Move Exchange 5.5 to new server ...how?

[1666]

Hi, first of all I've had a look at

http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq_appxa.htm,

but I need to ask some things to set it in stone, I run an exchange server (5.5 enterprise sp4), and need to move this on to a new server. I have added the new server to the old exchanges site and I can can connect to the new server:

1) I can still get all my emails etc by connecting to the 2nd exchange server, does it get the info from the first site?

2) Now, I know how to move the mailbox's over to the new server, how do I move the GAL's, recipients and public folders?

3) Once all the above has been done, how can I make the second (new) site the primary site and rename it to the old server, so users won't know a thing?

4) Can I run up the old server as a back-up Exchange server, so if the new server fails, I can turn to this server?

Hope you can help

AA

 

[fuego007]

OK, first things first. If you have moved any mailboxes to the new server, move them back. The process I will detail should be done when you can have your e-mail down for up to four hours.

1. Backup the existing server.
2. Run the optimizer on the server and note where databases and log files are currently kept - do not allow any changes.
3. Remove the new server from the site.
4. Ensure there is a local administrator account on the existing server, then set all Exchange services to manual startup.
5. Change the server name.
6. At the PDC, remove the computer name from the domain using server manager. Keep in mind that it can take up to two hours for the server name to disappear.
7. Ensure there is a local admin account on the new server.
8. Uninstall Exchange from the new server.
9. Delete the 'new' servers name from the domain.
10. Change the new servers name to that of the old server and join it to the domain.
11. Ensure NT is at the appropriate service pack level.
12. Install Exchange server on the new server being sure to duplicate the Organization, Site, and Server names that were used on the original server.
13. Install the exchange service pack at the same level as the original server or higher (if the old server was running Exchange SP3, you must at least apply SP3, or you can apply SP4).
14. Run the optimizer and ensure that the databases and log files are put on the same drives as they were on the original server. If you don't have drive letters matching the old server, remedy that situation before proceeding. If necessary, re-install the OS so that this can be done.
15. Set all Exchange services to manual startup.
16. Locate the following folders on all drives: x:\exchsrvr\mdbdata, x:\exchsrvr\mtadata, x:\exchsrvr\dsadata. In each of these folders create a folder named 'Hold'. Open this folder separately and move the contents of the upper-level folder (dsadata, for example) into the hold folder. Do this for each of the above folders on all drives.
17. Connect the the old Exchange server and connect to the root of each drive.
18. Copy (DO NOT MOVE) the contents of the folders listed in step 16 to the corresponding folders on the new server. IT IS IMPORTANT that you pay close attention to copying from C: to C:, etc.
19. Open a DOS window and change to C:\Exchsrvr\bin. Then, run the command 'Isinteg -patch' (without the quotes). You should receive a message that the database was successfully updated.
20. Start the Exchange services.

I have performed this procedure numerous times, and have detailed it here from memory. If you have access to TechNet, reference article Q155216. It is not currently available online.

This is the preferred method for replacing an Exchange server with new hardware. If you were to move mailboxes from one server to another, your users would never actually know, but you would lose your single instance for attachments and would end up using much more disk space. This method is cleaner and faster. It also has the advantage that your old server can be brought online as a backup, as long as you go through the process of deleting and re-adding the server name from the domain as detailed above. This is due to each physical machine getting a different SID. Without doing this, the old server would not be recognized.

Good luck!

 

[1666]

Hi, I went through that process and everything looked great until we restarted the the information store and we got a message like this Service Specific Error 4294966746 Starting Store and the event logs were event id's 5000, 1120, and 1068 when we tried to start the event service. We could get into the exchange admin program, but the mdbdata files priv.edb and pub.edb are apparently inconsistent or corrupt.....what did we do wrong? In simple turms for me what files should we copy from the old server to the new server???

Andy

 

[1666]

Just another update to this inthe optimizer we set it up exactly the same as the old serve see below:

From the optimizer this is how we had it on the new server, it's exactly like the old server:

public info store E:\exchsrvr\mdbdata
Public info store E:\exchsrvr\mdbdata
Information Store Logs d:\exchsrvr\mdbdata
Directory service c:\exchsrvr\dsadata
Directory service logs d:\exchsrvr\dsadata
Message transfer agent c:\exchsrvr\mtadata

The old server was split ever 3 partitions as you can see, e being the main database area, what should and should we of copied?

1666

 

[fuego007]

Sorry for the delay in responding, I don't get on here daily.

Now, assuming the original files still exist on the old server, I'll go over this again, being a little more specific.

I assume that once you had the new server re-installed, you MOVED the contents of the mdbdata, dsadata, and mtadata folders to temporary "hold" folders (and did this on all drives). This is to keep the empty databases created during install in case they're needed for troubleshooting.

You should have copied the entire contents of the corresponding folders from the old server to the new server. Specifically, the contents of E:\exchsrvr\mdbdata should be copied to the same folder on the new server. This means ALL files, not just the priv.edb and pub.edb. The same goes for the folders I listed originally on all drives. I would recommend deleting the contents of these folders on the new server and re-copying the files. Once the files have been copied, run the ISINTEG -patch command as per my original instructions (you have to include the path).

One thing I left out in my original instructions was to set the service startup parameters back to automatic once everything is working properly.

Have faith, this procedure does work. I suspect that a file was not copied that should have been.

One thing you can do to ensure the original files are OK is to open a dos window on the old server, switch to drive E, change directory to E:\exchsrvr\mdbdata and run the command:
eseutil /mh priv.edb|more.
This will dump the header for the private info store. Press return until you see the word 'State' in the left-hand column. In the right-hand column it should say 'Consistent'. If it does not, your old server was not shut down properly, and your priv.edb needs to be repaired. You can run the same command on the pub.edb. If either database is in an inconsistent state, the information store will not start. It may be possible to return the databases to a consistent state by simply returning the server to active service by renaming it and re-adding it to the domain (as detailed in my instructions).

Let me know if you need further assistance. If my suggestions help you get things working, let me know.

Bob

 

[funcrecall12]

Hello.

Just a suggestion.

Before running the eseutils

eseutil /mh path\dsadata\dir.edb|more
eseutil /mh path\mdbdata\priv.edb|more
eseutil /mh path\mdbdata\pub.edb|more

1. delete from all files from folder \MDBData except for the EDB's, same goes to \DSADATA.

2. Try to Start the Attendant and Directory Services
3. and Run the isinteg - patch
4. Try to Start the Info Store and Other Services


Jerry

 

[Trinak]

Fuego007, Does the same logic apply when moving 5.5 from NT4 to win2000 member server running 5.5 ??

 

[fuego007]

Trinak,

Yes. I had a few people I supported when I worked as a contractor for the Air National Guard do it successfully. As far as I know, the toughest part is actually getting Exchange 5.5 loaded under Win2k.

Bob