I take weekly backups of exchange in full. I also take complete weekly backups of the entire server.

It is a Server 2003 R2 with AD and Exchange 2003 all on one box.

One users inbox has disappeared. She has 19000+ junk items now. It is possible the inbox got mixed into the junk. Regardless it is such a huge mess she is not going to go through all of that....

I want to restore he mailbox from the backup.

I followed this MS KB http://support.microsoft.com/kb/823176 I had to use Method 3. I have a VM of Server 2003 R2 with exchange but I am having failures on the restore from NT backup. The backup log just states to check the application log.... Application log points to backup log...

Only info Is failed to restore

Only thing different is the computer name...

The only error I can find is in the Application log.

Information Store Database not found

All others just say that the backup failed.

Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

UPDATE

I have successfully proven I can restore the DB into a recovery storage group in my VM Unfortunately due to the actual account being on a different store I am unable to do the recovery... Error is The attempt to log on to the Microsoft Exchange Server computer has failed. The MAPI provider failed. Microsoft Exchange Server Information Store ID no: 8004011d-0512-00000000

Two questions

QUESTION 1 Should I repeat my steps on the production exchange server in the recover storage group? then merge into her original account? I am just concerned with doing recovery like that on the live server....

QUESTION 2 Is there any way I can extract her .PST from my recovery VM and then import into her outlook?

On the Recovery VM:

I restored the raw DB from my full backup

repaired it with ESEUTIL

then mounted in the recovery store.

Was thinking I could just repeat and mount in the main store on the VM?

Thanks for the suggestions.