Troubleshoot “ Failed to Mount Database in Exchange 2016, 2013 & 2010 ” Error

Exchange Server is a mail server that stores mailbox items such as emails, contacts, calendars, journals, etc. in EDB file. When an Exchange mailbox gets deleted or disabled, it becomes a disconnected or dismounted mailbox. So, for resolving the “ failed mount database in Exchange 2016 ” error, transaction log files are essential. Because it can track records of all transactions being made to Exchange EDB files.

If a log file gets removed from the database, which is not written to the associated database. Then, various issues can be generated that affect the performance of Exchange Server. Most of the cases, database failed to mount in Exchange 2016 and displays information about Exchange Server (HR=0X80004005, EC=-528) error.

Therefore, we will try to resolve this “ failed to mount the database in Exchange 2016, 2013 & 2010” error in this article.

“Exchange is unable to mount the database that you specified. 
Specified database: Servername\First Storage Group\Mailbox Database; 
Error code: mapiExceptionCallFailed: Unable to mount the database. 
(hr=0x80004005, ec=-528)”

Sometimes, if users try to mount their Microsoft Exchange mailbox store, then an error message may appear in front of you that says:

Reasons behind An Error: Unable to Mount Database in Exchange 2016, 2013 & 2010

• If you have done the number of attempts towards mounting the Exchange database store and you are still facing the same error message “ failed to mount database an active manager operation failed in Exchange 2016 “ each time. Then, the main reason behind this error message may be missing of one or more than one transaction log files.
• Most of the time, this cannot mount database in Exchange occurs due to improper shutdown. This is happening because of sudden power failure or many similar reasons. It turns Exchange server database to a Dirty Shutdown state.

If Exchange database is shut down improperly then make sure that you have moved the entire log files as well as checkpoint files to any other folder. Then, try to re-mount it and fix the (hr=0x80004005, ec=-528) message. In the upcoming section, we will define a procedure to bring the database to a consistent mode.

How to Resolve “ Failed to Mount Database in Exchange 2016, 2013 & 2010” Problem?

In order to fix error code HR=0X80004005 or “ active manager ” error message, you should move the entire transaction log files into a different folder. Once all the files are moved, follow the given below steps:

1. First of all, stop the Exchange Information Store & all the databases existing in the storage group.
2. After that, you have to check the integrity of the database. For this purpose, run the eseutil/mh command. The switch must be followed by the database name. Then, analyze the value corresponding to State under the header section.
3. After analyzing the database, if you find the Exchange database is in the consistent state or properly shut down, then remove all the transaction log files safely and store them into a different folder. But keep in mind, current transaction log files will not be removed from Exchange database.
4. If the Exchange database is not properly shut down or exists in the inconsistent state. Then, you have to make an effort to restore the data from the last online backup. In case, if online backup data is in the invalid state, then you have to run the eseutil/ r utility for soft recovery.

If any corrupt files exist within the Exchange database, then run the Eseutil/ p utility to analyze the database. Also, check the available free storage capacity on the drive; it should be approximately twice the volume of Exchange database.

To fix unable to mount database in Exchange 2013 or other versions, it is required to take a backup of the complete database of Exchange Server because data loss can occur at any time. Therefore, it is effective to access the third-party recovery software to recover the Mailboxes in Exchange without any data loss. But, there are numerous things that a database administrator must consider before using any professional solution.

Points to be Consider while Choosing Professional Recovery Solution

If you have tired of trying all the recovery methods and nothing seems to work to resolve the error failed to mount database an active manager operation failed in Exchange. Then, the next step is to employ a third-party solution provided by SysTools i.e. Exchange EDB Reapir tool that bring the database to the consistent mode so as to repair corrupted Exchange mailbox.

Before doing so, it is important to analyze and check the functional criteria of the tool before making any initial investment.

There are some features mentioned below, which should be present in the recovery tool.

• Handle Different Levels of Corruption in Exchange:
  The tool must be capable to repair the corrupted database in Exchange and remove all error messages under all circumstances. Also, the software should be able to handle all levels of corruption; whether it would be higher or lower. The Quick and Advance scan mode option recovers & repair EDB file from corruption.
• Support Recovery of Deleted EDB Mailboxes:
  The software that you are occupying for the recovery must be capable of restoring deleted folders along with the mailboxes. The tool should be designed with advanced recovery algorithms that are capable to recover all possible accidentally or intentionally deleted mailboxes data from the Exchange Server database. The Advance scan mode option easily recovers purged Exchange database mailboxes and data items from the loaded EDB file. Users can easily recover deleted mailbox after retention period.
• Export EDB Files to Live Exchange Server 2013/2016 & Office 365:
  You must check the intended software is capable to export recovered database files to the Exchange Server. In addition, the application must be compatible to work with the latest version of the Exchange Server along with all lower versions such as 2016, 2013, and below editions. You can select the export option and migrate public folders to Office 365 along with private Exchange mailboxes.
• Recover All Attachments & Maintain Hierarchy
  While looking for the application to restore mailboxes and fix the error messages like Failed to mount database in Exchange, you should keep in mind the tool must recover the all the mailbox components along with emails, attachments, contacts, notes, calendar entries, etc. Moreover, it would also able to maintain the structure and hierarchy even after the recovery.

In addition to this, there are also various things that users must search at the time of selecting the Exchange EDB recovery software such as creating the preview of all recoverable data, export by category, time and date based filter, export selective items, etc.

After considering the above-mentioned points, the third-party solution is the finest software that fulfills the user’s requirements. It has a facility to recover all the corrupted, deleted or inaccessible data items of Exchange server. Apart from this, it is capable to remove various error messages like error HR=0X80004005 that is faced by users.

Conclusion

In the above-discussed blog, we have shaded light on “ Failed to mount database in Exchange 2016, 2013 & 2010 ” error message and the reasons for this problem. Apart from this, we have also described the step by step process to fix this issue. If this error does not resolve by using the manual procedure, then a profession tool is also suggested to fix cannot mount database in Exchange error.