How to Recover Exchange Server Database (EDB) Without Log Files

Here I am going to discuss what you have to do when log file is missing, shows error and corrupted. You can even mount exchange database without log files.

Exchange Server uses a database engine i.e. Extensible Storage Engine (ESE), is a client server based system used to store data, when a client access the database to perform insert, update and delete operation then all modification done to the database firstly recorded in the log file and then in Exchange database (EDB).

Log file is very important for exchange database action so it is responsibility of an Exchange administrator to take care of log files if anything happen wrong. Pperform the needed steps explained below to resolve it immediately.

Missing log files may affects the whole recovery process. Either Replay process unable to respond when log file is missing or recovery process stops working with error. Some of encountered errors are given bellow:

Error Number JET Error Error Description
JET-Error -501 (0xfffffe0b) JET_errLogFileCorrupt Corrupted log file
JET-Error -515 (0xfffffdfd) JET_errInvalidLogSequence log file is missing from the sequence
JET-Error -514 (0xfffffdfe) JET_errBadLogVersion Log file generated with different Exchange Server or edition
JET-Error -533 (0xfffffdeb) JET_errCheckpointCorrupt Checkpoint file is deleted or corrupt

These errors confirmed that either log file is corrupted or missing, to recover exchange database Microsoft provides ESEutil that restores exchange database without log file.

Syntax of ESEutil Command of PowerShell

"eseutil /p database-name.edb"

An example with full path shown bellow

C:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\Bin>eseutil / p "c:\Exchsrvr\MailboxStore.edb

Conclusion: while using eseutil to recover Exchange Database recovery it may led to data loss and to overcome from this situation you will have to follow B-tree structure recovery and it is very complicated to complete the task with eseutil tool.

An alternate solution is available to complete the task easily is to use an expert suggested EDB 2 PST Converter tool which is capable enough to repair and save EDB to PST, EML, MSG, HTML, PDF and Live Exchange Format without log file.