Exchange Database Mounting – Top 10 Issues and Solutions

When an Exchange database is dismounted from the server, users will be unable to access their mailboxes, thus interrupting the workflow of the organization. Therefore, it is important to mount the database on the server. However, while attempting to mount the database, you may encounter issues that can prevent the Exchange database from mounting on the server. Following are some major issues that can occur while mounting the database:

1. Exchange database is in dirty shutdown state due to inconsistent/missing log files.
2. Database is not mounting due to insufficient resources on the server.
3. Exchange database is corrupted due to hardware/software failure or any other issue.
4. Exchange Server edition reaches the databases mounting limit.
5. Database fails to mount on the server as some Exchange services are not running.
6. Log files are locked or being used by another application.
7. Time mismatch error while mounting the Exchange database.
8. Exchange databases fail to mount due to insufficient permissions.
9. Anti-virus software may have quarantined the log files.
10. Exchange Server lacks the latest patches or updates.

Top 10 Exchange Database Mounting Issues and their Solutions

Below we have discussed the 10 common issues that may occur while mounting the database on the server. We have also provided solutions to resolve these issues.

Issue 1: Exchange database is in dirty shutdown state due to inconsistent/missing log files

When an Exchange database is in dirty shutdown state due to inconsistent or missing log files, it means that the database was not properly shutdown and some transactions are incomplete. In such cases, you may get the following errors:

1. JET_errLogFileCorrupt (Error -501): This error indicates that transaction log files are corrupted or missing.
2. JET_errMissingLogFile: This error indicates that the database you are trying to mount has some missing log files.
3. Database Mount Error (hr=0x80004005, ec=-501): You can get this error due to various issues, including inconsistent or missing log files.

Solution: To fix this issue, first take a complete backup of the database and follow the steps given below to repair the database by using EseUtil:

1. Check the state of database using the eseutil /mh command. This will display the state of database as dirty shutdown.
2. Replay the log files to commit the uncommitted changes by performing the EseUtil Soft Recovery process. For this, use the EseUtil /r command.
3. Recheck the state of database. If it is still in Dirty Shutdown state, use the Eseutil /p command to perform hard recovery. This process will purge the inconsistent and corrupt log files and get the database to clean Shutdown state.

For the detailed process read: How to use EseUtil for Exchange Database Repair.

Issue 2: Database is not mounting due to insufficient resources on the server

If the backup software you are using is not compatible with the Exchange Server, then the changes will not be committed to the database and transaction logs will not get purged. This means that the transaction logs will keep on increasing, thus filling up the disk space. If the hard disk gets full, you may get the following error while trying to mount the database on the server:

JET_errFileAccessDenied: This error occurs when the database file cannot be accessed due to insufficient disk space or any other reason.

Solution:

To resolve this issue, you can do the following:

1. Use a backup software, such as Windows Server Backup, which is compatible with your Exchange Server. This software will automatically purge the log files after the backup, thus freeing up disk space.
2. Manually free up some space by archiving old mailboxes or exporting the mailboxes to PST files.

Suggested Read: How to safely Clear Exchange Logs files.

Issue 3: Exchange Database is corrupted due to hardware/software failure or any other issue

You will be unable to mount a corrupted database on the server. Exchange databases can get corrupted due to hardware or software failure, server crash, or other issues.

Solution:  

To resolve the issue, follow the steps given below:

1. Rebuild the damaged Exchange Server and restore the database from a healthy backup.
2. If the recovered database is in dirty shutdown state, repair the database using the EseUtil recovery processes.
3. Perform database defragmentation to reclaim any unused space and reorganize the database pages.
4. Mount the database on the server.

Issue 4: Exchange Server edition reaches the databases mounting limit  

Exchange Server is available in two editions, based on licensing:

1. Standard Edition
2. Enterprise Edition

If you are using the Standard Edition of Exchange Server, you can have a maximum of 5 mounted databases on the server. If you try to mount another database, you will get the below-mentioned error:

Error: Couldn’t mount the database that you specified. Specified database: Error code: An Active Manager operation failed. Error: Operation failed with message: MapiExceptionTooManyMountedDatabases: Unable to mount database. (hr=0x8004060e, ec= -2147219954)

Solution: To resolve this issue, you can upgrade your Exchange Server from Standard edition to Enterprise edition or dismount some databases from the server that are currently not in use.

