Browse All Articles > Installing Exchange 2007 SP1 on a Server 2008 R2 server
DISCLAIMER This article to be used for test (LAB) environments ONLY. This should not be used for Production environments. Installing Exchange 2007 SP1 on a Server 2008 R2 machine is NOT a Microsoft supported configuration as of 3/25/2010. To make the Exchange 2007 install work, we have to modify the "admin.ins" file (see below). We do not know the ramifications of modifying this file without further testing.
Installing Exchange 2007 SP1 x64 on a Server 2008 R2 x64 machine
Before we begin, I would like to mention that Microsoft's' official standing on this set up is it isn't supported yet. However there are plans to support Exchange 2007 on a Server 2008 R2 platform given a service pack release after mid-2010:
“our vehicle for adding this support will be via a third Service Pack for Exchange 2007 in the second half of calendar year 2010”
http://msexchangeteam.com/archive/2009/11/30/453327.aspx
That being said, please follow the below on how I was able to install Exchange 2007 SP1 on a Server 2008 R2 machine (in the lab; I DO NOT use this setup in production however!!!).
Used default AD\Administrator during the entire process. All of my “machines” were virtual machines running on x64 hardware with enough memory and disk space to support them.
1. Raised the domain/forest function level of my lab AD to Server 2003 (I had Server 2003 R2 Domain Controllers)
2. Installed Server 2008 R2 Enterprise + all latest windows updates (6.1 build 7600) (new VM; 2GB vRAM; approx 36GB vDisk space) (I'm not suggesting you should do these steps, especially in a production environment, this is just what I did for the lab setup... this was just a lab anyways!)
Turn on Remote Desktop
Turn 'User Account Control' off
Start, Administrative Tools, then Local Security Policy | Change User Account Control as needed (i.e. Behavior of the elevated prompt : Elevate without prompt <- CAREFUL!!!)
Turn off Windows Firewall
Turn off 'Internet Explorer ESC' - Server Manager | Server Manager | Security Information | Configure IS ESC
Turn off Internet Protocol Version 6 from the NIC cards
IMPORTANT!!! Configure Windows Update to NOT reboot just whenever it feels like it!
Windows Updates : ALL – as of 12/24/09, these were installed:
KB976325
KB976098
KB975467
KB975364
KB974571
KB974431
KB974332
KB973525
3. Installed all the prerequisites for Exchange roles needed
Open an elevated Windows PowerShell console, and run:
“Import-Module ServerManager”
For a server that will host the Client Access, Hub Transport, and the Mailbox role:
“Add-WindowsFeature NET-Framework,RSAT-ADDS,Web-Server,Web-Basic-Auth,Web-Windows-Auth,Web-Metabase,Web-Net-Ext,Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console,WAS-Process-Model,RSAT-Web-Server,Web-ISAPI-Ext,Web-Digest-Auth,Web-Dyn-Compression,NET-HTTP-Activation,RPC-Over-HTTP-Proxy –Restart”
4. Joined the machine to the (lab) domain
5. Mounted my "E2K7 w/ SP1 x64" DVD
6. Prepared the fresh schema, domain, and forest for E2K7 (after an AD backup!!! I took a VM snap-shot of my one Domain Controller since this was just a lab – not advisable to take a VM snap-shot if you have a complex, production, AD environment!)
setup /preparead /organizationname:<your_org_name>
setup /PrepareLegacyExchangePermissions
setup /prepareschema
setup /preparedomain
setup /preparealldomains
7. Installed using setup.exe Mailbox Role only from the root of the DVD - I did not have to use “compatibility mode” during setup.exe
wizard on Mailbox Role - fails at last step (The error code was 3221684229. The message was Access is denied.)
So do this: notepad C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\Setup\data\admin.ins and delete everything including and under: “OpenMachineKey:SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\EventLog\Application”
Rerun setup wizard through Mailbox Role install again to Completed!!!
