Problems restoring Exchange database

Hi all,

I'm attempting some D&R practice runs using SBS 2003 and VMWare server, to
run a virtual instance of my live SBS machine.

I'm utilizing two methods of backup, one is the built-in SBS backup wizard
to do a full complete backup of the server. As it has been said before, this
method worked perfectly, as it should!

My second method of backup, is utilizing ntbackup to archive out just the
Exchange mailbox store, the system state, and the companyweb databases. This
is the one I'm running into problems testing.

I installed SBS 2003 up to the point where normally you would go through the
"Continue Setup.." section, followed the directions in the Backup and
Restoring papers from Microsoft, ran ntbackup and selected the C: drive and
system state to restore. Few hours later, restore complete, reboot server,
detects new hardware (being in a virtual machinespace), reactivate windows,
everything works PERFECTLY! I also ran a virtual WinXP workstation, joined to
the domain, accessed my companyweb site, my exchange mailboxes, I had no
problems which I could see.

So now that this was working, I wanted to test my 2nd method of backup. The
reason I run this is due to its much smaller size, I shoot this backup
offsite via SFTP to store JUST IN CASE I ever have to refer to it. I wanted
to make sure that if I'm doing this, may as well make sure it works!

So now I've got my working server, I find I have to boot into Directory
Services mode, run ntbackup again and select my other archive, select to
restore the system state here. I find I cannot restore the Mailbox store
while I have system state selected, so I restore the system state alone. I
let it reboot, make sure exchange isn't mounted (which it didn't anyway), I
loaded ntbackup again and this time restored the mailbox store.

After doing all this, I can no longer mount my exchange store! I receive
quite a few errors in the application log. I attempted to restore system
state and mailbox store from my full backup archive, but it did not fix the
problem either. I'm afraid to do a full complete restore of the system again,
as I'm betting it would redetect hardware and ask to activate yet again.

Some of the errors I am receiving are:

* Information Store (3496) First Storage Group: Database recovery/restore
failed with unexpected error -515.

*The MAPI call 'OpenMsgStore' failed with the following error:
The Microsoft Exchange Server computer is not available. Either there are
network problems or the Microsoft Exchange Server computer is down for
maintenance.
The MAPI provider failed.
Microsoft Exchange Server Information Store
ID no: 8004011d-0526-00000000

* Error 0xfffffdfd starting Storage Group ...... Storage Group -
Initialization of Jet failed.

I've dug around various kb articles and forums where others have encountered
similar errors, but haven't quite found the fix here. From what I'm
gathering, it *may* have something to do with the log files, but I'm not
Exchange savvy enough to really know the ins and outs of what I'm messing
with here. I did give it a folder location when restoring the Mailbox store
in ntbackup, to save log files, but it stated this was a temporary location
so I assumed it isn't needed after the restore.

Anyone have any ideas as to what may be going on, or need more information
from me that I could use to describe what I'm running into?

I know the integrated full SBS backup system is the way to go, and I'm going
to continue using this, but I'd really like to be able to utilize this other
method of backup to go alongside the full backup inhouse.

Thanks for any help!

--Jason
.

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