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Exchange Database Is in a Dirty Shutdown State

[This topic is intended to address a specific issue called out by the Exchange Server Analyzer Tool. You should apply it only to systems that have had the Exchange Server Analyzer Tool run against them and are experiencing that specific issue. The Exchange Server Analyzer Tool, available as a free download, remotely collects configuration data from each server in the topology and automatically analyzes the data. The resulting report details important configuration issues, potential problems, and nondefault product settings. By following these recommendations, you can achieve better performance, scalability, reliability, and uptime. For more information about the tool or to download the latest versions, see "Microsoft Exchange Analyzers" at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=34707.]  

Topic Last Modified: 2006-10-30

The Microsoft® Exchange Server Analyzer Tool has determined that one of your databases was not shut down correctly. Therefore, the database files are still attached to the log files.

A Dirty Shutdown state does not indicate the database is corrupted or damaged. A Dirty Shutdown state indicates only that the database files were not detached from the log stream correctly. Therefore, before you can start the database again, you must first recover the database files.

The next time that the database is mounted, this recovery is run automatically. If automatic recovery fails, you can use the Microsoft Exchange Server Disaster Recovery Analyzer Tool to analyze the reasons for failure. After analysis, the Exchange Server Disaster Recovery Analyzer will provide recommendations for manually recovering the database files.

To correct this error

  • Bring the database to a Clean Shutdown state by replaying required transaction log files into the database. To replay the log files, mount the database. If this fails, use the Exchange Server Disaster Recovery Analyzer Tool to help isolate the reason for the failure.

For more information about the Exchange Server Disaster Recovery Analyzer Tool see Microsoft Knowledge Base article 922247, "Description of the Microsoft Exchange Server Disaster Recovery Analyzer tool for Exchange Server 2003" (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=3052&kbid=922247).