Microsoft Exchange Server database file can often develop errors, which it finds unable to remove by normal repair methods. Inability to open a database file is one such error. An Exchange Recovery tool comes handy when your Exchange database becomes corrupted and you have no backup to restore.

The further discussion depicts a commonly occurring problem when trying to open an Exchange database file. In such situations, you can encounter unexpected error and file open operation might fail. On viewing the application event log, you may observe the below event log:

Event Type: Error Event Source: ESE Event Category: General Event ID: 489 Computer:Computer Name Description: Process name [process id] file name: An attempt to open the file [path\file name] for read-only access failed with [Error Code and Explanation]. The open file operation will fail with error [Error Code].

Cause and Resolution

The actual cause of event 489 can be determined by the error code ('error_code') displaying at the end of its 'Description' section. Below are the possibly occurring error codes along with their causes and solutions:

Error -1032= ' JET_errFileAccessDenied'= File cannot be accessed

The file is in use by some other process or utility like, a virus checker or a backup program. Another cause can be insufficient permissions on folder containing database files to let the store to function correctly.

Thus, you need to configure the program using the database file to not scan the Exchange Server directories and/or to change the folder permissions to the default ones.

Error -1022='JET_errDiskIO' = Disk I/O error

The requested database page cannot be accessed due to an I/O error. It could be because of disk or controller failure or because the path to check file is incorrect.

You should run chkdsk /f /r command, check valid permissions on Exchsrvr folder, ensure the correct path to check file, and troubleshoot file-level anti-virus software scanning. After this, you need to either restore the database from backup or repair the database using Exchange Recovery Tool- eseutil/p, isinteg -fix, and ExMerge.

Error -1023= 'JET_errInvalidPath' = Invalid file path

Possible causes are changed path to log files or check files before restoring and corrupted check files or temporary files created while a defragmentation or a repair.

Therefore, you need to place back the files to their original locations and remove the corrupted files. To correct database inconsistency, you need to either restore the database from backup or repair the database using eseutil/p, isinteg -fix, and ExMerge tools.

Exchange Server Recovery utilities can delete the corrupted pages. For safe repair, use of Exchange Recovery Software is recommended.

Exchange Recovery Tool is a reliable exchange 2003 recovery utility that is used to repair corrupted Exchange database and restore its mailboxes as *.pst files at a safe location. This Exchange Server Recovery software supports MS Exchange Server 2007, 2003, 2000, and 5.5 and can also recover deleted mailboxes.