Microsoft Exchange Server’s most fundamental component is transaction log, and Exchange Server writes all the transactions to these log files and applies these written changes to the database, when the system permits. On starting Exchange server, when the Information Store comes online, ESE checks the consistency of the database, and in case of detection of inconsistencies, ESE replays the transaction log files to locate those transactions that have not been applied to the database. In Exchange Server terminology, this process is termed as ‘Soft Recovery’. There can be many situations when a soft recovery is being done and database is damaged. To determine if this problem actually exists or not, you can view the application event log and perform Microsoft Exchange Recovery procedures accordingly.

As an instance of such Exchange Server problems, suppose you try to restore the Information Store database, but it cannot be completed. Additionally on viewing the application event log, you receive the following event ID:

Event Type: Information
Event Source: ESE
Event Category:
Event ID: 301
Date: date
Time: time
User: N/A
Computer: server_name
Description:
<process name> (<process id>) <number> The database engine has begun replaying logfile [path]\[logfile name].
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It can be observed with both, Exchange-aware restore and offline restore of Information Store database. This event ID suggests that Exchange Server database engine has started replaying the log files indicated by [path]\[logfile name], where ‘path’ is the full path and ‘logfile name’ is the name of logfile being replayed. Not always, but event 301 many a times indicates that the Exchange Server database is corrupt.

Resolving Event 301

Generally, you need not take any action to isolate the issue. But you should check the application event log to determine more issues that are possible when starting the database. Check the log report for damaged or missing log files, if any and hence know the root of failure.

If you find any event that indicates database corruption, the further attempts should be done to restore the database. You can either restore it from the last backup available or repair the database by Exchange repair utilities or use a third-party Exchange Recovery Tool.

A Microsoft Exchange Recovery software can scan a corrupted Exchange database and restore its contents at a safe location. With their interactive design, you can find these utilities easy to run and use.

Exchange Server Recovery software is a professional tool that can repair a corrupted Exchange Server database and restore individual mailboxes as PST files. This is an all-inclusive Exchange Recovery Tool that allows selective mailbox recovery along with deleted mailbox recovery. It supports MS Exchange Server 2007, 2003, 2000, and 5.5.