How to Fix the Exchange Database not Mounting Issue in Exchange 2010, 2013, 2016?

Microsoft Exchange Server has constantly launched its updated versions year over year viz. 2010, 2013, 2016, and now, the latest version 2019. All of the updated versions had some updates and better features than the previous one missed. The errors faced by these versions were resolved in the updated versions that followed. However, Microsoft was not able to fix one particular error which is encountered in all the versions, i.e, the Exchange database not mounting error.

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In this blog, we will be talking about the Exchange 2016 database not mounting errors and also for other Exchange versions particularly. If you are searching for approaches to resolve this error, then you are at the right place. We will provide you with all the possible methods and fixes through which you can resolve this issue. As you are using the Exchange Server, you would be familiar with the term, Transaction logs. If not, do not worry, we will make you familiar with it. 

You should know about the transaction log files as the Exchange database not mounting issue revolves, mostly around them. The Transaction log files can be understood as the memory of the Exchange Server. All the steps and modifications of the data in the Exchange Server are recorded and saved in the transaction log files. The data of the Exchange Server is intact in the log files until and unless it is saved in the memory. Perhaps, if the log files are not properly saved, the user could lose all the data.

The Exchange database not mounting error is mainly caused due to the error or corruption in the transaction log files. In addition to that, if these files are unmounted before the data is saved, you will encounter the Exchange database mounting stuck error. Before we move further, let us take a close look at how the Exchange database not mounting error looks like.

How Database not Mounting Error Looks Like

If for any reason, you encounter this error, it would somehow look like the below.

‘Unable to mount database (hr=0x80004005, ec=-528)

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Microsoft Exchange Error

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Failed to mount database ‘EXDB01’

EXDB01 Failed

Error:

Couldn’t mount the database that you specified. Specified database: EXDB01; Error code: An Active Manager operation failed. Error The database action failed. Error: Operation failed with message: MapiExceptionJetErrorMissingLogFile: Unable to mount database. (hr=0x80004005, ec=-528)

[Database: EXDB01, Server: mail.mycompany.com]

As we now know, how the error will look like, let us go through the reasons that can cause the error.

Reasons for Exchange Database not Mounting Error

The following reasons can lead to the mounting issue in Exchange 2010, 2013, 2016.

• Unexpected Removal of Log Files

If for any reason, the log files are removed by the user before the data was saved or written to the database, it could lead to the failed to mount database Exchange 2013 error. Also, it can occur when you unmount the log files and then try to mount them again.

• Corruption in Database

The database of the Exchange Server is stacked in huge amounts that could result in its corruption and damage. The corrupt data becomes inaccessible and results in the database mounting error in Microsoft Exchange 2010, 2013, 2016.

• Power Cutdown

The system failure or sudden power cut can also generate this error. Sudden system shutdowns do not allow the running programs to exit properly and lose all the current unsaved data. As a result, various errors occur when you reopen the applications. 

• Inadequate Disk Space

As you all know, how much space the Exchange Server data and the transaction log files take on the system. If not provided with free space for its further data storage processes, it ends up encountering the Exchange database not mounting error. 

• License Limit

The standard version of the Exchange Server allows the user to work on a maximum of five databases. If you are trying to use more than that, then the Exchange Server would mount only the five databases and leave the others unmounted.

• Antivirus Issues

The Antivirus of most of the Operating systems sometimes quarantine the database or log files that are needed for its smooth execution. It leads to errors in the Exchange Server while saving the data. You need to be sure that your Antivirus program is not blocking any of the Exchange Server files.

If you find any of the above reasons true to your system, you should resolve it to fix the Exchange Database not mounting error. The below methods can help you to do the same.

Methods to Resolve Database Mounting Issue in Exchange

1. Through Command Setup
2. Verifying Database
3. Soft Recovery by Eseutil
4. Hard Recovery using Eseutil
5. Upgrading the License
6. Disabling the Antivirus

The above methods will assist you to fix the failed to mount database Exchange 2016 and other version errors. They are briefed in a stepwise manner so that you can perform them accurately.

Through Command Setup

You can repair the configuration of the Exchange Server using the Prepare AD command in the command setup. The command setup/AD (Active Directory) command can be started through the Exchange Server CD. It is utilized to make the Active Directory service for Microsoft Exchange. You can follow the below-mentioned steps to execute the command.

