Failed attempt to move log and database paths

Question

Hi. Can anyone offer any advice on what might have caused an attempt to move Exchange 2010 (SP3) mailbox database and log folder paths to fail? I can't diagnose it, and would appreciate any advice.
We have two databases in a two-node DAG, one mounted on each node. I removed the passive copy of each database before the move attempts. The first moved ok. The second failed. Here's a summary of what happened:
Task 1:
DAG-NODE-A ----------------------------DAG-NODE-B
MAILBOX-DB-01                               MAILBOX-DB-01
MOUNTED                                        HEALTHY (passive)
- Dismount database
- Remove passive copy.
- Move logfolder path from R: to L:
  and move EDB path from S: to M:
- Succeeded.
- Mount datbase.
- Re-add passive copy
All ok.
Task 2:
DAG-NODE-A ----------------------------DAG-NODE-B
MAILBOX-DB-02                               MAILBOX-DB-02
HEALTHY (passive)                           MOUNTED
- Dismount database
- Remove passive copy.                                                
- Move logfolder path from R: to L:
and move EDB path from S: to M:
- Failed. Paths not moved.
- Database now won't mount.
- Database eventually mounts
after approx. 30 auto retries.
- Abandon attempt to move paths.
- Re-add passive copy.                                            
END
Here's some more detail, included event log and shell output:
So, as per the above, with Mailbox-DB-01 (active copy on DAG-NODE-A), Exchange moved the paths without a hitch and I was then able to mount the database and re-add the passive copy. I then tried to move the paths for Mailbox-DB-02 (active copy on DAG-NODE-B),
but after a few minutes Exchange aborted the move, outputting errors to the Shell, the application log and the MSExchange Management log. A second attempt failed because Exchange found that "The .edb file path is not available. There is already a file
named M:\Mailbox-DB-02\Mailbox-DB-02.edb" - Exchange had created an EDB file in the target location, but the source EDB file was still in the source location and the path was unchanged. Rather than re-trying the move again, I decided to try to mount the
database, to check it was ok, but it wouldn’t mount.
I left it alone for an hour or so to have a think about what to do, came back to it and found Exchange had mounted the database (without moving the paths) after around 30 automatic retries. I was then able to re-add the passive copy.
I’m not keen to re-try the move without knowing why it failed, why the database then wouldn’t mount, and why it subsequently recovered. Any advice would be appreciated. Many thanks.
Output included
- a WinRM error in the Shell’;
- an App Log error event from my attempt to mount the database after the move failure, saying an attempt to open the EDB file for read / write access failed with system error 32 because the file was being used by another process;
- events recording failure to configure and start the database, and noting a serious error which caused it to terminate its functional activity;
- Event ID 3154 from MSExchangeRepl, saying an Active Manager operation failed / database action failed / MapiExceptionCallFailed;
- Event ID 10056 from source MSExchangeIS Mailbox Store in the App Log just before Exchange successfully mounted the troublesome database, saying “Patch all ID counters for database Mailbox-DB-02.”
One other thing which may or may not be relevant – the MSExchange Service Host service stops soon after being started on DAG-NODE-B (reboots have made no difference). On DAG-NODE-A, it runs consistently.
Here’s what seems to me to be the most relevant output from the Application Log and the MSExchange Management Log on DAG-NODE-B, and from the Exchange Shell:
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 10:46:19 ESE 327 General "Information Store (3720) Mailbox-DB-02: The database engine detached a database (4, S:\Mailbox-DB-02\Database\Mailbox-DB-02.edb). (Time=6 seconds)
Internal Timing Sequence: [1] 0.000, [2] 0.000, [3] 0.000, [4] 0.000, [5] 0.000, [6] 6.188, [7] 0.156, [8] 0.016, [9] 0.015, [10] 0.016, [11] 0.031.
Revived Cache: 0"
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 10:46:19 ESE 103 General "Information Store (3720) Mailbox-DB-02: The database engine stopped the instance (4).
