Exchange 2000 Installation Error -- Server object Exists

[ctjohnson]

When trying to install Exchange 2000 on a Win2k Service Pack 2 server, I receive an error, listed below. We had previously installed Exchange in our domain, but reformatted the machine and reinstalled win2k after a major hardware upgrade. I've tried deleting the exchange info in the AD, removing the exchange groups, and removing the computer from the directory and putting it back in the domain. None of these things worked. Any help would be appreciated.

The component Microsoft Exchange Messaging and Collaberation Services cannot be assigned the action install because:
A server object for "EXCHANGE" already exists in the Administrative Group "First Administrative Group" You must either remove this server object before installing or run setup with the diaster recovery switch.

 

[Zelandakh]

Because EXCHANGE already exists as an Exchange server, you can't use it.

If you can live with it, name the server something else and all should be well. If not you'll need to either comb AD for every occurence and remove all traces, do an AD restore to before the initial install if that is possible or do an Exchange 2k install using the disaster recovery option as it details.