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[HELP] O/S not booting - need to get Exchange data off?

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[HELP] O/S not booting - need to get Exchange data off? - 19.Aug.2005 6:25:00 PM

Mathiau

Posts: 39
Joined: 22.Jun.2005
From: Costa Rica
Status: offline

Hello all

it seems today for some reason our exchange server doesnt want to boot, it sits @ the windows loading screen for almost 2 hours.

i have tried everything under the sun and windows just wont boot - it will in safe mode, but not normally and in safe mode is a shot as sometimes the system, says it cant find the OS to load but i know the HD is fine.

If i was to reinstall Exchange on a NEW HD and put it into this system (or another) - how can i copy over / and what do i need to copy over to get all of the emails (about 10g's) to this new HD ?

This is all new to me so basic terms work good.

Post #: 1

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RE: [HELP] O/S not booting - need to get Exchange data ... - 20.Aug.2005 2:30:00 AM

Henrik Walther

Posts: 6847
Joined: 21.Nov.2002
From: Copenhagen, Denmark
Status: offline

Don't you have a backup of the databases etc.?

To install Exchange on new hardware using the same name etc. you need to use the DisasterRecovery switch, I go through all the necessary steps in below article:

Recovering a Failed Exchange 2003 Member Server Using the Disaster Recovery Switch:
http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Recovering-Failed-Exchange-2003-Member-Server-Using-Disaster-Recovery-Switch.html

(in reply to Mathiau)

Post #: 2

RE: [HELP] O/S not booting - need to get Exchange data ... - 20.Aug.2005 6:26:00 PM

Jolo

Posts: 83
Joined: 6.Nov.2004
From: Brunei
Status: offline

Hi,

Have you check on your servers, registry? You could check whether any programs loading under RUN of your Windows System. If you cannot find anything, a re-install of your OS will fix your problem.

Note: You have to choose repair on the second option not the first one when you re-install your windows in order to preserve settings and application such as your MS exchange.

(in reply to Mathiau)

Post #: 3

RE: [HELP] O/S not booting - need to get Exchange data ... - 20.Aug.2005 8:15:00 PM

underwarezs

Posts: 314
Joined: 28.Jul.2005
From: London, UK
Status: offline

Jezzrel... if it hangs on the loading screen and doesn't log in, how is he supposed to check the registry? [Razz]

Sounds like a corrupt booting sequence to me. If your using a single hard drive in your server, a good idea would be to clone the drive (using something like Symantec Ghost) onto another one, then stick the clone into your server and disconnect the original. That way, you can tinker all you want, and you've still got the original to fall back on.

Also, insert your Windows 2003 Server CD-ROM and boot from it, then enter the recovery console. Try the FIXMBR and FIXBOOT commands and see if they help.

If that doesn't work... do a full format of a floppy disk on a Windows XP or 2003 computer, then go back to the recovery console, and copy these files onto the floppy and then try booting from it.

C:\boot.ini

C:\ntldr

C:\NTDETECT.COM

If all else fails, follow Henrik's advice.
UnderWareZs

(in reply to Mathiau)

Post #: 4

RE: [HELP] O/S not booting - need to get Exchange data ... - 21.Aug.2005 6:57:00 AM

Jolo

Posts: 83
Joined: 6.Nov.2004
From: Brunei
Status: offline

>>Jezzrel... if it hangs on the loading screen and doesn't log in, how is he supposed to check the registry?>>

Pull out the drive and install as a second hard drive to a working machine then disect the registry database...

Or as I had advice, re-install windows and repair it, if you configure raid or you had mirrored your system drive or whatever, still you can be able to repair your windows installation... I had tried it this method many times and it works.

(in reply to Mathiau)

Post #: 5

RE: [HELP] O/S not booting - need to get Exchange data ... - 21.Aug.2005 9:34:00 AM

underwarezs

Posts: 314
Joined: 28.Jul.2005
From: London, UK
Status: offline

quote:
Originally posted by Jezzrel:
re-install windows and repair it... I had tried it this method many times and it works.

I've always found that doing an installation-based recovery overwrites some essential system files and registry keys with defaults resulting in a corrupt installation of some applications you may have on the machine.

However, I guess if all else fails...

UnderWareZs

[ August 21, 2005, 09:34 AM: Message edited by: UnderWareZs ]

(in reply to Mathiau)

Post #: 6

RE: [HELP] O/S not booting - need to get Exchange data ... - 21.Aug.2005 11:22:00 AM

Jolo

Posts: 83
Joined: 6.Nov.2004
From: Brunei
Status: offline

>>>I've always found that doing an installation-based recovery overwrites some essential system files and registry keys with defaults resulting in a corrupt installation of some applications you may have on the machine.

However, I guess if all else fails...>>>

It might be fails on your case, but for my case, it didn't fail, well with regards to essential system files being overwritten when doing a recovery, it will not overwrite but it will delete and replace with files on the windows 2003 cd, but you can still update to it either applying SP1 or windows update, for one example, I repaired a windows 2003, with MS Sql Server and Visual Studio .net 2003 application and still this two application runs without a problem.