Dirty Shutdown: 0
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 10:46:19 MSExchangeIS Mailbox Store 9539 General The Microsoft Exchange Information Store database "Mailbox-DB-02" was stopped.
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, MSExchange Management log
Information DD/MM/14 10:46:19 MSExchange CmdletLogs 1 General Cmdlet succeeded. Cmdlet Dismount-Database, parameters {Identity=Mailbox-DB-02}.
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 10:46:19 MSExchangeRepl 3161 Service Active Manager dismounted database Mailbox-DB-02 on server DAG-NODE-B.company.corp.
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, MSExchange Management log
Error DD/MM/14 10:46:20 MSExchange CmdletLogs 6 General Cmdlet failed. Cmdlet Get-PublicFolderDatabase, parameters {Status=True, Identity=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx}.
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 10:46:21 MSExchange Assistants 9002 Assistants Service MSExchangeMailboxAssistants. Stopped processing database Mailbox-DB-02 (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx).
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 10:46:21 MSExchange Assistants 9002 Assistants Service MSExchangeMailSubmission. Stopped processing database Mailbox-DB-02 (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx).
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Error DD/MM/2014 10:51:08 MSExchange Search Indexer 104 General Exchange Search Indexer failed to enable the Mailbox Database Mailbox-DB-02 (GUID = xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) after 10 tries. The last failure was: MapiExceptionMdbOffline: Unable to
get CI watermark (hr=0x80004005, ec=1142)
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, MSExchange Management log
Warning DD/MM/14 11:06:44 MSExchange CmdletLogs 4 General Cmdlet stopped. Cmdlet Move-DatabasePath, parameters {Identity=Mailbox-DB-02, EdbFilePath=M:\Mailbox-DB-02\Mailbox-DB-02.edb, LogFolderPath=L:\Mailbox-DB-02\Logs}.
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Exchange Management Shell output
Processing data from remote server failed with the following error message: The WinRM client cannot complete the operation within the time specified. Check if the machine name is valid and is reachable over the network and firewall exception for Windows Remote
Management service is enabled. For more information, see the about_Remote_Troubleshooting Help topic.
+ CategoryInfo : OperationStopped: (System.Manageme...pressionSyncJob:PSInvokeExpressionSyncJob) [], PSRemotingTransportException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : JobFailure
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 11:23:42 MSExchangeIS Mailbox Store 1000 General Attempting to start the Information Store "Mailbox-DB-02".
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 11:23:43 ESE 102 General "Information Store (3720) Mailbox-DB-02: The database engine (14.03.0162.0000) is starting a new instance (4).
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 11:23:43 ESE 105 General "Information Store (3720) Mailbox-DB-02: The database engine started a new instance (4). (Time=0 seconds)
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Error DD/MM/2014 11:23:53 ESE 490 General "Information Store (3720) Mailbox-DB-02: An attempt to open the file ""S:\Mailbox-DB-02\Database\Mailbox-DB-02.edb"" for read / write access failed with system error 32 (0x00000020): ""The
process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process. "". The open file operation will fail with error -1032 (0xfffffbf8).
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Error DD/MM/2014 11:23:53 MSExchangeIS 9519 General "The following error occurred while starting database Mailbox-DB-02: 0xfffffbf8.
Failed to configure MDB. "
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Error DD/MM/2014 11:23:53 MSExchangeIS 9519 General "The following error occurred while starting database Mailbox-DB-02: 0xfffffbf8.
Start DB failed.. "
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Error DD/MM/2014 11:23:53 ExchangeStoreDB 215 Database recovery At 'DD/MM/2014 11:23:53' the Microsoft Exchange Information Store Database 'Mailbox-DB-02' copy on this server experienced a serious error which caused it to terminate its functional activity.
The error returned by the remount attempt was "There is only one copy of this mailbox database (Mailbox-DB-02). Automatic recovery is not available.". Consult the event log on the server for other storage and "ExchangeStoreDb" events for
more specific information about the failures.
