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Q164805: XADM: Contents of This Public Folder Currently Unavailable

Article: Q164805
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): winnt:5.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbusage
Last Modified: 22-OCT-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Server, version 5.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

After you restore the public store (Pub.edb) from a backup to a NEW server, and
you attempt to access the content of one of the restored public folders, the
following error message may appear:

  The folder could not be opened. The contents of this public folder are
  currently unavailable. Either the Microsoft Exchange Server Computer
  servicing this public folder is down or the public folder has not been
  replicated to this site. See your administrator.

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this problem, you need to create a replica of this public folder on
your server after the Pub.edb restoration process:

1. On the File menu, click Properties.

2. On the public folder, select the instance property and create a replica of
  that folder on your server.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The following information from the Microsoft Exchange Disaster Recovery white
paper by Joseph Pagano relates to the same recovery process.

Restore/Recover the Public Information Store (Pub.edb)
------------------------------------------------------

1. Prepare a recovery computer.

  a. This computer has to be installed as a Windows NT PDC. The server should
     have the respective Windows NT service pack installed as the original
     computer. Confirm that there is enough disk space for restoring the entire
     information store from your backup tape. Run User manager for Domains and
     create an account for the Exchange Service Account.

  b. Log on to Windows NT as administrator and install Microsoft Exchange
     (Complete Install) using the same Site and Organization name that was used
     on the server in which you are restoring the public folders from. DO NOT
     JOIN SITE. Note that the server name of the restore computer does not
     matter for the Public Folder restore procedure. This is because we are
     only restoring the IS and not the directory.

  c. Install the Microsoft Exchange Client on the Recovery Server.

2. Restore the Information Store from tape.

  This procedure assumes that an off-line tape is used. Make sure the DS is
  started, then execute the command "isinteg -patch". Start the DS and IS
  services and then perform the DS/IS Consistency Adjustment.

  a. Run Control Panel Services and stop the following services:

  Microsoft Exchange Message Transfer Agent (MTA).
  Microsoft Exchange Information Store (IS).

  b. Insert the backup tape in the drive.

  c. Log on to the recovery domain as administrator.

  d. From the Administrative Tools group run BACKUP.

  e. Select the tapes icon and double click on the tape name. A catalog status
     box will be displayed stating loading.

  f. Select the RESTORE BUTTON from the upper part of the Backup main screen.

  g. On the RESTORE INFORMATION screen enter the directory MDBDATA (where is
     Pub.edb is located).

  h. From the exchsrvr \ bin directory run the following command:

  ISINTEG -Patch

  i. From Control Panel Services and start the following services:

  Microsoft Exchange Information Store
  Microsoft Exchange Message Transfer Agent

  j. Run Exchange Admin and perform a DS/IS Consistency Adjustment.

3. Open the contents of a public folder.

  a. Create a profile for the Exchange service account.

  b. After restoring the public folders there are "instance on the site of this
     folder" but NOT on your server (for the moment). That is the cause of the
     error message reported in the symptoms section and the reason why you
     can't access the contents of all the restored folders. To solve this
     problem you need to select the Public Information Store Object. On the
     File menu, click Properties and in the "Instance" tab add all the restored
     folders to your server.

  c. Run the Exchange client using the previous profile and check the entire
     public folder contents.
======================================================================
Keywords          : kbusage 
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange500 kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : winnt:5.0
Issue type        : kbprb

=============================================================================

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