Need to retrieve information from a retired server   

Hoping someone can help, here's the situation:

A Windows 2000 server had lots of problems so a new server was
purchased.
The users were using Outlook to download their email via remote POP
server, but were using their Exchange mailboxes to store the data.

For the migration, we went around to all stations and exported
peoples' information from Outlook to pst files, which were later
imported ... we no longer use Exchange but just pst files stored in a
server folder. This has worked perfectly for everyone, except one user
has told me she doesn't have her contacts. I can only speculate as to
why they did not get transfered - I had a few technicians working to
get them all done quickly.

Anyway, since then the original server was demoted down no longer a
domain controller. New system is a new domain, no migration was done.

Exchange services not running on old server, and I need to retrieve
this one user's address book she is insisting didn't get exported.

Any way to retrieve information from a server no longer 'running'
Exchange? The Exchange folder is still on the hard drive, but the
services won't start because it cannot see the old domain - it doesn't
exist. But shouldn't the data still be there in some form?

I'd appreciate any suggestions as to how to get this user's address
book back for her.

Thanks


---Atreju---

date: Tue, 25 Apr 2006 20:33:17 -0400   author:   Atreju mail

Re: Need to retrieve information from a retired server   

In news:1bus429q4m68j94daejv2mcmhcbdh4e7g1@4ax.com,
Atreju <someone@who.hates.junkmail> typed:
> Hoping someone can help, here's the situation:
>
> A Windows 2000 server had lots of problems so a new server was
> purchased.
> The users were using Outlook to download their email via remote POP
> server, but were using their Exchange mailboxes to store the data.
>
> For the migration, we went around to all stations and exported
> peoples' information from Outlook to pst files, which were later
> imported ... we no longer use Exchange but just pst files stored in a
> server folder. This has worked perfectly for everyone, except one user
> has told me she doesn't have her contacts. I can only speculate as to
> why they did not get transfered - I had a few technicians working to
> get them all done quickly.
>
> Anyway, since then the original server was demoted down no longer a
> domain controller. New system is a new domain, no migration was done.
>
> Exchange services not running on old server, and I need to retrieve
> this one user's address book she is insisting didn't get exported.
>
> Any way to retrieve information from a server no longer 'running'
> Exchange? The Exchange folder is still on the hard drive, but the
> services won't start because it cannot see the old domain - it doesn't
> exist. But shouldn't the data still be there in some form?
>
> I'd appreciate any suggestions as to how to get this user's address
> book back for her.
>
> Thanks
>
>
> ---Atreju---

You might check out Recovery Manager for Exchange at www.quest.com - it's 
very handy in situations like this.

In the future, should you run into a situation like this, do an exmerge from 
the server, rather than exporting in Outlook. It's a lot more reliable.

In addition, be aware that your current configuration is unsupported and 
will likely cause problems, major and minor -
http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?id=297019.

date: Tue, 25 Apr 2006 20:40:54 -0400   author:   Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]

Re: Need to retrieve information from a retired server   

How about a 3rd party tool like Quest Recovery Manager? Strikes me as 
overkill for this situation though. You could also go through a DR process 
for the old server, more time but less cold hard cash.

Nue
"Atreju" <someone@who.hates.junkmail> wrote in message 
news:1bus429q4m68j94daejv2mcmhcbdh4e7g1@4ax.com...
> Hoping someone can help, here's the situation:
>
> A Windows 2000 server had lots of problems so a new server was
> purchased.
> The users were using Outlook to download their email via remote POP
> server, but were using their Exchange mailboxes to store the data.
>
> For the migration, we went around to all stations and exported
> peoples' information from Outlook to pst files, which were later
> imported ... we no longer use Exchange but just pst files stored in a
> server folder. This has worked perfectly for everyone, except one user
> has told me she doesn't have her contacts. I can only speculate as to
> why they did not get transfered - I had a few technicians working to
> get them all done quickly.
>
> Anyway, since then the original server was demoted down no longer a
> domain controller. New system is a new domain, no migration was done.
>
> Exchange services not running on old server, and I need to retrieve
> this one user's address book she is insisting didn't get exported.
>
> Any way to retrieve information from a server no longer 'running'
> Exchange? The Exchange folder is still on the hard drive, but the
> services won't start because it cannot see the old domain - it doesn't
> exist. But shouldn't the data still be there in some form?
>
> I'd appreciate any suggestions as to how to get this user's address
> book back for her.
>
> Thanks
>
>
> ---Atreju---

date: Tue, 25 Apr 2006 20:54:07 -0400   author:   Nuevo