How to Fix Exchange Dirty Shutdown State? Know the Right Way

Microsoft Exchange databases are integral in managing an organization’s communication system, as they store all emails, calendars, contacts, notes, tasks, etc. of a user mailbox. However, there are certain factors such as sudden power failures, malware attacks, and server crashes, which can lead to the database entering a ‘dirty shutdown’ state leaving it inaccessible and prone to corruption.

Table of Content

• Reasons for Exchange Server Dirty Shutdown
• Dirty Shutdown Aftermath
• Fix Exchange DB Dirty Shutdown State
  • Steps to Use ESEUTIL
  • Limits of ESEUTIL
• Repair Dirty Shutdown Professionally
• Software Features
• Conclusion
• FAQ

There are some scenarios due to which the database goes into dirty shutdown such as:

• Sudden power failure
• Malware or trojan attack on the server
• Storage space issues in Exchange
• Server crashes

And many more…

Most probably, the Exchange 2010, 2013, and 2016 database’s dirty shutdown state occurs when the transaction log files are not committed to the Exchange database. As we all know how much log files are important to the MS Exchange database. It records every event as well as communication that occurred in the database.

When Exchange log files aren’t detached or disconnected from the database then it goes into a dirty shutdown state. Moreover, if the transaction log file completely dismounts to its Exchange database then the state of the EDB is in a clean shutdown.

Reasons Behind Dirty Shutdown in Exchange Server

There is no built-in indicator on any version of Exchange that starts blinking before a dirty shutdown. However, through smart analysis and by staying vigilant, one can identify patterns on their servers. This is because behavioral changes start long before any abrupt closure of the Exchange server. If these hits are identified on a timely basis, one can prevent unplanned turn-off events altogether. So here is a list of hints that administrators need to keep an eye out for:

Has the EDB file become too big? An overly large Exchange database won’t load properly into the RAM. A host of startup issues that eventually transform into a dirty shutdown.

Admins should ask if the Exchange server is overheating. Many admins tend to ignore this symptom. Due to the false belief that it is a high workload, the server will cool down on its own after some time. However, the longer a server stays beyond the optimal temperature, the higher the chances of it encountering irregularities during the shutdown. An overdue cleanup of both hardware and software components is leading to the development of heating issues.

If an external application causes an overload of hardware, such as a high CPU demand that is beyond the capacity of the Exchange server, then to protect itself, it may shut down abruptly.
Power surges combined with a lack of predictive equipment like UPS may be the reason for this strange behavior on the exchange server.

Common Exchange Database Dirty Shutdown State Errors

Following are the various Exchange errors that occur when the Exchange 2016, 2013 or 2010 database goes into a dirty shutdown state:

• Error MapiExceptionNetworkError Unable To Mount Database “(hr=0x80040115, ec=-2147221227)”
• Unable to mount database “(hr=0x80004005, ec=-528)”
• The Exchange database wasn’t shut cleanly (Dirty Shutdown)

How to Fix Exchange DB Dirty Shutdown State?

One can also go for the in-built utility provided by Microsoft i.e. ESEUTIL to resolve the Exchange Dirty Shutdown error. It is a command-line tool that helps recover Exchange databases from dirty shutdown states by performing soft and hard repairs.

Note: if the damage is extensive, the process can lead to data loss, which is why using it requires careful attention

Users can use this tool to perform Soft Recovery (eseutil /r) and Hard Recovery (eseutil /p) in the Exchange database. So, that they can able to mount the database again. But before fixing the error, there are certain points that users should keep in mind:

• Always keep a backup of the Exchange Database and Streaming Media File along with log files.
• Keep enough space in the system to perform this task.

Use ESEUTIL to Resolve Exchange Dirty Shutdown State

Step 1. First, check the state of the database whether it is in Clean or Dirty Shutdown by using the command below:

Output:

Step 2. Repair Exchange Database Dirty Shutdown by using the command given below:

This command will bring back the Exchange database into a Clean Shutdown state in case of minor corruption issues.

