If the restore process does not complete successfully, search for errors within the Backup status window, the Windows 2000 Backup restore log, or the application log in Event Viewer. These errors that may alert you to the probably cause of the failure. However, before attempting the restore process again, you should perform the following basic troubleshooting procedures.

Note For some of the steps in the following procedure (including an attempt to perform the restore process again) you must have an available archive copy of your damaged database files in case further attempts to restore your Exchange databases fail. If additional restore attempts fail, you can use Eseutil.exe and Isinteg.exe in an attempt to repair any archived versions of your database files. In this scenario, after you repair your database, you can use any existing log files to replay transactions into the database file.

1. Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base at http://support.microsoft.com/ for the specific errors found in either the Windows Backup restore log or the application log in Event Viewer. If you cannot locate the error in the Microsoft Knowledge Base, proceed to Step 2. Note If one or more Exchange database or log files are damaged or missing, the application log may include the following error: "Error -1216 (JET_errAttachedDatabaseMismatch)." For information about how to troubleshoot database restore issues that include the 1216 error, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article Q296843, "XADM: Error -1216 Recovering an Exchange 2000 Database" (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=3052&ID=296843).
2. Run Chkdsk, or another disk diagnostic program, on all hard drives containing the databases being restored, on the transaction log files for the restored databases, and on the temporary folder used by the restore job. For more information about how to use Chkdsk to detect and repair file system or hard disk errors, see "Running the Windows 2000 Chkdsk Utility".
   If running Chkdsk or another diagnostic program does not work, proceed to Step 3.
3. Remove the database files from the storage groups for which the restore failed, and then perform the following steps to attempt the restore again:
   1. Determine the location of the database files and log files for the storage group that did not restore properly. For information about how to locate these database and log files, see "Determining the Database and Log File Locations of the Files You are Restoring" .
   2. Delete all the files and sub-folders from the temporary directory that was specified during the failed restore process.
   3. Delete the database files (both the .edb & .stm files) that you are overwriting.
   4. Ensure that the databases you are attempting to restore again are still configured to allow the restore process to overwrite them. For more information about how to configure databases so the restore process overwrites them, see "Configuring the Exchange Databases so the Restore Process Overwrites Them".
   5. Attempt the restore process again. If the restore process fails, proceed to Step 4.
4. Attempt to restore the storage groups again, only using the database files, log files, and patch files that were part of your backup set. When you use this method to restore your databases, the transaction log files that were created after your most recent backup set are not played back. As a result, the Exchange data you restore is only updated to the time you created your last backup set. To restore storage groups using the database, log, and patch files that are part of your backup set:
   1. Delete all the files and sub-folders from the temporary directory that was specified during the failed restore process.
   2. Delete the database files (both the .edb & .stm files) that you overwriting.
   3. Delete the log and patch files from the server on which you are performing the restore.
   4. Ensure that the databases you are attempting to restore again are still configured to allow the restore process to overwrite them. For more information about how to configure databases so the restore process overwrites them, see "Configuring the Exchange Databases so the Restore Process Overwrites Them".
   5. Attempt the restore process again. This process attempts to restore your databases without replaying subsequent log files for the storage group. For more information about how to restore a database in a storage group without replaying subsequent log files, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article Q298901, "XADM: Restoring a Database in a Storage Group Without Replaying Subsequent Log Files" (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=3052&ID=298901).
5. If none of these steps helps you to restore your databases, contact Microsoft Product Support Services at http://support.microsoft.com/.

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Standard Edition
• Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, Premium Edition
• Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, Standard Edition
• Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server