ISINTEG

The Information Store Integrity Checker (ISINTEG) finds and eliminates common errors from the Microsoft Exchange Server public and private information store databases. These errors can prevent the information store from starting or prevent users from logging on and receiving, opening, or deleting mail.

ISINTEG has three modes that are run independently:

• Check mode
• Check and fix mode
• Patch mode

In Check mode, ISINTEG searches the information store databases for table errors, incorrect reference counts, and unreferenced objects. During this operation, ISINTEG displays the results and writes them to a log file.

Check and fix mode should be used only at the advice of Microsoft Technical Support. In check and fix mode, ISINTEG performs the tests in check mode and corrects the errors. It is recommended that you perform a backup before running this utility. Otherwise, it browses the database, displays the results, and writes them to a log file.

In patch mode, ISINTEG repairs information stores that will not start after being restored from an offline backup.

Checking the Tables

ISINTEG must be run separately on the public and private information store. It is run from the Windows NT Server command line. The information store must be stopped when you run the utility.

Normally, ISINTEG browses only the information store database tables for errors, displays the results, and reports them to a log file. The -fix option instructs it to repair the errors it finds. This option should be used only at the advice of Microsoft Technical Support. Details of all repairs are recorded in a log file. If a log file is not specified, the results are written to either Isinteg.pri or Isinteg.pub, depending on the whether the private or public information store was chosen.

Complete the following procedure to run ISINTEG.

1. Stop the information store.
2. At the command prompt, type isinteg followed by one or more of the options. The options can be listed in any order. In the following example, ISINTEG checks the private information store database and writes the results to the specified log.
C:\EXCHSRVR\BIN> isinteg -pri -l c:\systest\private.log
In the following example, ISINTEG checks the public information store, fixes errors, and writes the results to a log file named Isinteg.pub.

C:\EXCHSRVR\BIN> isinteg -pub -fix

Option	Description
-?	Displays the option list. Does not run the utility.
-pri	Checks the private information store.
-pub	Checks the public information store.
-fix	Corrects table errors and inaccurate cross-reference counts, and deletes unreferenced names. This should be used only at the advice of Microsoft Technical Support.
-verbose	Verifies and reports all activity.
-l (filename)	Changes the name of the log file. The default is Isinteg.pri or Isinteg.pub.

Patching the Information Store

The Microsoft Exchange Server information store cannot start if the globally unique identifier (GUID) for the information store does not match the GUID stored in the Windows NT Registry and the directory. This can occur if the Microsoft Exchange Server has been restored from an offline backup.

In patch mode, ISINTEG replaces GUIDs, resetting the entries in the database, directory and registry. It also patches information used in replication to prevent incorrect backfilling. This completes the restore operation and allows the information store to start again.

ISINTEG patch mode runs on the entire information store. It cannot be run on just the public or private information store database.

Tip   If the information store on your server won't start, search for Event ID 2084 in the Windows NT application event log:

The information store was restored from an offline backup. Run ISINTEG -patch before starting the information store.

This indicates that a restore patch is missing and that running the ISINTEG patch will fix the problem.

In patch mode, ISINTEG does not perform database integrity tests. Patch mode and check mode must be run separately. It is recommended that you run ISINTEG in check mode after running it in patch mode.

Complete the following procedure to run ISINTEG in patch mode.

1. Stop the information store.
2. At the command prompt, type isinteg -patch followed by one or more of the options described in the "Checking the Tables" section earlier in this chapter. In the following example, ISINTEG replaces GUIDs. The log uses the default file name.

C:\EXCHSRVR\BIN> isinteg -patch