Content Index FailedAndSuspended in Exchange 2010/2013/2016
Fixing a “Failed or FailedAndSuspended” Database Content Index in Exchange Server 2013/2016

Uses of Content Index is it will try to search Mailbox content in both Outlook and OWA (Outlook Web Access).

Sometimes there are chances of Database Failover and Switchover.

When Automatic Switchover or Failover takes place then checking Content Index State will be a good move.

Note: Rebuilding or Repairing the Content Index can cause High CPU Utilization on the servers. So it is recommended to perform such task only on the Week Ends or After Hours.

Checking the Content Index using the Below command

Get-MailboxDatabaseCopyStatus * |fl -auto

This will show all the Content Index State for all the Databases in the Organization

Today I’ve found my Database Content Index FailedAndSuspended as shown below:

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Verified with above error mentioned using Command line in Exchange Management Shell & found the same as shown below:

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Events that can be generated to identify the situation is Event ID 1012 as shown below:

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Ok now it’s confirmed let’s proceed with troubleshooting steps

First Stop the services

1: Microsoft Exchange Search

Command : Stop-Service MsExchangeFastSearch

2: Microsoft Exchange Search Host Controller

Command : Stop-Service HostControllerService

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Now it’s time to identify the Database to Rename, Delete or Moving the Content Index “Catalog Folder”

If you don’t know the Path of Database (EDB File Path) then run the below command it will show the EDB File Path

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Locate the folder then this “Catalog Folder or Guid” can be either Renamed, deleted or Moved to another location.

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Here I’ve Renamed the folder to “Guid.old” as shown below:

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Then I’ve restarted both the services as shown below:

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Ones you start the service check the status of the Content Index for the Databases which are “Failed or FailedAndSuspended” by running the below command:

Get-MailboxDatabaseCopyStatus -Server “Server Name”

First it will go Unknown state

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Then status of Content Index will be changed from Unknown state to Crawling as shown below:

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Slowly the status of the Content Index will be changed from Crawling to Healthy

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Both the Databases changed to Healthy State from Crawling as shown below:

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If this is Server is Member of DAG then run the below command as shown below:

Command :

Update-MailboxDatabaseCopy “Database Name\Server Name” -CatalogOnly -BeginSeed

If you have multiple Databases and it’s Content Index in “Failed or FailedAndSuspended” State then run the below command:

Command :

Get-MailboxDatabaseCopyStatus * |Where {$_.ContentIndexState -eq “FailedAndSuspended” |Update-MailboxDatabaseCopy -CatalogOnly