DOCUMENT:Q179654 04-MAR-2002 [exchange] TITLE :XADM: Current Log Files Are Lost After Incomplete Restore PRODUCT :Microsoft Exchange PROD/VER::4.0,5.0,5.5 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbusage ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 4.0, 5.0, 5.5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SYMPTOMS ======== If you don't restore all of your incremental backups, the process of restoring Microsoft Exchange Server databases will cause your current log files to be deleted. Any existing log files will also be deleted if an older backup set is restored and the service started. For example, if a full online backup is made on Sunday and Monday, and then on Tuesday the backup from Sunday is restored, when the service is started any logs generated on Tuesday will be deleted. Therefore, it is very important to backup any existing log files before restoring from backup. CAUSE ===== After the restore of the online backup, if ALL the incremental backups are not restored before the information store is started, Exchange Server will replay the log files to the point where the log file numbers are skipped, and then delete the remaining log files. Unless the current log files are copied to another location before the restore, they are permanently lost, along with all the messages contained in those log files. This is by product design. Additional query words: ====================================================================== Keywords : kbusage Technology : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange500 kbExchange550 kbExchange400 kbZNotKeyword2 Version : :4.0,5.0,5.5 Issue type : kbprb ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2002.