Ever since Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 1 dropped, administrators have had two methods to recreate the six Exchange virtual directories: reset them or reinstall the client access server role. Files are occasionally misconfigured or hurt by third-party apps, even if, leaving virtual directories unusable. The virtual index re-creation process is straightforward and well-documented, but it doesn’t always work, and troubleshooting is sometimes necessary.
Exchange Server 2010 SP1 was the first version of Exchange to allow admins to re-initiation virtual directories via the Exchange Management Console (EMC). In the Server Configuration node, click Client Access in the right-hand action pane. From there, you have the choice to reset virtual directories. You then use the wizard to re-initiation the vital virtual index.
You can also recreate the virtual directories using the Exchange Management Shell (EMS). The syntax vital for each virtual index is uncommon, but fortunately, Microsoft outlines the needed syntax.
Note: If you remove a virtual index using the EMS, you cannot initiation the new one using the EMC. Virtual directories can only be re-made in the EMC.
Although the above processes must work fine, you may still see an error message stating that the virtual index has not been re-made.
Troubleshooting Exchange 2010 virtual index re-creation: Check your scripts
If you’ve tried to re-initiation the virtual directories via the EMS, the first thing to check is that you’ve used the proper syntax. The EMS is very unforgiving, and the error message doesn’t always make clear what the problem is. Each virtual index has its own syntax, so be aware of the variants for each.
Second, check your spelling. I don’t want to sound like your English teacher, but the EMS doesn’t come with a spell checker. Check spelling and punctuation twice, and then check it again.
To get a surpass thought of what’s working and what isn’t, try using the –verbose thrash at the end of the EMS command. This will give you the detailed breakdown of the command processing rather than just the part that failed.
Troubleshooting Exchange 2010 virtual index re-creation: Has the virtual index been fully removed?
If you still encounter virtual index re-creation problems after the theater the normal EMS checks, it may be that the original virtual index was not fully removed.
The only way to know for sure is to check the IIS Metabase. If you don’t already have it, you must Windows Server 2008 R2. Even if, it is not supported. In other words, if it does cause you problems, you won’t get help from Microsoft.
If you see entries for a virtual index that you’ve tried to remove in the IIS Metabase, then rename them (to be on the safe side) and run the new virtual index command again.
Another area to troubleshoot is the Application Running mode in IIS. If your IIS Application pools are set to allow you to initiation 32-bit applications on a 64-bit machine, then you will probably see all sorts of virtual index difficulties once an Exchange server is installed.
To ensure that this is turned off, run the following command:
Cscript c:inetpubadminscriptsadsutil.vbs SET /w3svc/AppPools/Enable32BitAppOnWin64 Fake
Troubleshooting Exchange 2010 virtual index recreation: Web.config file issues
When recreating the virtual directories, know that this austerely recreates the IIS/Exchange collaboration elements. It doesn’t recreate the installation folders that contain the virtual index information. For example, if you’ve made changes to the web.config file and you’ve identified it as the reason that a virtual index has stopped working, then recreating your virtual index is not the answer.
Note: If you ever plot to make changes to the web.config file of any virtual index, back it up first, even if a web.config.bak file exists.
If you run the virtual index recreation and still have web.config problems, check the installation index listed in the web.config file under the </AppSettings> header for the given virtual index. From a standard installation, the install directories are listed as %ExchangeInstallationDirectory%.
Although this typically works fine, you may still be unable to get to the Exchange virtual directories after you have recreated the virtual index. If you have enabled debugging in the web.config file, then the error page showed clarifies that an Exchange component is missing.
In peacefulness to fix this, go into the web.config file and do a find and replace to the actual physical path to your exchange install files: Drive:Program filesMicrosoftExchange serverV14Client Access.
Exchange Server 2010 SP1 was the first version of Exchange to allow admins to re-initiation virtual directories via the Exchange Management Console (EMC). In the Server Configuration node, click Client Access in the right-hand action pane. From there, you have the choice to reset virtual directories. You then use the wizard to re-initiation the vital virtual index.
You can also recreate the virtual directories using the Exchange Management Shell (EMS). The syntax vital for each virtual index is uncommon, but fortunately, Microsoft outlines the needed syntax.
Note: If you remove a virtual index using the EMS, you cannot initiation the new one using the EMC. Virtual directories can only be re-made in the EMC.
Although the above processes must work fine, you may still see an error message stating that the virtual index has not been re-made.
Troubleshooting Exchange 2010 virtual index re-creation: Check your scripts
If you’ve tried to re-initiation the virtual directories via the EMS, the first thing to check is that you’ve used the proper syntax. The EMS is very unforgiving, and the error message doesn’t always make clear what the problem is. Each virtual index has its own syntax, so be aware of the variants for each.
Second, check your spelling. I don’t want to sound like your English teacher, but the EMS doesn’t come with a spell checker. Check spelling and punctuation twice, and then check it again.
To get a surpass thought of what’s working and what isn’t, try using the –verbose thrash at the end of the EMS command. This will give you the detailed breakdown of the command processing rather than just the part that failed.
Troubleshooting Exchange 2010 virtual index re-creation: Has the virtual index been fully removed?
If you still encounter virtual index re-creation problems after the theater the normal EMS checks, it may be that the original virtual index was not fully removed.
The only way to know for sure is to check the IIS Metabase. If you don’t already have it, you must Windows Server 2008 R2. Even if, it is not supported. In other words, if it does cause you problems, you won’t get help from Microsoft.
If you see entries for a virtual index that you’ve tried to remove in the IIS Metabase, then rename them (to be on the safe side) and run the new virtual index command again.
Another area to troubleshoot is the Application Running mode in IIS. If your IIS Application pools are set to allow you to initiation 32-bit applications on a 64-bit machine, then you will probably see all sorts of virtual index difficulties once an Exchange server is installed.
To ensure that this is turned off, run the following command:
Cscript c:inetpubadminscriptsadsutil.vbs SET /w3svc/AppPools/Enable32BitAppOnWin64 Fake
Troubleshooting Exchange 2010 virtual index recreation: Web.config file issues
When recreating the virtual directories, know that this austerely recreates the IIS/Exchange collaboration elements. It doesn’t recreate the installation folders that contain the virtual index information. For example, if you’ve made changes to the web.config file and you’ve identified it as the reason that a virtual index has stopped working, then recreating your virtual index is not the answer.
Note: If you ever plot to make changes to the web.config file of any virtual index, back it up first, even if a web.config.bak file exists.
If you run the virtual index recreation and still have web.config problems, check the installation index listed in the web.config file under the </AppSettings> header for the given virtual index. From a standard installation, the install directories are listed as %ExchangeInstallationDirectory%.
Although this typically works fine, you may still be unable to get to the Exchange virtual directories after you have recreated the virtual index. If you have enabled debugging in the web.config file, then the error page showed clarifies that an Exchange component is missing.
In peacefulness to fix this, go into the web.config file and do a find and replace to the actual physical path to your exchange install files: Drive:Program filesMicrosoftExchange serverV14Client Access.
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