I found it useful the repair option on windows OS installation, I better prepare this method instead of doing a fresh installation provided the hard drive is not faulty and the previous windows is not compromised...

(in reply to Mathiau)

Post #: 7

RE: [HELP] O/S not booting - need to get Exchange data ... - 21.Aug.2005 1:56:00 PM

underwarezs

Posts: 314
Joined: 28.Jul.2005
From: London, UK
Status: offline

Ah now I understand what you mean�.

Sorry, I should've been clearer. I was referring to non-Microsoft products that are installed on a server, where doing a recovery removes their registry entries and over-writes (in other words, delete and replace) the non-Microsoft customised DLL files with the ones found on a Windows CD-ROM, or simply de-registers them, meaning the applications fail to execute correctly.

UnderWareZs

[ August 21, 2005, 01:57 PM: Message edited by: UnderWareZs ]

(in reply to Mathiau)

Post #: 8

RE: [HELP] O/S not booting - need to get Exchange data ... - 21.Aug.2005 10:03:00 PM

consultOz

Posts: 907
Joined: 11.Mar.2005
From: Virginia, USA
Status: offline

Mathiau,

First thing you will do is boot into a safe mode,
as you said earlier it was possible.

Can you remember or recall what has been installed on your server, before it started hanging out on the, Boot screen.

IF you do remember any patches installed or any new hardware added or drivers installed before windows start hanging, simply uninstalling those drivers
Or remove the hardware might be causing the problem, if you do not remember follow the steps below,

I am including the Ms KB article (325375), take a look at it
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/325375/#XSLTH3148121122120121120120

Cheers
Oz

========>Use Event Viewer to Identify the Cause of the Startup Problem.

========>Use System Information to Identify the Cause of the Startup Problem

========>View the Safe Mode Boot Log File

=========>Use Device Manager to Identify the Cause of the Startup Problem,is there any Conflicting device?

==========>Use msconfig

(in reply to Mathiau)

Post #: 9

RE: [HELP] O/S not booting - need to get Exchange data ... - 22.Aug.2005 2:49:00 PM

Mathiau

Posts: 39
Joined: 22.Jun.2005
From: Costa Rica
Status: offline

wow, thanks for all the great replies.

a quick run down

Nothing has been installed on the system prior to this issue

The system was running a little sluggish so i rebooted it (only has 512 of ram - another 512 is already on the way)

The last back up i have of the system is about 3 months old - the previous person who maintained the Exchange server had left and so i am trying to learn about exchange so i can handle it so i dont have regular backsup as that is something new to me as well.

This a.m i cleared the cmos on the mobo again - and poof it worked - rebooted - wouldn't work - am now srtarting to think it might be the Motherboard is acting up.

I am going to do as suggested above clone the HD and then i shall try a console repair of the boot sector, see if that works, if not try a repair install and what else has been suggested.

The one good thing is our email provider does have webmail so for the moment that is sufficing for the daily needs as this Exchange server was only hosting for 1 email address, i think i may take this chance as well to do a fresh reinstall of everything and try to configure it all myself so at least i know i can do it. [Smile]

Much appreciated again all the help , will keep you updated.

[ August 22, 2005, 02:50 PM: Message edited by: Mathiau ]

(in reply to Mathiau)

Post #: 10

RE: [HELP] O/S not booting - need to get Exchange data ... - 23.Aug.2005 5:07:00 PM

Mathiau

Posts: 39
Joined: 22.Jun.2005
From: Costa Rica
Status: offline

Well, so far seems so good

i got another HD , got out my book Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 unleashed started reading and thuis far

i have, what appears to be a working exchange server (fresh install of windows / exchange) from bottom up. Never instaled a DC / AD system before - no wonder my brain hurts today.

i am using Native Pop3 connector and a test account and i can send / receive emails via outlook connected to the exchange server with out issues - yet..lol

will keep you posted.

Next step - secure this baby and tweak it for best oerformance - do backup / image of drive, then work on getting the info over from the other ahrddrive,

[ August 23, 2005, 05:11 PM: Message edited by: Mathiau ]

(in reply to Mathiau)

Post #: 11

RE: [HELP] O/S not booting - need to get Exchange data ... - 25.Aug.2005 5:21:00 PM

Mathiau

Posts: 39
Joined: 22.Jun.2005
From: Costa Rica
Status: offline

Question

i set up the new exchange system - i used a diff domain name as in before it was

123.com

on this new system i made it
abc.123.com

Will this affect me importing the "mailbox" of the account i need?

as all i need to import now is the 3g mail box of the email account.

(in reply to Mathiau)

Post #: 12

RE: [HELP] O/S not booting - need to get Exchange data ... - 26.Aug.2005 1:07:00 PM