Step 3. Again check the state of the database and if it is still in a dirty shutdown state, then the user will have to perform a hard repair on the database:

Note: Using this command users may lose their crucial data. Instead of this, you can use the advanced software provided in the following segment of this write-up. It easily recovers severely damaged Exchange database files with no data loss.

Step 4. Now users have to defrag the Exchange mailbox database by using eseutil /d command:

Then the Exchange database will be back in a Clean state and you can mount the DB back in the Exchange Server.

Users can also use the ISINTEG utility to remove Exchange 2010, 2013, 2016 database dirty shutdown state by using the cmdlet given below:

Limitation Of ESEUTIL Utility

• Requires hands-on experience and in-depth technical knowledge.
• Time-consuming and needs a large space to perform this method.
• It is not possible to predict how much data will be lost while using this solution.

Smart Way to Repair Exchange DB Dirty Shutdown State

You can use the advanced Exchange Mailbox Recovery Tool which saves your precious time by recovering and repairing corrupted/damaged offline or dismounted Exchange database files in a simplified way. It provides two scanning options i.e. (Quick and Advance scan) which are capable enough to repair EDB file corruption issues.

The advanced scanning option of this utility also recovers hard deleted .edb file data items as well. So, now users can use this option to recover deleted mailboxes after the retention period. This utility exports the recovered and healthy private mailboxes & public folders directly to the Live Exchange Server, Office 365, and PST, MBOX, MSG, HTML, PDF, and EML file formats.

Download Now Purchase Now

Key Features of the Automated Software

• Recover and Repair Public and Private offline/dismounted EDB file
• Preview Microsoft Exchange mailbox data items before conversion
• Extract mailbox from EDB File Exchange 2013, 2016, 2019 version
• Preserve the actual folder structure and keep metadata intact
• Categories and Date filter option convert select Exchange data
• Remove encryption from Exchange mailbox i.e. (SMIME/OpenPGP) in bulk
• Compatible with all versions of MS Exchange Server and Windows OS

Bringing It All Together

This write-up provides detailed information to resolve Exchange’s dirty shutdown state via ESEUTIL utility. Although this utility doesn’t guarantee that your database will be back in a clean shutdown state without any data loss, it is still a useful solution provided by Microsoft. However, if you want a trusted solution that offers a foolproof solution to fix corruption issues without any data loss, then SysTools Software should be your first choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What are the common reasons why the Exchange database goes into a dirty shutdown state?
A. There are multiple reasons for your Exchange database going into a dirty shutdown state:

• Hardware Failure
• Server Crashes
• Power Outage
• Insufficient Disk Space
• Software Issues

This is not an exhaustive list there might be others as well.

Q1. What are the potential risks of an Exchange Server dirty shutdown event?
After an Exchange database undergoes a dirty shutdown it can cause database corruption, data loss, and inability to mount the database to the Server.

Q2. How can I fix the dirty shutdown state?
To get your server out of a dirty shutdown, repair the Exchange database. You can run the eseutil command or use the professional and automated solution specifically designed for successful recovery operations.

Q3. Is there a chance of data loss if I perform recovery during the dirty shutdown state?
Yes, there are certain chances of data loss while performing recovery in case of a highly corrupted Exchange database. However, you can minimize this risk by keeping a backup copy of your database and using a professional tool to perform a recovery job.

Q4. How long would the recovery process take?
The time taken to fix the Exchange database’s dirty shutdown state majorly depends on the size of the database, the corruption level in the database, and the recovery method you choose. If you prefer a quick and efficient process, we would recommend you go with the aforementioned utility.

Q5. Do I need to create a backup copy of my database before attempting recovery from a dirty shutdown?
Yes! Creating a database backup is recommended before any recovery operations. This practice makes sure that you can roll back in case things don’t go as planned.