Issue 5: Database does not mount on the server as some Exchange services are not running

If some Exchange Server services are not running, it can cause issues while mounting the database. In such a case, you may get any one of the following error messages:

• The Microsoft Exchange Information Store service is stopped.
• Exchange services not running. Please start all required Exchange services.
• Event ID 1005 – Information Store cannot be started.

Solution: To resolve this issue, you can check if any of the Exchange services are stopped. If there are any, then start them. Follow the steps mentioned below:

1. Open the Server Manager. Click on Tools and select Services from the list.
2. On the Services screen, check that all the services of Exchange Server are running. Make sure that any service, which has the Startup Type set to Automatic, is started.
3. If the status of any service(s) is Stopped, right-click on it, and select Start.

Alternatively, you can use the following PowerShell cmdlet to restart all the Exchange services:

Get-Service *Exchange* | Where {$_.DisplayName -notlike "*Hyper-V*"} | Restart-Service –Force

Once all the services are started, try to mount the database on the server.

Issue 6: Database does not mount on the server because log files are locked or are being used

When you try to mount the database on the server, the process may fail and you get following error message:

Operation terminated with error-1032 <JET_errFileAccessDenied, Cannot access file, the file is locked or in use>

This error indicates that the log files are locked or being used by another application.

Solution: You can use the below mentioned solutions to resolve this issue:

1. Ensure no backup or antivirus software is currently accessing the log files. Use Task Manager or Resource Monitor to identify and stop any processes that might be using the log files.
2. Move the log files to a different directory temporarily.
3. Ensure that the Exchange service account has the necessary permissions to access the log files and database files.

Issue 7: Time mismatch error while mounting Exchange databases

Sometimes, there is a mismatch between the timestamps of database pages and the timestamps in the Active Directory. When this happens, the database will fail to mount on the server and you will get the following error:

JET_errDbTimeCorrupted -344 The Dbtime on the current page is greater than the global database dbtime. This error is returned by the directory manager.

Solution: To fix this issue, you can run eseutil /d command to defragment the database. This process can help resolve timestamp issues by reorganizing the database pages. After defragmentation, it is advisable to move all the mailboxes to a new Exchange database.

Issue 8: Exchange databases does not mount due to insufficient permissions

You may be unable to mount the database on the server if you do not have complete access to the database.

Solution: Ensure that you have full control on the database that you are trying to mount. Follow the steps mentioned below to get full access of the database:

1. Navigate to the folder containing the Exchange database in Windows Explorer.
2. Right-click on the folder and select Properties.
3. Go to the Security tab and ensure the following permissions are set:
4. Administrators: Full Control
5. System: Full Control

Issue 9: Antivirus software may have quarantined the log files

When you use an antivirus software that is not compatible with the server, it can sometimes mark the log files as malicious and quarantine them. When you try to mount the database, you may get the JET_errFileAccessDenied error.

Solution: Ensure that you are using an antivirus software that is compatible with your Exchange Server. Additionally, you can configure the settings of the software to whitelist the log files.

Issue 10: Exchange Server lacks the latest patches or updates

If the Exchange Server does not have the latest security updates (SU) and cumulative updates (CU), it may cause issues while mounting database. You may get the following errors while mounting the database:

• The Exchange version on the server is not supported for this database.
• Event ID 9519 and error 0x80004005.
• Database cannot be mounted due to incomplete installation or outdated patching.

Solution: To avoid these issues, keep your Exchange Server updated with the latest patches and updates.

Conclusion

When mounting the Exchange database on the server, you may encounter several issues. This blog discusses some common issues and their possible solutions. If the database is not mounting due to corruption, you can use the EseUtil recovery processes. However, hard recovery may result in permanent data loss as it purges any data which is deemed as corrupted. Alternatively, you can use Stellar Repair for Exchange to recover mailboxes and other items from corrupt EDB files without any data loss. This software is recommended by MVPs and IT experts to restore data from corrupt Exchange database files, irrespective of the Exchange version. The software supports Microsoft Exchange Server 2019, 2016, 2013, and all earlier versions.

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About The Author

Anubhuti Sinha

Anubhuti's passion for technology shines through her knowledge of Microsoft Exchange Server. She excels at managing, and troubleshooting this powerful platform. She has a bachelor’s degree in technology in the field of Electronics and Communication.