I am running two, two node DAG's with Exchange 2013.

One DAG pair is running 5 databases with Server 2012 Standard and the second DAG pair is running Server 2008 R2 SP1 Standard with a single shared database.

No matter what I try, ALL 6 databases show "ContentIndexState: Failed" with "ContentIndexErrorMessage: An internal error occurred for the database or its index.".

I have tried rebuilding the indexes manually, automatically and manually copying the database files between servers.  I also receive errors when trying to failover the databases because the content index state is failed.

In my test environment I have a very similar setup working fine with no issues.

Please let me know what I can try to get this resolved.

The error I receive when running the following set of commands is:

suspend-MailboxDatabaseCopy dag2db1\mbox1

update-MailboxDatabaseCopy dag2db1\mbox1 -deleteexistingfiles

[PS] C:\Windows\system32>update-mailboxdatabasecopy dag2db1\mbox1 -deleteexistingfiles

Confirm
Are you sure you want to perform this action?
Updating database copy DAG2DB1\MBOX1 on server MBOX1
[Y] Yes  [A] Yes to All  [N] No  [L] No to All  [?] Help (default is "Y"): a
WARNING: Seeding of content index catalog for database 'DAG2DB1' failed. Please verify that the Microsoft Search (Exchange) and the Host Controller service for Exchange services are running and try the operation again. Error: Therevwas no endpoint listening at net.tcp://localhost:17063/Management/SeedingAgent-0A2745DF-4522-42AB-9115-5DDE9EDEF1C612/Single that could accept the message. This is often caused by an incorrect address or SOAP action. See InnerException, if present, for more details..
[PS] C:\Windows\system32>

Hello

Please check the status of your content index 

Get-MailboxDatabaseCopyStatus | fl name, contentindexstate

If it shows Failed then update 

Update-MailboxDatabaseCopy "dag2db1\mbox1" -CatalogOnly

Hi Mohammed,

This does not resolve the issue.  I get the following error:

[PS] C:\>Get-MailboxDatabaseCopyStatus | fl name, contentindexstate

Name              : DAG2DB1\MBOX3
ContentIndexState : Failed

[PS] C:\>Update-MailboxDatabaseCopy "dag2db1\mbox3" -CatalogOnly

Confirm
Are you sure you want to perform this action?
Updating database copy DAG2DB1\BEN-MBOX3 on server BEN-MBOX3.
[Y] Yes  [A] Yes to All  [N] No  [L] No to All  [?] Help (default is "Y"): y
WARNING: Seeding of content index catalog for database 'DAG2DB1' failed. Please verify that the Microsoft Search
(Exchange) and the Host Controller service for Exchange services are running and try the operation again. Error: An
error occurred while processing a request on server 'MBOX4'. Error: An Exception was received during a FAST
operation..
[PS] C:\>

Also, I have run this on other databases on a different DAG and it will process without error yet will not update the content index state to "Healthy".  The Content Index State is always "Failed".

Hello

Can you check the MS Exchange Replication Service and Host controller service is up and running.

Run EXPBA tool from the server manager and post the results.

The answer to this issue was posted on another thread with a similar issue.

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/exchangesvravailabilityandisasterrecovery/thread/fccf9dca-b865-4356-905b-33ac25dcc44d

Basically, the replication is looking for a group named ContentSubmitters.  Once the group is created in AD, the issue was resolved.  Sounds like MS forget to update the /PrepareAD process because this group is not created when running it.

Because of this item and at least two other items identified upon installation of the product I have decided not to try and put Exchagne 2013 into production until there are some patches released for the product. 

Manually updating AD with attribute permissions found below and manually adding a group after the appropriate preparation scripts are run without error screams incomplete product release to me. 

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/exchangesvrdeploy/thread/33b3fa8a-76d6-4a03-b6cf-1ab6a649c99d

• Marked as answer by rkjudd Friday, February 22, 2013 4:39 PM

When I try to UpdateCatalog I am receiving:

WARNING: Seeding of content index catalog for database '<DATABASE>' failed. Please verify that the Microsoft Search (Exchange) and the Host Controller service for Exchange services are running and try the operation again. Error: Could not connect to net.tcp://localhost:3863/Management/SeedingAgent-B876D70E-BB5F-4696-9B70-BF6EB21EF89F12/Single. The connection attempt lasted for a time span of 00:00:02.0312868. TCP error code 10061: No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it 127.0.0.1:3863. 

The error is correct that the "Host Controller for Exchange" Service is not started.

