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Q258302: XADM: Troubleshooting Refer.mdb File Issues

Article: Q258302
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): winnt:5.0,5.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): exc5 exc55
Last Modified: 23-JUL-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 5.0, 5.5 
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SYMPTOMS
========

You may find a file called Refer.mdb in the Exchsrvr\Mdbdata folder, where the
Priv.edb or Pub.edb file is located.

You may be unable to run Edbutil. You may also be unable to run the isinteg -fix
command; it may cause an access violation or an unhandled exception. You may be
unable to restore the information store from an online backup, and you may be
unable to start the information store service. Either the Priv.edb file, the
Pub.edb file, or both files may be inconsistent.

The following error message may be logged in the Microsoft Windows NT Event
Viewer application event log:

  Event ID: 37
  Source:EDB
  Type: Warning
  Category: Logging/Recovery
  Description: MSExchangeIS 245 Unable to read header of database.
  x:\exchsrvr\mdbdata\Refer.mdb error -1206.

NOTE: Other possible event IDs that reference the Refer.mdb file are event ID 39,
event ID 200, event ID 132, and event ID 145. Most commonly, however, the event
ID that refers to this file is event ID 37.

CAUSE
=====

This issue can occur if the Isinteg utility did not finish normally during the
utility's last run.

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this issue, rename or remove the Refer.mdb file, because the
Refer.mdb file may occasionally interfere with the normal operation of the
information store process and the Jet database engine if the Refer.mdb file
remains after you run Isinteg. Microsoft recommends that you rename the
Refer.mdb file, and then move the Refer.mdb file to a temporary subdirectory for
future reference if the issue returns.

To rename or remove the Refer.mdb file:

1. Look for the Refer.mdb file first in the Exchsrvr\Mdbdata folder where the
  Priv.edb and Pub.edb files are located; the Priv.edb and Pub.edb files may be
  located in separate folders. If the Priv.edb and Pub.edb files are located in
  separate folders, check both folders. Microsoft recommends that you check the
  entire hard disk for the Refer.mdb file.

2. Notice the date on the Refer.mdb file. It may indicate the time that Isinteg
  was last run. Look for anything unusual that may have occurred the last time
  that Isinteg was run, either anything unusual when Isinteg was run or
  anything unusual that may affect the information store. Look for known
  problems in the information store at the time that Isinteg was last run by
  checking the application event log in Event Viewer.

3. If the information store does not start, check the consistency of the
  Priv.edb and Pub.edb files by using either the edbutil /mh command or the
  eseutil /mh command. If the databases are consistent and you simply remove or
  rename the Refer.mdb file, the information store may start, which enables you
  to run Eseutil or Isinteg successfully and run a backup restoration
  successfully.

4. If the either the Priv.edb or Pub.edb file is not consistent, rename the
  Refer.mdb file, and then perform a soft recovery on the information store
  database by running either the edbutil /r command or the eseutil /r command.

  IMPORTANT: Do not run a soft recovery immediately after an online restoration
  because you may damage the restored databases.

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in
the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q231299 XADM: Information Store Returns Service-Specific Error 335544375

If either information store database is inconsistent and you are unable to bring
the database to consistency by running a soft recovery, you may need to restore
from online backup.

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

The Refer.mdb file is a temporary database that is created when you run Isinteg.
Isinteg scans the tables in the information store database for errors. Isinteg
builds a temporary Exchange Server database of reference counts, the Refer.mdb
file, for the cross-reference tables of reference counts before Isinteg scans
the tables. After Isinteg traverses all of the cross-reference tables, Isinteg
compares the counts that it found to the counts in the reference database. If
Isinteg is running with the fix switch, these counts are updated to their true
values as determined by Isinteg.

Because the Refer.mdb file is a temporary database, it is normally automatically
removed after Isinteg finishes. If the Refer.mdb file is on the server and
Isinteg is not running, Isinteg did not finish normally when it was last run.

For additional information about the Refer.mdb file and troubleshooting problems
with the Refer.mdb file, click the article number below to view the article in
the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q182081 XADM: Description of ISINTEG Utility


Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : exc5 exc55 
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange500 kbExchange550 kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : winnt:5.0,5.5
Issue type        : kbprb

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