How to Fix the ‘Exchange server is in inconsistent state’ Error?

Microsoft Exchange Server is an essential server solution for many organizations as it helps with email. Nonetheless, administrators may experience an Exchange Server error stating it is in an Inconsistent State while upgrading or reinstalling the server. This particular error can affect email services most of the time and cause a lot of downtime.

In this article, there are different reasons why you get such an error message and how to solve it.

Reasons for ‘Exchange Server is in an Inconsistent State’ Error

The “Exchange Server is in an Inconsistent State” is normally caused by issues related to existing server objects and new installations or updates. It is easier to find a cure if one understands the causes of the problem, so it will be easier for administrators to diagnose and handle this problem. Here are the primary reasons for this error:

• Active Directory objects currently utilized in the Exchange Server
• Previous version of Exchange was not uninstalled fully or inadequately uninstalled
• Thieves usually penetrate Exchange database files through corrupt channels.
• Domain renaming issues of old and new Exchange servers
• Installation failures, upgrading issues, and intermittent system crashes
• Every now and then, replication of Active Directory becomes inconsistent.
• Lack of sufficient permission for the account doing the installation
• Clutter left behind from prior installations of Exchange
• Exchange versions and the underlying Windows Server incompatibility
• Complex or incomplete Updates of the Exchange Server components

Methods to Fix ‘Exchange Server is in Inconsistent State’ Error

Here are three easy solutions for the ‘Exchange Server is in an inconsistent state’ issue. Both methods address the problem differently. If you follow these steps, you will be able to reinstall or upgrade the Exchange Server without coming across this usual error.

Method 1: Rename New Exchange Server Domain Name

The first and the easiest way is to give the Exchange server a new name. Change the name of at least two servers to the same name in the domain and then add the server to the domain controller.

• Change the current Exchange Server to another name.
• To do that, you should rename the server and then re-join it into the domain.
• You should install a new copy of the Exchange Server or upgrade the existing server in your system.

Method 2: Remove the Exchange Server Object and Relaunch the Exchange Setup

Another procedure is to delete the Exchange server object from the Active Directory prior to the reinstallation or upgrade.

1. Click on Start and then click Run, then type in ADSIEDIT.mSC and hit the enter button.
2. Go to CN=Configuration, CN=Services, CN=Microsoft Exchange, CN=, CN=Administrative Groups, CN=, CN=Servers, CN=.
3. Locate the server object and get rid of it.
4. Wait for some time until Active Directory has replicated the changes.
5. To upgrade or reinstall, simply restart the exchange setup.

Method 3: Delete the Exchange Server Object from the Active Directory

Another way to solve this error is to remove all the unnecessary objects of the Exchange server from the Active Directory.

• On the keyboard, press the Win+R key and then type ADSIEDIT.msc.
• Follow this path:

○ CN=Configuration, CN=Services, CN=Microsoft Exchange, CN=Your Organization Name, CN=Administrative Groups, CN=Exchange 2010 Administrative Group, CN=Servers, CN=Server Name.

• Locate and erase the server object.
• Wait for the active directory to update.
• Restart the setup of the Exchange Server.

Method 4: Use Goldytools EDB to PST Converter

If the above-mentioned manual methods do not work or the OST file is heavily damaged, then using the Goldytools EDB to PST Converter is very efficient. This tool can easily convert OST files, which are hard to access, into PST format and can easily recover emails, contacts, calendars and other mailbox data without any technical hassle.

Choose Source Exchange Database

• Lauch the Goldytools EDB to PST Converter and click on the “Select EDB” button.
• In this window that appears, navigate and choose the.EDB file from your computer.
• If required, also search for and choose the.STM file (if the EDB file is of Exchange 2000 or 2003).
• Choose a temporary folder for storing temp files; this is a temporary path.
• Click “Next” to proceed.

Select Mailboxes


• The software will now list and show the mailboxes that are present in the selected EDB file.
• You can choose to convert all mailboxes or the specific ones that you would wish to be converted to PST.
• Click “Next” to proceed.

Start Conversion

• The selected mailboxes will begin the process of conversion to PST.
• The software will show the status of each mailbox being converted with status such as Complete or In progress.
• After that the conversion process is complete, a message “Saving process completed successfully” will appear.

Open Target Folder

• Once the conversion is done, click on the “Open Target Folder” to get the list of the newly created PST files.
• It is now possible to import all these PST files into Outlook for easy retrieval of your data.

Conclusion

Fixing the ‘Exchange Server is in Inconsistent State’ Error can be a tricky affair if you are not so sure about some of the procedures outlined above. Still, they may be time-consuming and not wholly effective, particularly when the file is extremely corrupted.

For easier and faster conversion of EDB to PST files, we suggest that you download Goldytools EDB to PST Converter. This tool is built to particularly work with corrupted OST files, which enables you to get your data back within no time.