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DeanUnited

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Moving System folders to new server

HI all,

I'm moving the system folders from my old exchange server (2000) to a new one (2000). Afterwards de-installing the old server and bringing it off line.
I've changed the replication of all the public folders to the new server and removed them from replicating to the old.

As for system folders it's a little more difficult to understand. What system folders need to be replicated over to the new server and which ones do not. So far...
I'm replicating: eforms/organization forms; offline address book; schedule freebusy. (and all subfolders)

I won't replicate: events root/eventconfig<oldserver>; owa scratchpad<old server>; store events<old server>; system configuration<old server>

What about schema ; schema root (and subfolders below it default, microsoft..etc) ; and  system configuration?

Do these three get replicated to the new server?

I just don't want to replicate the wrong system folders and have a major problem arise in the new configuration.

Thanks for your input.

Dean
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Sembee
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Follow this article carefully.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=307917

It explains what needs to be replicated. It also explains what else you need to do before you remove the other server.

Simon.
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DeanUnited

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Yes, I've read the article a few times but doesn't mention schema ; schema root (and subfolders below it default, microsoft..etc) ; and  system configuration. If it doesn't mention them should I just assume they don't need to be replicated?

Dean
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Sembee
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Hi Simon,
I tried turning off the old exchange server then restarting the new one and I received the following errors. I was able to start the services manually afterwards. I tried restarting the new server twice and both times the error showed but only when the old server was off. Turned it back on and the new server starts up the necessary services no problem. It must be looking for something on the old server still. Thought I covered everything.


Event id 7001

The Microsoft Exchange Information Store service depends on the Microsoft Exchange System Attendant service which failed to start because of the following error:
%%0

Event id 7001

The Microsoft Exchange MTA Stacks service depends on the Microsoft Exchange System Attendant service which failed to start because of the following error:
%%0
There must be a non-standard reliance on the old server. The servers should be able to stand on their own - all you will get is replication errors.
Therefore you will need to go through the configuration of the second server to see where it is pointing to the old server. My instinct says that one of the stores is pointing to the old server.

Simon.
Hi Simon,

Some of the public folders/system folders are still setup to replicate to the old server, but that shouldn't be the problem. I have not removed the old server from the exchange organization yet, I thought I'd wait and make sure everything is okay first. hmmm...the investigatinon continues...

Dean
Inside the routing group the old server is still listed as a member but I can't remove it , same with the properties under Public folders.  Is there any place outside the Exchange Server manager program to look for reliances on the old server?
ESM is the key controller for Exchange. The only other place to look for some info is in the AD itself using ADSIEDIT, but I wouldn't advise going that route. One false move and your domain is toast.

Apart from replication information, when you remove the old server using Add/Remove programs many of the references will go. That is why you cannot remove it by hand. It is important that you do remove it via Add/Remove programs and not by pulling the plug, wiping the hard disk etc.

I would start going through the folders and removing the replication to the other server and see if that changes anything.

Simon.

Simon.
Ok, I'll start removing system folder replication to the old server , even schema-root, schema etc and try to re-start the new server with the old exchange server off again tongiht. the old server which is being turned off is also the primary internal dns server as well , so I'm going to change the primary dns server setting on the new exchange server to the secondary dns server and try that as well.  I'll let you know how it goes...
Dean
Hi Simon,
It was the DNS issue. It seems since the old exchange server was the primary DNS server in the TCP/IP setting of the new exchange server, after I turned the old server off it caused a minor problem with start up speed. I've now changed the primary DNS server IP address on the new exchange server to the secondary DNS IP address here and the new exchange server is starting up okay now.

I also tried replicating every system folder to the new exchange server and removing the repliation to the old at the same time. It seem this wasn't necessary and now I've got a strange Perfmon event log error 2002. Servers me right , should have tested one fix at a time. It's just a performance monitoring tool anyway, and not critical. Well, like you said I'm hoping when we de-install the old exchange server it should remove appropriate items out of the system folders and hopfully the error will go away too.

Thanks,
Dean
The uninstall process doesn't always remove everything. You often have to remove some of the replicas by hand.
The thing with public folder replication (this includes system folders) is to take your time. Do not try and shortcut the process otherwise Exchange gets upset. When I migrate to a new server I will often take 3 weeks to do it - although have turned one round in 36 hours in the past.

Simon.
Hi Simon,

We'll I"ve had all the system and public folders replicating to the new server for about a week now so I figure that should be okay.

One thing I noticed, I can't make any changes to the system configuration system folder (to change replication etc..), it always gives me a login prompt and then displays an access denied message.  Looks like this is suppose to happen according  the support article here:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=329205

If you mean the folder called "SYSTEM CONFIGUATION" then you should be able to get in to that folder fine. I have just tried on an Exchange 2003 machine and I am in with no prompts.
Are you trying this from the Exchange server using THE administrator account (ie not one with equvilent permissions)?

Simon.