[jimbo]

Here is the scoop... One of my hard drives died. Rebuilt system (NT4PDC). Restored from backup everything successfully (registry, files, registry etc).
Domain works, users can login etc.

Exchange server 5.5 services, however, will not run.

I've eseutil /p on all databases.
I've isinteg -fix etc.. as per instructions.

I've defragged databases etc..

Basically I've done everything the 60 page Microsoft White paper states with respect to Exchange Server 5.5 Disaster Recovery except one thing...

My last ditch attempt is to use the Xmerge utility (to pull out the emails and then remerge them in a clean database). Unfortunately that utility is only available on the Backoffice Resource kit 5.5 (or the exchange server 5.5 resource kit). I'd happily buy it if I could but neither is available for sale.

All I need is the xmerge.exe file....

[DosFreak]

Are any Exchange services running at all?
What's the Event ID for the error?
Your running SP4 right?
Was the Exchange Server on the PDC?
Do you have an Exchange backup on tape?
Do you have an extra server laying around for testing?

IIRC, Exmerge cannot be used on an offline database.
Every time I've had to recover from a databse that I could not get Exchange to recognize after hours and hours of work, I had to use a 3rd party tool like Ontrack PowerControls which is eeeeexxxpppeeennsiiivveee.


I'll go through the writeups on what I went through in the desert. Lots of Exchange 5.5 probs out there due to incompetence so I had alot of Exchange problems to fix..