Question

How do I decommission an old server running W2003?

Asked by: mickantone

I have two server currently running W2003. The DC is only a DC, there are no apps, it is small and not very fast 5 years after being ugraded to W2003 Server.  The EXCHANGE server ONLY has EXCHANGE and FAXMAKER.  It also is old but seems to be adequate for the light EXCHANGE load we place on it. It has RAID 5, dual processors (800MHz), 1GB memory, and about 200GB of storage.

My action has been to elevate the EXHCANGE server to a DC, move the FSMO roles to EXCHANGE, and shut off the old DC.  Seems to be going along fine until I reboot the EXHCANGE server. Teh server comes up fine, but the EXCHANGE services do not start automatically.  In fact, I cannot manually start the EXCHANGE attendant or three other services.  However, if I restart the old DC, EXCHANGE will start immediately. What have I overlooked?

Thanks!

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Asked On
2008-05-01 at 19:26:22ID23370608
Topics

Active Directory

,

Computer Servers

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Answers

 

by: mboppePosted on 2008-05-01 at 21:59:04ID: 21484618

Make an exchange server a DC is not support.Once yo have installed exchange never run DCpromo you would run into all sorts of problems.
http://www.msexchange.me.uk/dcpromoandexchange.htm

 

by: mickantonePosted on 2008-05-02 at 05:08:26ID: 21485961

I know it is not a "recommended" configuration, but there are SBS servers everywhere that run EXCHAGE on the same server as the AD.  

So the question, once again, is what step am I overlooking that will allow the EXCHANGE server to be the AD and FSMO for this soon-to-be single-server domain?

 

by: pjknibbsPosted on 2008-05-02 at 07:30:50ID: 21486940

Have you changed the DNS server the new machine is pointing at? Active Directory relies heavily on DNS for its operation, and your network settings are probably still pointing at the DNS server on your old DC.

 

by: mickantonePosted on 2008-05-02 at 08:53:14ID: 21487656

pjknibbs:
I think we are getting warm. I have run the Exchange Best Practices Analyzer.  It has pointed out several DNS issues. To begin with, the DNS SERVER service had to be added. BPA has helped me identify several changes in the lookup zones.  I am currently rebooting to see if my issues are now resolved.  I will post an update shortly.

Thanks....

 

by: leewPosted on 2008-05-02 at 09:31:20ID: 21488016

Have you ever used SBS?  It's NOT the same as Windows Server and Exchange - Microsoft has done things to ensure this configuration works well in SBS.  

 While it is supported, doing this without using SBS is unwise.  In addition, running DCPROMO AFTER exchange has been installed is problematic at best.

 

by: ccosbyPosted on 2008-05-03 at 20:30:01ID: 21494507

Sounds like you haven't moved all of the roles over to the exchange server.

 

by: mickantonePosted on 2008-05-16 at 08:12:38ID: 21583437

So, does anyone have any suggested actions? Thanks.........

 

by: pjknibbsPosted on 2008-05-22 at 05:49:17ID: 21623265

What happened to the update you were going to post?

 

by: mickantonePosted on 2008-05-22 at 19:11:16ID: 21628968

pjknibbs:
My apologies.....there was no change as a result When I did the reboot of the EXCHANGE server (with DC/FSMO/GC added) and powered the original DC down, the results were the same as the prior times: EXCHANGE would not start.  I powered the original DC backup up and EXCHANGE immediately started.

 

by: mickantonePosted on 2008-06-11 at 08:37:29ID: 21761185

OK.....I had a long conversation with Microsoft and discussed the issues with the Exchange support team and the AD support team. With their assistance, I have a functioning Exchange 2003 running on a W2003 DC that has assumed all of the FSMO operations.  The original DC has now been decommissioned.  

Thank you for your input and interest..........

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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