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Exchange 2003 server failing, writing 2 gb of log files per hour

We are in serious crisis mode.  We have an Exchange 2003 server.  Because of lack of controls on it during the previous staff's tenure, it has grown to 340 Gb.  We are moving it to Exchange Online in a couple of months, and are going to be pruning it down.  However, yesterday it started dismounting the stores.  They'll restart, but only for a couple of hours.  We then noticed that the backups were failing.  We now can't run a backup, and the log files are going crazy.  We have ran out of room, and have moved some of the files (I know you shouldn't do that).  But they are not getting flushed because the backup is failing.  All of a sudden, we're getting 2 or 3 Gb of log files an hour.  

The backup report reads The 'Microsoft Information Store' returned 'Error returned from an ESE function call (d).
' from a call to 'HrESEBackupRead()' additional data '-'

When the backup stops, we get the error listed below.  

Event Type:      Error
Event Source:      ESE BACKUP
Event Category:      Callback
Event ID:      904
Date:            7/5/2013
Time:            3:19:36 AM
User:            N/A
Computer:      TOH
Description:
Information Store (3344) Callback function call ErrESECBDoneWithInstanceForBackup ended with error 0x8004010F .

Any body have any ideas?  I need to keep this database going for another month or so.  But even our backups are in question due to the size of the database.
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backups are getting failed because there is low disk space on the  transaction log drive.

you need to remove un-needed log files to another disk drive to free disk space.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/924204
takecoffe

check the question again, that what the problem mentioned in the question

writing 2 gb of log files per hour
Correct and now issue is drive is full because of transaction logs and database getting dismounted.
and if there  is heavy flow on exchange server then 2 gb logs per hours is not big issue.
As logs are writing so fast, backup is failing again and again. So, in this case first option is to bring things back to normal by enabling circular logging, which will help to stop db dismount. Next he/she can focus on the root cause why logs are writing so fast.
and if there is limited users on exchange server then please refer below link which has given possible reason for growth of Transaction logs

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/exchange/en-US/fc20b6b9-422c-4b21-add0-84c73c778c41/rapid-database-transaction-log-growth-2003
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ASKER

Thanks for all the responses.  I'm not an exchange guy, so I'm feeling my way through it.  My last full backup that completed successfully was 4 days ago.  I read the article and got a little confused.  If I enable circular logging, could I still restore my full from 4 days ago if necessary?  And if I enable it, should I be able to kick off a new backup?

Thanks for all your help.
If I enable circular logging, could I still restore my full from 4 days ago if necessary?

Yes

 And if I enable it, should I be able to kick off a new backup?

Yes
Circular logging is just a workaround for now. This will help you to get out of db dismount situation. Best option for you here, is to create one more db and move the mailboxes to new db and see if that helps to resolve logs growth issue. Then take full backup.
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Is there any way to figure out what is causing the rapid log growth? We have approx 200 users and are getting 5-8 log files per minute
Most common reason for rapid log growth is a iOS based ActiveSync device. Stopping web services will prove that quickly as that is what is used for ActiveSync connections.

Simon.
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Thanks, I'll try that.  I did notice that my last backup failed and the databased dismounted even though there was room on my log drive.  The backup always fails a couple of hours in.  If I don't run the backup, the databases will stay mounted all day.  But of course I have to get it backed up.  We're using ntbackup.  Do you think it's possible that another backup product would work?

Thanks again for all the help guys.
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One more thing.  I apologize for my lack of knowledge in the exchange area.  I had mentioned that in addition to my backups failing, my logs were being written at a very fast pace, especially for a server my size.  One thing that I did notice, and maybe you guys have seen it before - tonight, a process that we usually run twice a week, but it has failed to run for the past week, ran successfully.  It is the Server Mailbox Manager.  We run it to delete old email in the deleted folders of our users.  It notified me tonight that it ran successfully.  I have since been monitoring the log files, and it seems to have returned to a more normal pace.  Could these two things be related?
That task might creating rapid log growth
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No it's not that task, because only takes a small amount of time to run, an wasn't running the whole time that the logs were wring so fast. I was hoping that the task had stopped whatever was causing it, but now I think it is probably because we don't have many users on during the weekend. It will probably start cranking again tomorrow when we're back to full staff.
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