Can't successfully install exchange

[yesti]

I have a single exchange 5.5 site on a single win2k domain. I want to install an exchange 2000 server, move the mailboxes over and retire the exchange 5.5 install.

I have been using Q316886 as reference and have performed the following steps:

1. Ran netdiag and nltest on server that will be hosting exchange (passed), and dcdiag on the two DC's (passed).

2. Able to ping exch2000 server from exch5.5 server via NetBios name.

3. Win2k SP2, SMTP and NNTP installed on exch2000 server. Win2k SP2 installed on all DC's.

4. DNS configured and working.

5. Ran NTDSNoMatch and added 'NTDSNoMatch' to Custom Attribute 10 of one account.

6. On Exch5.5 ran DS/IS consistency checker to remove unknown users from folder/mailbox permissions.

7. Verified only valid characters used for org and site name in exch5.5.

8. Converted domain to win2k Native mode (no NT4.0 DC's)

9. Installed ADC on one win2k DC from Exch2000 SP3. Configured a two-way recipient connection agreement for exch5.5 users.

10. Ran exch2000 /ForestPrep on win2k DC with Schema/Enterprise/Domain Admin Account. (Also has Service Acct Admin rights on Exch5.5 Org, Site and Config levels)

11. Verified that Exchange Org object present in AD Sites and Services. Waited for changes to replicate to other DC.

12. Configured a 2-way ADC Public Folder Connection Agreement.

13. Ran exch200 /DomainPrep on win2k DC with same account as /ForestPrep.

14. Ran exch2000 setup on exch2000 server machine and Information Store did not start.

15. Checked Event Logs and found ONE article on MS site:
328645 - XADM Error 0xc004038a Occurs and Information Store Does Not Start

Now I am stuck. I backed up System State on the DC's before starting all of this, so should I restore and start over?

 

[ritut]

restore it,
and try for Exchange migration wizard
it is less complecated then ADC
or else for users migration u can use ADMT tools also
but in your case if your users are already in 2000 network go for Exchange migration wizard

 

[yesti]

The ADC was not the one giving me problems. Anyhow, I deleted the objects from the AD Sites and Services on the DC's, uninstalled ADC and manually uninstalled Exch2000 from the other server. I ran ForestPrep and DomainPrep again and reinstalled ADC. Then Exch2000 Setup ran and the IS started! I have no idea why it didn't the last time, but now I'm scared I have a half-baked install. Well, I will backup Exch5.5 and try to move the mailboxes over. Thanks.

 

[yesti]

Turned out I could not move mailboxes from the exch 5.5 to exch 2000 server. I restored AD and reformatted the exch2000 server. Starting from scratch...

 

[yesti]

I couldn't install exch2000 without installing ADC. So how do I run the migration wizard? I tried running the wizard after installation of ADC and I got duplicate messages on the source exch5.5 server! Thanks for your help.