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Error DD/MM/2014 11:23:53 ExchangeStoreDB 231 Database recovery At 'DD/MM/2014 11:23:53', the copy of database 'Mailbox-DB-02' on this server encountered an error during the mount operation. For more information, consult the Event log on the server for "ExchangeStoreDb"
or "MSExchangeRepl" events. The mount operation will be tried again automatically.
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 11:23:54 ESE 103 General "Information Store (3720) Mailbox-DB-02: The database engine stopped the instance (4).
Dirty Shutdown: 0
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Error DD/MM/2014 11:23:54 ExchangeStoreDB 231 Database recovery At 'DD/MM/2014 11:23:54', the copy of database 'Mailbox-DB-02' on this server encountered an error during the mount operation. For more information, consult the Event log on the server for "ExchangeStoreDb"
or "MSExchangeRepl" events. The mount operation will be tried again automatically.
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Error DD/MM/2014 11:23:54 MSExchangeRepl 3154 Service Active Manager failed to mount database Mailbox-DB-02 on server DAG-NODE-B.company.corp. Error: An Active Manager operation failed. Error The database action failed. Error: Operation failed with message:
MapiExceptionCallFailed: Unable to mount database. (hr=0x80004005, ec=-1032)
==================================================================================
NOTE:repeat events similar to some of the above continue until Exchange eventually manages to mount the database:
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 12:15:56 MSExchangeIS Mailbox Store 1000 General Attempting to start the Information Store "Mailbox-DB-02".
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 12:15:56 ESE 102 General "Information Store (3720) Mailbox-DB-02: The database engine (14.03.0162.0000) is starting a new instance (4).
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 12:15:56 ESE 105 General "Information Store (3720) Mailbox-DB-02: The database engine started a new instance (4). (Time=0 seconds)
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 12:15:57 ESE 326 General "Information Store (3720) Mailbox-DB-02: The database engine attached a database (5, S:\Mailbox-DB-02\Database\Mailbox-DB-02.edb). (Time=0 seconds)
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 12:15:57 MSExchangeIS Mailbox Store 10056 General Patch all ID counters for database Mailbox-DB-02.
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 12:15:57 MSExchangeIS Mailbox Store 1133 General Allocating message database resources for database "Mailbox-DB-02".
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DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 12:15:58 MSExchangeIS Mailbox Store 9523 General "The Microsoft Exchange Database ""Mailbox-DB-02"" has been started.
Database File: S:\Mailbox-DB-02\Database\Mailbox-DB-02.edb
Transaction Logfiles: R:\Mailbox-DB-02\Logs\
Base Name (logfile prefix): E03
System Path: R:\Mailbox-DB-02\Logs\
(Start Duration=00:00:01.844) "
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 12:15:58 MSExchangeRepl 3156 Service Active Manager successfully mounted database Mailbox-DB-02 on server DAG-NODE-B.company.corp.
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 12:16:06 MSExchange Assistants 9001 Assistants Service MSExchangeMailSubmission. Started to process mailbox database Mailbox-DB-02 (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx).
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DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 12:16:09 MSExchange Assistants 9001 Assistants Service MSExchangeMailboxAssistants. Started to process mailbox database Mailbox-DB-02 (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx).
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 12:16:12 MSExchange Assistants 9017 Assistants Service MSExchangeMailboxAssistants. Managed Folder Mailbox Assistant for database Mailbox-DB-02 (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) is entering a work cycle. There are 125 mailboxes on
this database.
==================================================================================
DAG-NODE-B, Application Log:
Information DD/MM/2014 12:16:30 MSExchange Search Indexer 108 General Exchange Search Indexer has enabled indexing for the Mailbox Database Mailbox-DB-02 (GUID = xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx).
==================================================================================
  

Answer 1

If you used the steps outlined in this TechNet article - http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd979782.aspx - then you should have been OK.  I will say that I read one
article that said to work one database at a time, then when you are sure it is operational to go back and do the next, etc.
(I also assume by your shorthand at the beginning of this document that you performed the tasks on the active node when you did this work.  If so, that's the best way to do it, so if it failed, it wasn't because you used the wrong steps or did them
on the wrong system.)