?