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Recovering a Corrupted Exchange Database with Stellar Repair for Exchange

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As someone who has managed multiple on-premises Exchange environments over the years, I’ve dealt with my fair share of database corruption issues. Some are minor annoyances; others can disrupt business operations for hours.

Recently, I had to handle a corruption incident in a small IT firm running Exchange Server 2016, and that’s when I truly tested Stellar Repair for Exchange. This review covers my real experience from that incident including features, the step-by-step process I followed, pros, cons, and my final verdict.

What Made Me Try Stellar Repair for Exchange?

A few months ago, I was managing an Exchange Server 2016 environment for a small IT firm when we suddenly faced a database corruption issue. After an unexpected power outage overnight, one of our mailbox databases roughly 60–70 GB refused to mount and showed a Dirty Shutdown state.

I tried using Eseutil for soft recovery, but a couple of missing log files made it impossible to bring the database back online. With several users unable to access email and pressure building, I needed a clean, reliable way to recover their mailboxes quickly. That’s when I turned to Stellar Repair for Exchange to scan the corrupted EDB and extract the mailboxes we urgently needed.

Features I Found Most Useful

While Exchange Recovery tool has a long list of features, these were the ones that actually mattered in my situation:

1. EDB File Repair (Corrupted or Inaccessible Databases)

The software can scan and repair corrupted EDB files without depending on log files, which was exactly my problem missing logs.

2. Mailbox-Level Recovery

Instead of forcing me to restore the entire database, Stellar Repair for Exchange let me extract only the mailboxes I needed, saving a lot of time.

3. Preview of Recovered Items

The detailed preview helped me confirm that emails, attachments, and folders were intact before exporting.

4. Running the Scan

The scan completed faster than I expected. For a 60–70 GB EDB, it didn’t take long.
Once done, it displayed all mailboxes in a tree format.

5. Previewing Mail Items

Before exporting, I clicked through several mailboxes:

  • Inbox
  • Sent Items
  • Deleted Items
  • Calendar
  • Attachments

Everything seemed intact, and I could even preview corrupted items that wouldn’t open in Outlook earlier.

6. Exporting the Mailboxes

Because people needed immediate access, I exported the recovered mailboxes to PST files and imported them into fresh mailboxes.

For one user, I also tried direct export to Exchange, and it worked perfectly.

7. Validating the Data

I opened the PST files in Outlook, verified metadata, read/unread states, folder hierarchy, and attachments, everything was correct.

8. Closing the Recovery

After users confirmed they could access all necessary emails, I documented the recovery using Stellar’s exportable logs.

Pros

1. It Actually Works When Native Tools Fail

Eseutil couldn’t help me, but Stellar Repair for Exchange recovered every mailbox I needed.

2. Easy to Use; Even for Non-Exchange Experts

The GUI is clean, intuitive, and requires no deep Exchange knowledge.

3. Selective Recovery Saves Time

I didn’t need the whole database, just specific mailboxes. Stellar Repair for Exchange made this very easy.

4. Works Without Log Files

Missing logs would’ve made native recovery almost impossible. Stellar Repair for Exchange didn’t require them.

5. Fast and Reliable

Recovery time was much shorter than expected for a database of this size.

6. Multiple Export Options

Being able to export to PST, Exchange, or Office 365 made the process flexible.

Cons

1. Pricing Can Be High for Small Businesses

It’s not cheap, especially for smaller firms. But in emergencies, it pays for itself.

Final Verdict

In this real-life situation, Stellar Repair for Exchange essentially saved the day. I had a corrupted Exchange database stuck in Dirty Shutdown, missing log files, and an anxious user base waiting to regain access to their mailboxes.

Here’s what mattered most to me:

  • It recovered every mailbox I needed.
  • The data was clean and intact.
  • Users were back online quickly.
  • I didn’t risk data loss with eseutil /p.
  • The whole process was straightforward and stress-free.

If you manage Exchange environments, this is one tool you’ll be glad you have when things go wrong. It’s reliable, intuitive, and gets the job done when native tools fall short.

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About Julian Becker

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