Contact data is missing in some Public Folders. How can I restore this data from backup?

1st check to see if you can recover the delete items:http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/kb00924044.aspxHow to recover deleted public folders or items that are deleted from public folders by using the PFDAVAdmin tool in Exchange 2000 Server or in Exchange Server 2003You can still use pfdavadmin against 2007. Install to a workstation, not the server. Check the pre-reqs, you'll need .Net 1.1 Framework on the workstation.ALsohttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/228934http://www.msexchange.org/articles_tutorials/exchange-server-2003/high-availability-recovery/recovering-deleted-items-exchange-server-2003-part2.html

The PFDAVAdmin tool did not show any deleted items to recover. The parent folder contains several contact lists and the lists are empty. Originally, the error stated "Cannot display the folder. This folder cannot be opened because there is a configuration problem on the server. The tool indicated there were no Replicas on the folder or on the Contact lists. I duplicated the replica from other folders in our Public Folder. The error went away but now the Contact lists are empty.It almost looks like the data may be there but it is not visible.I have checked permissions, including folder visability and all looks good.This is why I have turned to restoring the data from tape but have not found information regarding how to do this.Thank you for any help you can give!

Well assuming those items are really gone ( Boy I would double check that - were they deleted within the deleted item retention time?)What sort of backup are you doing now? Full backups of the information store using what product?Since its the public folder store, I would create a duplicate of your production environment in a recovery forest in the lab, then resintall the server using the recoverserver switchhttp://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb123496.aspxThen a redirected restore to the server in the lab. or build a temporary backup server in the lab, and catalog that tape and then restore.Not a pretty picture.

We checked all mailboxes that shared the information and there were not any items to recover.We do a full backup of the storage groups each day using Veritas Netbackup. I can see that the Public Folders were backed up but I have read that Public Folders cannot be restored to the RSG.Therefore, how do you restore them?I also read information in Contact Lists, which is what we need to restore, are not recoverable.This really is an ugly situation.

Right, no RSG. So you'll have to build that recovery forest in the lab and restore there.. Of course with database portability, you dont necessarily have to do a recoverserver as long as the Exch org is named the same as in production. I wouldnt recommend restoring to a server in prod because of the unique nature of public folders. Not sure what information you are referring to as to contact list recoverability.You may also want to contact NetBackup support for help on restoring, or maybe as an alternative, use 3rd recovery software such as from Quest and restore those items from a recovered edb file.