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.