InvisibleMan

someones deleted their inbox emails. Its not easy getting them back is it?

Ive got the single exchange database .bkf file but you have restore the whole exchange?

David_Wallis

Have you tried recover deleted items first?

ozzy

As David says, try Outlooks recover deleted items options first. I take it your backup software doesn't do individual mailboxes?

darlodge

Are you using Windows backup? If so, this only enables backup of the entire mailbox store AFAIK.

We use the Veritas BackupExec Agent for Exchange as it allows individual mailbox backup and restores. Is quick and seemless

Darren

Miles

Exchange bricklevel backups = horrible

Deleted mailbox and item retention is the way forward

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

If you're running Exchange 2003 use the Restore Storage Group and Exmerge your mailbox back into the live storage group.

MS actually recommend using the NT backup system and we find it very useful. Backup Exec can be a pain in the bum with Exchange 2003 (log files don't always clear)

For future reference:

Usually when you delete a message, Exchange moves it to the Deleted Items folder, which you can empty by right-clicking Deleted Items and selecting Empty "Deleted Items" Folder from the displayed context menu. Alternatively, you can configure Outlook to empty the Deleted Items folder each time Outlook is closed. To do so, select Tools, Options, and click the Other tab. In the General section, select the "Empty the Deleted Items folder upon exiting" check box.

After Exchange removes items from the Deleted Items folder, the Exchange server by default keeps the messages for an additional 7 days. During this time, you can recover deleted messages from the Deleted Items folder by selecting Tools, Recover Deleted Items.

You can perform a hard delete of a message by highlighting the message and pressing Shift+Del. Performing a hard delete removes the message without moving it to the Deleted Items folder. When you attempt to recover hard-deleted items, you'll see that the hard-deleted messages aren't listed in the recovery dialog box. If you select the folder from which you performed the hard delete (e.g., Inbox), you'll see that the option to recover deleted items is grayed out on the Tools menu.

You can recover items that have been deleted from an Outlook folder--including hard-deleted items--either by performing the following steps or by adding the dumpster.reg entry to the registry. (You can download the dumpster.reg entry at dumpster.reg.)

Start the registry editor (regedit.exe).
Navigate to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Exchange\Cli ent\Options subkey.
From the Edit menu, select New and click DWORD value.
Enter the name DumpsterAlwaysOn and press Enter.
Double-click the new value and set it to 1. Click OK.
Close the registry editor.
When you restart Outlook, the option to recover messages should be available for all folders.

You may need to set the retention period as well:

XADM: Set Deleted Mail Message Retention Time in Exchange Server 5.5

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function loadTOCNode(){}Article ID:246283Last Review:April 21, 2005Revision:3.1
This article was previously published under Q246283
SUMMARY

loadTOCNode(1, 'summary');This article explains how to set the deleted item retention periods for the public and private information stores and for individual mailboxes and public folders in Microsoft Exchange Server version 5.5.
MORE INFORMATION

loadTOCNode(1, 'moreinformation');When you set retention times for an individual mailbox or a single public folder, or for an entire information store, you can also specify that no items be deleted before the information store is backed up.

When you delete a message, Exchange Server marks the message for deletion but also marks it as hidden until it is permanently deleted from the information store. If you are using Microsoft Outlook version 8.03 or later, when you decide to retrieve a message before its retention expiration time, you can click the Deleted Item Recovery menu option on the Tools menu. The item is then visibly restored to the Inbox, and Exchange Server removes the mark for deletion.

To specify how long to retain an item: 1.To set a retention period for an individual mailbox or a public folder:

NOTE: By default, deleted item retention periods that you set on individual mailboxes or public folders override the settings on the private information store. a. In the Exchange Server Administrator program, open the mailbox (or the public folder), and then click the Limits tab.b. Type the appropriate number in the Use This Value (Days) box.2.To set a retention period for an entire private or public information store: a. In the Exchange Administrator program, click to expand the Server container, and then click the information store (public or private, as applicable) that you need to set the retention time for.b. Click the General tab, and then type the appropriate number in the Deleted item retention time (days) box.

InvisibleMan

cheers for that appreciated

yeah use ntbackup. restored the database which is friggin massive & took all day, it needs compacting down alot, something im looking at next.

ozzy

Did you try Outlook first?