I need new exchange administration tool

[mucous]

Hi all,

We just moved from Exchange 5.5 to Exchange 2000. When I attempt to create a new group or go into contacts, I see a message that says:

"Your Exchange system was upgraded to a newer version. You must install the new version of the Exchange Admministration Tool."

Does anyone know where I might locate this? Apparently I am unable to perform certain functions until I install this newer tool.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[FilthPig]

Use the exchange 2000 server CD on the system you're connecting with - perform a custom install of management tools. Once that's installed, use Active Directory Users and Computers to manage your user object mods.

Marc Creviere

 

[mucous]

Marc,

Thanks for your response. At the risk of sounding dumb...How do I do the custom install. I hate to admit it, but I'm fairly new to Exchange 2ooo and don't yet know my way around it. The server was originally set up through a consultant, so I'm kind of running in the dark some here.

Thanks again...

 

[FilthPig]

Put the exchange CD in the drive of the machine you want to use the management components from, and select install exchange from the autorun menu. After hitting next and I agree and what-not, there will be a spreadsheet-looking component listing, and in the top left cell you can drop down to custom (or should be able to, at least). Then you should be able to select install from the drop-down to the left of Exchange Management components. (Wording may not be exact, haven't done it in a while and don't have it in front of me). If that doesn't help, I'll grab a CD and review the procedure.




Marc Creviere

 

[mucous]

Ok,

I'm in the setup area on the CD, however under Microsoft Exchange system management tools, The only option I see is for the Microsoft Exchange 5.5 Administrator. Shouldn't I be installing Exchange 2000 administrator?

Thanks for your patience BTW...

 

[FilthPig]

Exchange system management tools is what you want. It's not just a header to the 5.5 administrator.

Marc Creviere

 

[mucous]

I'm getting there. I guess the options I want are reinstall because when I select change, the "next" button is greyed out. THe only time the option is available is when I select reinstall. Is this correct?

Thanks again...

 

[FilthPig]

Are you doing this on the exchange server itself, or a different machine on the network?

Marc Creviere

 

[mucous]

I am on our Exchange server Marc.

 

[FilthPig]

Then you should already have them installed. If not, there are deeper issues here and you should call back that consultant.

Under Start -> Programs -> Microsoft Exchange. You use Active Directory Users and Computers to add users, contacts, groups (security and distribution), etc. You use system manager to change the operational config of your exchange server.

Marc Creviere

 

[mucous]

So I shouldn't be reinstalling then? Glad I didn't!
Yes, I know what you're talking about, it's when I go into a user's properties or when I want to create a new user or group in users and computers that I see the message about installing the newer version of Exchange Admin. There's an Exchange General tab that contains this message. I'm unable to do certain things because of this problem and it's becoming a serious issue. We have a staff calendar and global contacts that were on the old server and I can't do much of anything with them because as I understand it, the newer admin has to be installed first before I can get into it properly.

 

[FilthPig]

I'd suggest installing the windows 2000 admin tools on another machine (preferably win2k pro, XP Pro is not so friendly with that), and then using the steps above to install the exchange management tools. The win2k tools can be installed from \\servername\admin$\system32\adminpak.msi.

It still sounds to me like your consultant didn't finish his job though, and would advise getting him or her back out, or if you're unsatisfied with them, get another consultant out to take care of it.

Marc Creviere

 

[mucous]

I've been on the phone with him just now. Our file server is the domain controller and that's where I assumed I'd be doing my changes from in Users and computers on that machine. The Exchange 2000 server machine has users and computers also, but on it, it looks like things are fine, the properties display correctly. On the domain controller however, they don't. He suggested I copy over the Users and computers.msc file over to the file server. Does this sound right? I searched the file server and there is no file to copy over. The Exchange server simply calls it users and computers. The file server calls it Active directory users and computers. This is beginning to be a bit frustrating...

 

[mucous]

Also....I'm concerned that if I make any changes on the exchange server under users and computers, that it may not communicate properly with the domain controller (File Server. I was under the impression that all management should be done from the file server since it is the domain controller.

 

[FilthPig]

Management can be done from anywhere as long as you've got the adminpak installed. The adminpak is updated with each windows service pack, so I'd make sure your service pack levels are the same on both machines. If the exchange server has not been service packed that's something to look into as well.

Marc Creviere

 

[mucous]

Both Machines are on the same service paks. Do you think if I reinstalled the service packs that it might resolve this?

 

[FilthPig]

I'd install the adminpak on another machine, then install the exchange management tools on it, and do your updates from there.

I don't think the service packs would hurt anything, but at this point I'm doubtful that they'd help either. In order to get your group, contact, etc. changes in place I'd install the software on another workstation as noted above. Then, once the pressure of that's gone, take a good hard look at the problem with the management tools on the server machine. I promise it'll seem easier and clearer once you've made the updates you need to your user objects.

Marc Creviere

 

[mucous]

One quick thought....Do I need to install the exchange admin tool on the domain controller? Again, the domain controller is our main file server. Exchange is installed on another server. I've been trying to manage from the file server (domain controller)

I'm also looking into the admin pack suggestion. We've been managing everything through terminal services up to this point.

 

[mucous]

ok,

I fixed the trouble by installing Exchange on our domain controller. Everything shows as it should now and I am able to create our distributions, calendars, etc.
I can also adminidter the exchange server from the domain controller.

Thanks very much for all your assistance Marc!

 

[kamil]

Did you reinstall a fresh Exchange Server?? or jut the adminpack??