OK here is the situation,
I have a 2003 Exchange server that has taken a dump. The raid 5 is intact (I was able to see the partitions an data from Microsoft recovery console) I have a week old backup of the mail store. I would like to just move this entire mail store to an outsourcing Exchange firm. so my question is. Is this posible to move to outsourcing from a mail store only backup? or do I need to have a server to recover to before I can move my users to and outsourced Exchange server?
At this point any suggestions would help.

I try to stay as far away from Exchange as I can - that is what our IT staff is paid for. So, that is just my way of saying "I don't have a clue". That disclaimer said, it should be possible to move the data store to the external provider; however, I would certainly consult with their technical people as to the appropriate/best ways to do that. There may be caveats to consider that I am personally clueless about.

If you are planning to outsource the Exchange, then you would be better off having local .PST files of the mailstore.
Do you have local copies of the mail in .OST files?
If you do, you can use these with the local computers disconnected from the network, to export mail into a .PST and then import them into a hosted Exchange Email Account. Use a tool such As OST to PST Converter Kit to export mail into a .PST. https://www.converterkits.com/osttopstconverter.html
If you don't have local .OST files, then you either need to get the mail server up and running, or use some tool to extract the mailboxes from the latest .EDB & .STM files you have and place them into local .PST files, then upload to your new Hosted Accounts.

Good Luck!)

Here's what I'm seeing. Spammers love your question as they spam about their recovery and coverter kits. Ignore and if you can, downvote them. It's a blight on the forums you ask in like https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windowsserver/en-US/e26ba17a-9dae-43c8-8a0e-e015cf84d85a/exchange-disaster?forum=exchangesvrdeploylegacy

Same answers. Hope you aren't a shill.

Thank you all for your advice! The issue has been resolved.

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