8. And then I installed the Hub and CAS Roles using the install wizard without issue
9. Rebooted my new E2K7 server running on W2K8R2
10. Now I have an E2K7 Build 240.6 running on W2K8R2x64 and can add mailboxes to it all day
References
Can't install mailbox role from Exchange Server 2007 SP1 onto a fresh Windows Server 2008 R2 installation
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/exchangesvrdeploy/thread/24770bda-67b3-41d1-b9cd-ee9019c7f290
Other articles
Exch2k7 complete install on Windows Server 2008 R2 Core
http://www.nullsession.com/2009/12/07/exch2k7-complete-install-on-windows-server-2008-r2-core/
The fix for installation of Exchange 2007 SP2 with Windows 2008 R2 Domain Controllers is now available
http://msexchangeteam.com/archive/2009/09/15/452494.aspx
Installing Exchange 2007 SP1 x64 on a Server 2008 R2 x64 machine
Before we begin, I would like to mention that Microsoft's' official standing on this set up is it isn't supported yet. However there are plans to support Exchange 2007 on a Server 2008 R2 platform given a service pack release after mid-2010:
“our vehicle for adding this support will be via a third Service Pack for Exchange 2007 in the second half of calendar year 2010”
http://msexchangeteam.com/archive/2009/11/30/453327.aspx
That being said, please follow the below on how I was able to install Exchange 2007 SP1 on a Server 2008 R2 machine (in the lab; I DO NOT use this setup in production however!!!).
Used default AD\Administrator during the entire process. All of my “machines” were virtual machines running on x64 hardware with enough memory and disk space to support them.
1. Raised the domain/forest function level of my lab AD to Server 2003 (I had Server 2003 R2 Domain Controllers)
2. Installed Server 2008 R2 Enterprise + all latest windows updates (6.1 build 7600) (new VM; 2GB vRAM; approx 36GB vDisk space) (I'm not suggesting you should do these steps, especially in a production environment, this is just what I did for the lab setup... this was just a lab anyways!)
Turn on Remote Desktop
Turn 'User Account Control' off
Start, Administrative Tools, then Local Security Policy | Change User Account Control as needed (i.e. Behavior of the elevated prompt : Elevate without prompt <- CAREFUL!!!)
Turn off Windows Firewall
Turn off 'Internet Explorer ESC' - Server Manager | Server Manager | Security Information | Configure IS ESC
Turn off Internet Protocol Version 6 from the NIC cards
IMPORTANT!!! Configure Windows Update to NOT reboot just whenever it feels like it!
Windows Updates : ALL – as of 12/24/09, these were installed:
KB976325
KB976098
KB975467
KB975364
KB974571
KB974431
KB974332
KB973525
3. Installed all the prerequisites for Exchange roles needed
Open an elevated Windows PowerShell console, and run:
“Import-Module ServerManager”
For a server that will host the Client Access, Hub Transport, and the Mailbox role:
“Add-WindowsFeature NET-Framework,RSAT-ADDS,We
4. Joined the machine to the (lab) domain
5. Mounted my "E2K7 w/ SP1 x64" DVD
6. Prepared the fresh schema, domain, and forest for E2K7 (after an AD backup!!! I took a VM snap-shot of my one Domain Controller since this was just a lab – not advisable to take a VM snap-shot if you have a complex, production, AD environment!)
setup /preparead /organizationname:<your_or
setup /PrepareLegacyExchangePerm
setup /prepareschema
setup /preparedomain
setup /preparealldomains
7. Installed using setup.exe Mailbox Role only from the root of the DVD - I did not have to use “compatibility mode” during setup.exe
wizard on Mailbox Role - fails at last step (The error code was 3221684229. The message was Access is denied.)
So do this: notepad C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\Setup\data\admin.in
Rerun setup wizard through Mailbox Role install again to Completed!!!
8. And then I installed the Hub and CAS Roles using the install wizard without issue
9. Rebooted my new E2K7 server running on W2K8R2
10. Now I have an E2K7 Build 240.6 running on W2K8R2x64 and can add mailboxes to it all day
References
Can't install mailbox role from Exchange Server 2007 SP1 onto a fresh Windows Server 2008 R2 installation
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/exchangesvrdeploy/thread/24770bda-67b3-41d1-b9cd-ee9019c7f290
Other articles
Exch2k7 complete install on Windows Server 2008 R2 Core
http://www.nullsession.com/2009/12/07/exch2k7-complete-install-on-windows-server-2008-r2-core/
The fix for installation of Exchange 2007 SP2 with Windows 2008 R2 Domain Controllers is now available
http://msexchangeteam.com/archive/2009/09/15/452494.aspx
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