Reformat server and reinstall Exchange 2007 6

[Hfnet]

We have a problem server which needs a wipe and reload. It is running Server 2003 Standard 64-bit with SP2 and Exchange 2007 with SP1.

For some reason Windows Installer has died and we are completely unable to get it working again. We are unable to install any applications and the antivirus will not update, so we have decided to completely wipe and reload the server.

Does anyone know of a walkthrough that we could use to ensure we back up all the 'extra' bits of Exchange? We have tape backup and will probably export all mailboxes to pst as a safeguard, but we have added various permissions etc that we would like to maintain to ensure a smooth and seamless reload.

Many thanks for any assistance.

 

[Hfnet]

So we just have to switch off the server, reformat it and reset the computer account in AD USers and Computers before rejoining the domain?

 

[alfa2008]

First you have to uninstall Exchange, than demote your DC, after that you can shut down, and reset its account.

 

[markdmac]

Davetoo, sorry for miss-crediting the quote. That's what I get for answering email in between dives on my vacation in Mexico.

Hfnet, please re-read my original suggestion. If you add another Exchange server (virtual is OK) then you can keep mail services up and running while you rebuild the Exchange server. If you have both Exchange servers running for a day, you won't need to touch any clients. They will already know where their mailboxes are stored. Then when you move them back you have the same advantage.



I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

Check out my scripting solutions at

http://www.thespidersparlor.com/vbscript

Work SMARTER not HARDER. The Spider's Parlor's Admin Script Pack is a collection of Administrative scripts designed to make IT Administration easier! Save time, get more work done, get the Admin Script Pack.

 

[ShackDaddy]

Guys, I'm worried that if you uninstall Exchange and then do a dcpromo, the required registry info for a /recoverserver operation won't be in the AD anymore...

Since it's his only Exchange server, he'd essentially be removing the last server in his org, and that is not a good way to go at all. He'd be better off removing that hard drive, putting in a new one, and doing a DR recovery....

Dave Shackelford
ThirdTier.net

 

[markdmac]

I share your concern Dave. Using the virtual server would eliminate that concern though.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

Check out my scripting solutions at

http://www.thespidersparlor.com/vbscript

Work SMARTER not HARDER. The Spider's Parlor's Admin Script Pack is a collection of Administrative scripts designed to make IT Administration easier! Save time, get more work done, get the Admin Script Pack.

 

[ShackDaddy]

HFnet, if you use a temporary virtual server to handle this rebuild, you'll be able to retain the server's name and not have to do anything drastic.

Here's a rough scope of work for that route:

1. Build a VM with Windows 2003 Server x64 on it. So you'd have to have a 64-bit host around to use.

2. Install Exchange 2007 on the VM and bring it up to the same rollup level as your existing Exchange server.

3. Immediately configure replication of public folders to the temp server. Replication may take some time to complete. Migrate the mailboxes to the new server during an outage window.

4. Transfer all FSMO roles to your other DC.

5. Make a full file-level backup of your dc\exchange server. You probably won't use much of this backup, but you're getting it just in case. Export any certs you want to reuse along with their private keys.

6. Either reformat the drives in your existing server or replace the existing drives with blank drives.

7. Use NTDSUTIL and ADSIEdit and DNS Admin to remove references to the old server's DC role, since you won't be using the server as a DC anymore.

7. Install Windows 2003 Server again on the target server using the old name. Load service packs to the same level it was at before. Don't make it a DC.

8. Load Exchange 2007 SP1 on the target server, running setup with the /recoverserver switch. Reinstall any certs.

9. Re-do any CAS customizations that you may need to do.

10. Move the mailboxes from the VM back to the original server.

11. Make sure that public folders are replicated back to the original server.

12. Test all functionality and troubleshoot any issues that crop up.

13. Only remove the temp Exchange server after everything's going smoothly. Disable it for a week before actually uninstalling, to make sure there are no dependencies left.

Dave Shackelford
ThirdTier.net

 

[Hfnet]

Dave, thank you so much for this, I think it clarifies an awful lot. I did have grave concerns about removing exchange etc!

I will take all of the above and hopefully put it to good use tomorrow!

Without all of your assistance I think we would have been looking at a difficult job, but hopefully there is a small light on the horizon now!

Thanks all.

 

[58sniper]

Hfnet - I've given Dave a star for his thorough answer. Please consider doing the same.

Pat Richard MVP
Plan for performance, and capacity takes care of itself. Plan for capacity, and suffer poor performance.

http://www.ucblogs.net/blogs/exchange/

 

[Hfnet]

Well, I thought I would share our experience with you all!

We turned up on Saturday to look at the server. We tried a few things to see if we could get away with not reformatting the server, but by 11am we had decided that a clean install was the only way forward. We took copies of the exchange databases and logs.

As the Exchange server was a domain controller we took the rash decision to switch off the server and remove it from AD using the command line metadatacleanup utils. This worked very well. We had not uninstalled Exchange or done anything on the exchange server.

We then reinstalled the Exchange OS (Server 2003 std 64-bit), only reformatting the C: drive (exchange databases were stored on the D drive). We installed SP2 plus updates then joined the domain as a member server only.

We then ran the Exchange setup using setup.com /M:RecoverServer which warned that we needed .net framework 2.0 SP1, which we installed. We ran the setup again which seemed to hang on the first stage at about 69% for ages, then failed. We did some googling and found some pointers suggesting services. We manually started the MSExchangeSA service which ad been created. This took some time and failed, so we rebooted the server. The services started on their own just fine, so we re-ran the exchange setup as before. It picked up from where it left off and then failed on the second stage. We rebooted and repeated the install which then worked all the way through.

We checked Exchange and found that all of the rules, connectors, stores etc were exactly as they had been before.

The only thing we were unsure of was the free/busy info as the client PC's use Outlook 2003. We logged onto a machine with the network cable unplugged, took a PST backup of the email in case, and went online. All email was fine, and the free/busy worked.

All in all, it was a fairly painless episode, and we completed the entire rebuild in under 5 hours. I was very impressed with the RecoverServer switch, having been very dubious about what would and what would not work.

As long as AD is healthy and you have a clean information store, I see no reason why this should not be fairly straightforward.

We now have a fully working Exchange server which is NOT a domain controller.

Thanks to all who contributed to this thread, it helped us immensely!

 

[Zelandakh]

Consider giving stars to those who helped.

Good to hear you got a good result.

 

[ShackDaddy]

And a star for you, Hfnet, for providing great documentation of your solution! I'm archiving it.

Dave Shackelford
ThirdTier.net