In order to start the Host Controller for Exchange I needed to fix a registry key:

• Open the Registry Editor and navigate to the following path:
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Search Foundation for Exchange
• Go to the DataDirectory string and give it the following value:
• C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange 
  Server\V15\Bin\Search\Ceres\HostController\Data

• Proposed as answer by David_Haycox Wednesday, August 14, 2013 3:37 PM

This worked for me just now.  Single server scenario, but similar otherwise as the Host Controller for Exchange wouldn't start, and as a result Outlook and OWA searches didn't work.  Thanks very much!

Why would that registry key suddenly be required?  Did it get deleted somehow?  I don't really care as long as the search works though - thanks again.

• Edited by MB2009-1 Wednesday, August 14, 2013 4:02 PM

Hi Folks,

Here we go;
"On August 14th, we announced the removal of the MS13-061 Security Update for Exchange Server 2013 due to an issue where the patch changed settings for the search infrastructure, placing the content index for all databases into a failed state.  As of today, we have released updated security updates for both Exchange 2013 RTM CU1 and Exchange 2013 RTM CU2."

Details below;

http://blogs.technet.com/b/exchange/archive/2013/08/27/now-available-updated-release-of-ms13-061-security-update-for-exchange-server-2013.aspx

Hi Folks,

Here we go;
"On August 14th, we announced the removal of the MS13-061 Security Update for Exchange Server 2013 due to an issue where the patch changed settings for the search infrastructure, placing the content index for all databases into a failed state.  As of today, we have released updated security updates for both Exchange 2013 RTM CU1 and Exchange 2013 RTM CU2."

Details below;

http://blogs.technet.com/b/exchange/archive/2013/08/27/now-available-updated-release-of-ms13-061-security-update-for-exchange-server-201

Thanks MB2009-1 ! this worked for me, the DataDirectory string was missing under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Search Foundation for Exchange, hence created the same and was able to start the MS Exchange Search Host Controller Service.

Restarted the server and resumed the database copies successfully.

Hello

Please check the status of your content index 

Get-MailboxDatabaseCopyStatus | fl name, contentindexstate

If it shows Failed then update 

Update-MailboxDatabaseCopy "dag2db1\mbox1" -CatalogOnly

Just a note to let you folks know that, as of almost JUNE 1ST 2015, as of 2013 SP1, CU8, this STILL is an issue!

Microsoft could have (should have) released a "scheme extention patch" or something similar.

In my case, it has nothing to do with the 'Search'  service or other service not starting - they both are started, automatic and happy.

We have a 2-node DAG and, when adding a DB copy to the 2nd node, we get the related error:

Servers: 2 nodes, DAG, 2013 Enterprise, SP1, CU8, both servers are 2012 R2 Standard.

Here's the error again for reference:

WARNING: Seeding of content index catalog for database 'TempDB' failed. Please verify that the
Microsoft Search (Exchange) and the Host Controller service for Exchange services are running and try the operation
again. Error: There was no endpoint listening at
net.tcp://localhost:3863/Management/SeedingAgent-E9BA74F6-7672-4FC7-AC93-D324072F41B512/Single that could accept the
message. This is often caused by an incorrect address or SOAP action. See InnerException, if present, for more
details.."

Some of you mention creating a "ContentSubmitters" AD group, well, how about more detail: Is it a Universal Security Group, Global, does it need to reside in a specific location? Does it need to have any members, or does it just need to exist. I will delve further into the related links provided, but it would be nice if people would post a bit more detail, to save a lot of extra digging. Thanks for all the wonderful info!

Just a note to let you folks know that, as of almost JUNE 1ST 2015, as of 2013 SP1, CU8, this STILL is an issue!

Microsoft could have (should have) released a "scheme extention patch" or something similar.

In my case, it has nothing to do with the 'Search'  service or other service not starting - they both are started, automatic and happy.

We have a 2-node DAG and, when adding a DB copy to the 2nd node, we get the related error:

Servers: 2 nodes, DAG, 2013 Enterprise, SP1, CU8, both servers are 2012 R2 Standard.

Here's the error again for reference:

WARNING: Seeding of content index catalog for database 'TempDB' failed. Please verify that the
Microsoft Search (Exchange) and the Host Controller service for Exchange services are running and try the operation
again. Error: There was no endpoint listening at
net.tcp://localhost:3863/Management/SeedingAgent-E9BA74F6-7672-4FC7-AC93-D324072F41B512/Single that could accept the
message. This is often caused by an incorrect address or SOAP action. See InnerException, if present, for more
details.."

Some of you mention creating a "ContentSubmitters" AD group, well, how about more detail: Is it a Universal Security Group, Global, does it need to reside in a specific location? Does it need to have any members, or does it just need to exist. I will delve further into the related links provided, but it would be nice if people would post a bit more detail, to save a lot of extra digging. Thanks for all the wonderful