Exchange help!

[hibbyjibby]

Eek,

 

Just deleted a user account in active directory as it was having some issues, i copied an account i know was working, and recreated the original account using the same username + pw. It has created a new mailbox that is named identically to the old one, but I need the emails from the old one.

 

I cannot connect to the old mailbox (but I can see it in Exchange System Manager).

 

Any hints?

 

Thanks!

[hibbyjibby]

I'll just add that the way I've tried to re-add the mailbox is via outlook 2003.

 

- Right click'd on current mailbox, properties, advanced, advances, add...

 

This only shows one account - the new one

[Dos_Box]

Oh dear. As far as AD is concerned, when you delete a user account the Exchange account usually is deleted too. You have backups of course? If you do you can restore to the new account mailbox.

[hibbyjibby]

I didn't delete the account on the server, so it didn't delete the mailbox, and I can see the old mailbox in system manager, is there nothing I can do with it from there?

[hibbyjibby]

I have tape backups, where are the mailboxes stored?

[Dos_Box]

It all depends on what backup system you are using. If it's a dedicated Exchange backup system like Retrospect with the Exchange plugin or Backup Exec with their version you would have to read the manual, but you will be able to restore individual mails, calendars etc. If, however, you are using NT Backup it only backs up the entire mail database and as such you are stuffed as you can't restore that without stuffing up your current Exchange box.

Try this link for emergency recovery of Exchange 2003 mailboxes and merging them with an existing one.

 

Exchange Server 2003 SP1 Recover Mailbox Data Feature

 

Please bear in mind that in AD the mail account and user account are inextricably linked. If you delete the user account you cannot 'rejoin' the old mailbox.

[hibbyjibby]

Ah crud, NT Backup here... I'll give that a go, didn't realise the mailboxes worked like that. Thanks for all your help.

[meastaugh1]

So can you see two mailboxes of the same name (the new and the old) in Exchange system manager? If so you should be able to delete the new mailbox, then re-connect the old mailbox to your new AD account by right clicking on it in system manager.

 

Exchange Server 2003 Mailbox Recovery

[srochford]

Oh dear. As far as AD is concerned, when you delete a user account the Exchange account usually is deleted too. You have backups of course? If you do you can restore to the new account mailbox.

 

Not true! As @meastaugh1 has pointed out, it's fairly easy to reconnect a mailbox to a user account as long as you do it within the mailbox retention period.

[mb2k01]

I wish I'd caught this sooner...

If i've understood correctly you have nothing to worry about.

The only slightly messy part is that you have created a new user which may have also created a second (new) mailbox... but you can reply back if that is a problem.

 

If you have litterally just deleted the user in AD and the mailbox shows up in System Manager you have 30days to correct it before it's removed.

Simply create a new user (if you do this via AD on the Exchange box don't allow it to auto create a mailbox), then go in to system manager, find the mailbox, right-click and choose reconnect.

 

Alternatively, this website has nice pics to follow! Exchange Server 2003 Mailbox Recovery | John Black

 

Hope that helps?