dear All, I need you help in the following scnario. I have a machine with windows server 2003 with Exchange server 2003 installed and working fine. the exchange server was working roperl;y and i had also perfom backup and restore successfully using ntbackup utility. Now what i want to do infact is i want to restore an exchange server backup that i took from another machine and i want to restore it on this machine. to do this i have change the server machine name on which i want to restore because name should b the same i think, but after changing the name the services of MS Exchange are stopd and i cannot start them manually as well. what should i so??? kindly suggest and also pls guide me if there is any other way possible to restore the Exchange ntbackup on a different machine in a different network. Thanks

Hi, As you found out you can't rename an exchange server. Try to rename it back and hope that you can get your running server back. Use an recovery server to restore the other database - see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/823176 Leif

What is your goal here? i.e. why so you want to do this, what problem are you trying to resolve? I know you said that you want to restore a database from a different server and network but that's not really possible for several reasons but most importantly because the users, and mailbox guid's do not exist within AD of your current network. If you are just looking to gain access to the information within the Exchange database, then check out Lucid8's DigiScope http://www.lucid8.com/product/digiscope.asp since it can open an offline EDB without the need of an Exchange Server nor active directory. You can then Browse, Search, Open, View, Export and Recover Mailboxes, Folders and Items as needed. If you are looking to do something different please let me know and I will reply ASAP Troy Werelius www.Lucid8.com Search, Recover, & Extract Mailboxes, Folders, & Email Items from Offline EDB's and Live Exchange Servers with Lucid8's DigiScope

Thank you both. Werelius, What i want is just simply i want to restore the exchange backup on a different machine. as you suggest that is not really possible and reasons may be the user and mail boxes are not available in Active Directory. ok well is there any other reasons as well please tell me. secondly what if i have multiple domain controller on same Network where ADS is replicated and i want to restore exchange backup to a different machine?is that possible? if it is then how? Thank you & Regards

any help is appriciable. Thanks

Please help me in the above mentioned scnario. Thanks

You should read the 2003 Disaster Recovery guide to understand whats needed http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb125070(EXCHG.65).aspx and here is a decent step by step process as well http://www.petri.co.il/exchange_disasterecovery_switch.htmTroy Werelius www.Lucid8.com Search, Recover, & Extract Mailboxes, Folders, & Email Items from Offline EDB's and Live Exchange Servers with Lucid8's DigiScope