Specific Error Code 1276

Normally this error only occurs in Microsoft Exchange Server versions 5.5 and below. If your getting this error message and you are not trying to install a new Exchange server, then most likely you are going to need ex

change server data recovery. This error is seen as a Microsoft NT(2000) event error code, as well as an Exchange Server Error when trying to start the information store. This error occurs when the Exchange Server database is corrupted.

SYMPTOMS
If you completely remove and reinstall Exchange Server and then restore the Exchange Server directory and information store from an online backup, the information store may not start because of error 1276. The following event is logged in the Microsoft Windows NT Event Viewer application event log:

Event ID: 1005
Type: Error
Source: MSexchangeIS Private
Category: General
Description: Unable to start the Microsoft information store error 0x4fc
The following event is logged in the Event Viewer System log:

Event ID 7024
Type: Error
Source: Service Control Manager
Category: None
Server specific error 1276
NOTE: Error 1276 (0x4fc) refers to ecDomainError.

CAUSE
This issue can occur when you reinstall Exchange Server if you use the display name instead of the directory name that is used during a clean installation of Exchange Server. This issue can also occur if you use a different organization or site name instead of the names that were used in the original installation of Exchange Server.

RESOLUTION
To resolve this issue, completely uninstall Exchange Server and then reinstall Exchange Server by using the original directory name instead of the display name for the organization and site. For additional information about how to remove Exchange Server completely, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
259158 XADM: How to Manually Remove Exchange Server 5.5 Completely

When you reinstall Exchange Server, always use the directory name instead of the display name that is listed in the properties of the organization and site that were used in the original installation of Exchange Server. In most cases, the directory name and display name are the same. If they are different and you use the display name, event ID 1088 is logged.

To verify the directory name if there is more than one server in the site or organization, use the Exchange Server Administrator program to connect to one of the Exchange Server computers and check the directory name for the organization and site by clicking Properties on the File menu for both the Organization and Site objects. Use these names to reinstall Exchange Server. Log on by using the Exchange Server service account to reinstall Exchange Server.

To verify the directory name if there is only one server in the site or organization, use the Exchange_Server_Setup.log file. This file is always located in the root folder in which Exchange Server was originally installed and is appended each time that Exchange Server is reinstalled or an Exchange Server service pack is applied. If the logical drive for Exchange Server reinstallation has changed, a new Exchange_Server_Setup.log file is created. Also, if the entire logical folder or hard disk has been rebuilt, the Exchange_Server_Setup.log file contains only the new information.

Use Notepad or another text editor to search the Exchange_Server_Setup.log file for the first occurrence of the word "Creating." This section contains the original organization, site, and computer name. Because the file is appended each time that Setup is run, there may be multiple Setup details in the file. For additional information about how to use Exchange_Server_Setup.log files to determine the original name, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
158545 XADM: How to Determine the Organization, Site, and Computer Name

MORE INFORMATION
For additional information about error 1276, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
155509 XADM: Restore Exchange When Site or Organization Name Is Unknown

264437 XADM: Event ID 1088 and Error 1276 Occur Even After Reinstalling with the Distinguished Name Listed in the Event 1088