Summary: In Exchange Server, public folders serve as a shared storage where users can organize the data and share the data with other members of the organization. If a public folder is accidentally deleted from the Exchange Server, the shared data will be lost. In this post, we will discuss the methods to recover the deleted public folders from EDB file. We will also mention an Exchange recovery tool that can help recover deleted public folder mailboxes from EDB file.
In Exchange Server, public folders are used to collect, organize, and share information with other people in your workgroup or organization. The public folder architecture uses specially designed mailboxes, known as public folder mailboxes, to store both the public folder hierarchy and its content. When a mailbox containing public folders or a public folder mailbox is accidentally deleted from the database, its contents remain in the source database (EDB file), until the retention period expires. You can recover these soft deleted public folders from the EDB file before the retention period is over. In this post, we will discuss different methods to recover accidentally deleted public folders from EDB file.
Methods to Recover Accidentally Deleted Public Folders from EDB File
Below, we have mentioned some methods that you can follow to recover deleted public folders and public folder mailboxes from EDB file.
Method 1: Recover Deleted Public Folders using PowerShell Cmdlets
Note: This method is applicable for Exchange version 2013.
You can use this method in the following cases:
- When the soft-deleted copy of public folder still exists in the source public folder mailbox and is still within the retention period.
- When the soft-deleted copy of public folder mailbox still exists in the source mailbox database and is still within the mailbox retention period.
You can use the New-MailboxRestoreRequest cmdlet to restore the deleted public folder. However, to use this cmdlet, the user account that you will be using must be a part of the Organization Management role group.
Here’s an example of the cmdlet:
New-MailboxRestoreRequest -SourceStoreMailbox Development -SourceDatabase MBX_DB01 -TargetMailbox Development01 -AllowLegacyDNMismatch -IncludeFolders \Dev\CustomerEngagementsIn the above cmdlet, you can enter the name of public folder you want to restore with the –IncludeFolders parameter.
Similarly, to restore a public folder mailbox, you can use the New-MailboxRestoreRequest cmdlet as given below:
New-MailboxRestoreRequest -SourceStoreMailbox PF_Singapore -SourceDatabase MBX_DB01 -TargetMailbox PF_Singapore_Restore –AllowLegacyDNMismatchThe above cmdlet will restore the public folder mailbox, named PF_Singapore, to the new public folder mailbox, named PF_Singapore_Restore.
Method 2: Recover Deleted Public Folders using Outlook
From Outlook 2007 onwards, public folders are a part of user mailboxes. Hence, recovering deleted public folders is similar to recovering other deleted items in Outlook. You can recover accidentally deleted public folders using the Recover Deleted Items option in Outlook , if the retention period is not expired.
To recover deleted public folder, open Outlook and simply select the Recover Deleted Items option under the Folders ribbon.
A window will open displaying the recoverable items. Select the public folders you want to recover and click OK.
Method 3: Recover Deleted Public Folder Mailboxes from Backup
If the mailbox retention period has expired, you can recover the deleted public folder mailboxes from the backup. After restoring the backup, you can use the recovery database to restore the deleted public folders. Here’s how:
Note: For demonstration purposes, we are using Windows Server Backup to restore the database from the backup.
Step 1: Recover Database from Backup using Windows Server Backup
- Open Windows Server Backup and click on Recover.
- Choose the location to store the backup and the date of a backup. Then, click Next.
- Select the application as Exchange and click Next.
- Select if you want to restore the data at the original location or a new location.
The recovery process will begin and the recovered data will be saved at the location you have selected.
Step 2: Restore Public Folders using Recovery Database
Navigate to the location where you have restored the database and its log files. Then, use the Eseutil command as given below to bring the restored database to clean shutdown state:
Eseutil /R EXX /l <RDBLogFilePath> /d <RDBEdbFolder>Once the database is in clean shutdown state, create a recovery database using the following command:
New-MailboxDatabase -Recovery -Name <RDBName> -Server <ServerName> -EdbFilePath <RDBPathandFileName> -LogFolderPath <LogFilePath>In the above command, use the location of the log files of the recovered database as input for the –LogFolderPath parameter.
Then, restart the Microsoft Exchange Information Store Service using the following command:
Restart-Service MSExchangeISNow, mount the recovery database using the Mount-database command as given below:
Mount-database <RDBName>Once the recovery database is mounted on the server, use the New-MailboxRestoreRequest to restore the public folder mailbox to the mailbox database. Use the following command:
New-MailboxRestoreRequest -SourceDatabase DB1 -SourceStoreMailbox 1d20855f-fd54-4681-98e6-e249f7326ddd -TargetMailbox Eric TThe above command will restore the source mailbox that has the MailboxGUID 1d20855f-fd54-4681-98e6-e249f7326ddd from the mailbox database DB1 to the target mailbox with the alias Eric T.
You can check the status of restore request by using the Get-MailboxRestoreRequest command. When the restore request is successfully completed, you can remove the request by using the Remove-MailboxRestoreRequest command.
Method 3: Recover Deleted Public Folders using Stellar Repair for Exchange
If you want to quickly and easily recover accidentally deleted public folders from EDB file, you can use Stellar Repair for Exchange. This software can recover deleted public folders and public folder mailboxes from EDB file. You just need to launch the software and select the EDB file that contains the soft deleted public folders or public folder mailboxes. The software will scan the EDB file and list all the recoverable items on the screen. You can then select the public folders or public folder mailboxes and directly export them to a live Exchange Server database. It can also save the public folders and other Exchange database items in PST format. It can also export the EDB file items directly to a Microsoft 365 account.
All you need to know about Public Folder Backup and Recovery
To safeguard the data stored in EDB files against various risks and threats, it is recommended that you must follow a strict backup schedule. Backup tasks may look tedious at first, but their real worth is only proved in the instance of server failure. Even DBAs cannot predict the date and time when the server would encounter downtime or the Public Folders turn inaccessible. Therefore, backup is the only key to restore lost and deleted mailbox objects in case of severe corruption and server failure.
You cannot delete the public folder from an organization or restore it from the older version of public folder database. If you attempt to restore the public folder from backup and try to place it back into production, the public folder will appear only after the replication messages are received by the server.
The hierarchy of public folder does not include folders that are deleted from the environment. Therefore, the target server incorporates replicas of only those folders that do not exist (from the Exchange Server perspective). As the folders are deleted from the public folder hierarchy, the public folder database will get to know about the folders that do not exist, the moment the hierarchy update is received.
Conclusion
You can use public folders to share information with members of a workgroup or organization. The public folders’ data and hierarchy are stored in the public folder mailbox. When you delete a public folder or the public folder mailbox, it remains in the original database in a soft deleted state until the mailbox retention period is expired. You can use the New-MailboxRestoreRequest command to restore the public folders or the public folder mailbox from the EDB file before the retention period is over. However, if the mailbox retention period has expired, you can use the Recovery Database to restore the public folder mailbox. Both these methods require additional permissions and an online EDB file that is compatible with the server. As an alternative, you can use Stellar Repair for Exchange that can recover accidentally deleted public folders or public folder mailboxes from offline or even corrupted EDB files of any Exchange Server version.