• Start with running the Microsoft Exchange Help.
• Then, find the Contents option, and under that, click on Deployment.
• Hit the New Installation option, and after that, Preparing to Deploy Exchange.
• At last, click on How to Prepare Active Directory and Domains.

Verifying Database

To understand the problem that occurred in the Exchange Server database, you need to check the status of the database. It will help you to understand what action you need to take further if the Exchange database not mounting error is not resolved by this. You can take the help of the Eseutil command for this purpose. 

The Eseutil is a tool of the Exchange Server that gives you insight into the status and the information about the working of the server database. Use the below-mentioned Eseutil command to verify the Exchange database status.

ESEUTIL /mh <database name

As you execute the above command, it will give you the exact status of the Exchange database. Therefore, you can act accordingly to solve the issue.

Soft Recovery by Eseutil

Soft Recovery is the first line of action to recover and repair the Exchange database. It will help you to fix the Exchange 2013 database not mounting issue and also for the other versions of Exchange. The main benefit of using this method is that it does not remove or delete any files or pages that are found to be damaged. However, to execute this method, you need to know the location of the transaction log file and run the command from that folder only. The Eseutil command is mentioned below for you.

Eseutil /r E00 /l “Drive:\Exchange Server\FirstStorageGroup\Logs” /d “drive:\Exchange Server\FirstStorageGroup\MbxStore1\Mydatabase.edb” /i

If the command is properly executed, it will resolve the Exchange database not mounting error. But, you need to recheck it using the command eseutil/mh. It will display if the database is working properly or not. If it is resolved, you can mount your database in Exchange.

Hard Recovery using Eseutil

It is the advanced version of the above method in which you can resolve the issues if there are any left after performing the above method. Additionally, in this method, there is a fear of losing the damaged files or pages if found during the command execution. Moreover, this method needs a lot of additional disk space to store the database created by Eseutil.

You can perform this recovery using the below command.

ESEUTIL /p <database_file_location>

Once you type the command, hit the Enter button to run it. Again, once it is finished, check and restart the Exchange database. It will resolve your Exchange database not mounting issue.

Upgrading the License

As we discussed earlier in this blog, the Exchange 2010 database not mounting error can be encountered due to the license limit exceeding. You can resolve it easily by upgrading your Standard license.

If you are a frequent and extensive Exchange database user, you should upgrade your Exchange Server license from Standard to Enterprise. It will allow you to mount more than five databases on the Server. It is an easy fix that Microsoft has allowed its users to undertake. 

Disabling the Antivirus

The Antivirus of any system is installed to prevent installation and intrusion of any unwanted or suspicious applications or items that can harm the system. But, occasionally, the antivirus ends up deleting or alienating some files and folders that are required for the proper functioning of some safe applications.

The log files of the Microsoft Exchange Server are sometimes the victim of such antivirus programs. They end up being deleted and hinder the performance of the Exchange Server. 

If this issue is creating the Exchange database not mounting error, you need to disable all the firewalls of your Antivirus program. Also, you can set the exclusions of the log files from the firewall that will prevent these files.

The above methods are manually performed and can guide you in resolving the Exchange database not mounting issue of your Exchange Server. Nonetheless, all these manual methods are complex and require prior technical knowledge to execute them. Furthermore, they do not always work effectively and could be difficult to perform for novice users.

You can overcome all these shortcomings of the manual methods using an alternate automated solution, i.e., Sysinfo EDB to PST Converter Tool. It is a flawless utility to resolve Exchange 2013 database won’t mount issue and even for other Exchange versions. Additionally, you can easily convert the corrupt Exchange Server EDB files to multiple file formats like PST, HTML, TXT, MSG, RTF, EML, PDF, etc. You can resolve the Exchange mounting issue with this tool by converting the damaged Exchange database file to another format.

Conclusion:

Here, we have discussed the Exchange database not mounting issues that trouble the Exchange server users. All the reasons mentioned need to be looked after to prevent the issue. Along with that, all the methods discussed are capable of resolving the issue but are not suitable for most users. Hence, the professional third-party tool is suggested to convert the damaged Exchange EDB files to various working formats. It is a safe and secure utility that can fix the Exchange database errors.

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