XADM: Contents of This Public Folder Currently Unavailable

 Last reviewed: November 21, 1997
Article ID: Q164805
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Exchange Server version 5.0

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.

  • 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          : XADM kbusage
Version           : winnt:5.0
Platform          : winnt
Issue type        : kbprb
Solution Type     : kbworkaround

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    Last reviewed: November 21, 1997
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