Exchange Server has a known compatibility issue with this version

[glamprecht1]

I am attempting to load up a new server with Exchange. Server 2003 64 bit with Exchange 2003 Ent. The Exchange server files were just downloaded off of the MS site and seem the be the most recent ones. Need to install the Exchange server tools and am getting an error.

This is a fresh install on a new server. I am walking through the Steps of installing Exchange and am at the Exchange server Tools area. This is where i am getting the error and cannot continue. I have searched the MS site for newer 2003 tools but only seem to be able to find 2007 tools packages or individual tools for 2003. Since i dont know exactly what tools for 2003 that i need i cant go any further. I presume that i need an updated tools package for 2003 64bit Server.



The actual error is listed below.
Microsoft Exchange Server has a known compatibility issue with this version of Windows. For more information, refer to

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=37488.

The KB artical and all other posts that i have found say to just ignore the error and click on continue. But, Continue is greyed out so my only options are Cancel Or Details. This prevents me from installing the tools and going forward with the exchange install.

Can someone assist? Do i need newer tools or is there something else at play here?

 

[glamprecht1]

Never mind. i Missed this notation in the KB artical

Note: Exchange Server 2003 does not run on 64-bit editions of Windows Server 2003

Well that rules this OS out. I wil have to put 2003 32bit Enterprise on it then.

 

[Zelandakh]

Why Windows 2003 Enterprise?

 

[glamprecht1]

To get the increased memory capabilities. I was hoping to go 64 bit std but Exchange 2003 does not seem to support that route.

 

[Zelandakh]

If you need more than 4GB of RAM in the server, I woulod highly recommend that you use Exchange 2007 whose RAM, CPU and IO performance is far superior to 2003 being 64 bit.

 

[glamprecht1]

Zelandakh
I totally agree and this was the plan from the get go. But, budgeting killed our exchange migration to 2007 for this year.
So for now we are moving our existing 2003 single server exchange install to a new server to hold us over for the next year. In January I will then move to 2007. Kind of a pain but it’s just necessary. The hardware that my current exchange server is on is becoming very unreliable.
On the upside I will go through the process of installing Exchange 2003 and since I have never done this it’s going to be a good learning experience for me.
Thanks for the input.