How to back up and restore an Exchange computer by using the Windows Backup program (258243)

MORE INFORMATION

Back Up a Server

To back up an Exchange computer:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup.
2. Click the Backup tab.
3. Expand the Microsoft Exchange Server branch in the left pane, and then expand the server branch you want. To expand a branch, double-click the branch or click the plus sign (+) to the left of the branch.
4. Select the objects that you want to back up. To select an object, click to select the check box to the left of the object. For example, to select a particular storage group, expand the Microsoft Information Store branch, and then select the storage group that you want to back up.
   
   Note Microsoft does not recommend or support backing up drive M with file-level backup software. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   298924 Do not back up or scan Exchange 2000 drive M

5. Type the full path and file name of the backup file in the Backup media or file name box, and then click Start Backup. You can also click Browse to locate an existing backup file or specify a new backup file instead of typing the full path and file name manually.
6. Specify the settings for this backup operation, and then click Start Backup. You can view additional settings by clicking Schedule or Advanced.

Restoring a Server

To restore an Exchange server, dismount any database that you want to restore, and then restore its backup.

To dismount a database:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Microsoft Exchange, and then click System Manager.
2. If the Administrative Groups branch exists in the left pane, expand it, expand the appropriate administrative group branch, expand the Servers branch, and then expand the appropriate server branch. If the Administrative Groups branch does not exist, expand the Servers branch in the left pane, and then expand the appropriate server branch. To expand a branch, double-click the branch or click the plus sign (+) to the left of the branch.
3. For each database that you want to restore, expand the associated storage group branch, right-click the database, and then click Dismount Store. Additionally, right-click each database, click Properties, click the Database tab, verify that the This database can be overwritten by a restore check box is selected, and then click OK.

To restore the backup:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup.
2. Click the Restore tab.
3. Expand the File branch in the left pane, and then expand the backup branch that you want to restore. To expand a branch, double-click the branch or click the plus sign (+) to the left of the branch.
4. For each object that you want to restore, expand the associated storage group branch, and then select the objects that you want to restore. To select an object, click to select the check box to the left of the object.
   
   Note If you are prompted to enter the path and file name of the backup file when you try to expand the storage group branch, type the full path and file name of the backup file in the Catalog backup file box, and then click OK. You can also click Browse to locate the backup file instead of typing the full path and file name manually.
5. Select the option that you want in the Restore files to box.
6. Type the server name in the Restore To box, and then type the full path of the folder in the Temporary location for log and patch files box. Note that you can also click Browse to locate the server instead of manually typing the server name. Click Start Restore.
7. Click to select the Last Backup Set check box, click to select the Mount Database After Restore check box, click OK, and then click OK again.
   
   Note By default, when you restore a backup, transactions that occur after you perform the backup, recommit to the database. This may cause unexpected behavior, such as the deletion of restored mailboxes.
8. Type the full path and file name of the backup file that you want to restore in the Restore from backup file box, and then click OK. You can also click Browse to locate the backup file instead of typing the full path and file name manually.
9. When the restore process is complete, click OK.

Note If you did not verify that the This database can be overwritten by a restore check box is selected in step 3 earlier in this article, it may take up to 15 minutes for the databases to be mounted after the restore is complete.

Helpful Tips and Suggestions

The following general information about backing up and restoring Exchange computers can help you avoid problems that may occur during the backup or restore process and help make the process as smooth as possible:

• Exchange supports multiple databases and storage groups on the same server. This support permits you to split a single logical database into multiple physical databases. You can back up and restore these smaller physical databases much faster than larger databases. Additionally, you can help improve overall system reliability by using multiple physical databases because you can restore an individual database from a backup while other databases continue to service client requests.
• Make sure that Exchange database files have different file names. Having two stores with same database names will cause errors after the restore if both of those stores are being restored at the same time.
  
  For example, if First Storage Group has two Mailbox Stores and both of them have database files named "Priv1.edb" and "Priv1.stm," this problem will occur if both of those stores are backed up and restored at the same time.
  
  In order for restore to work correctly when you have multiple stores on Exchange server, make sure that database files have different names.
  
  Additionally, make sure that multiple databases in the same Storage Group are uniquely named. Otherwise, during a restore process of the whole Storage Group, the associated patch files will be generated with the same file name and will be overwritten. This will cause the restore to fail.
  
  Backing up stores that have database files with same names separately (one by one) will work.