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mandraksl

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Exchange server on 2003 Server

Here is my situation:

I'm currently have two servers.  One I use as a main server and make it become Domain Controller, the second server I want to install exchange server on it.  The second server will be a member on the main domain.  Now I have joined the second server to the domain but I can't install Exchange at all because I don't have a active directory, how do I point it to the DC server or is there a way for me to do this?
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Lee W, MVP
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Run ForestPrep on the DC and DomainPrep on the member server, then install Exchange.

Then if you want to administer, you can install only ESM on the DC and the Exchange mailbox information will show up in AD.

Jay
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mandraksl

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I did run Forestprep on the DC and when I try to do domainprep on the member, I get the error message of "Failed to contact the Schema Master server for this Active Directory forest."  

It is because the DNS setup?
Possibly - like I said:
make sure DNS is setup and that the second server uses ONLY the first server as it's DNS server.

Or, better still, post the settings on both servers.
Have you ever changed your domain controllers round?
I worked on a question last week where the poster had changed DCs months ago but the roles hadn't moved across correctly. He had to seize the roles to get Exchange to install correctly.

You can run forest prep and domain prep on any machine. I usually do it on the domain controller simply because it makes things easier. The data ends up on the DC anyway.

Make sure that your DNS is setup correctly as already outlined - with domain controllers ONLY listed as DNS servers in the network settings.

Simon.
Hey Guys, I think my DNS setup is wrong.  I connect the member to the DC DNS, I see it but when I run the domainprep, it still showing that error message.
And what do you mean by changing the domain controllers round?
Shutdown an old one?
Demoted a domain controller back to a member server?
That sort of thing.

Simon.
I didn't change any of the domain controllers.  I gave both server under the same DNS 127.0.0.1.  and I did point the member server to the DC server but still giving me the same message.
This is what I will do, demote the DC and restarted the installation.  I hope this will work
The DNS as 127.0.0.1 may be the problem.
Change it to the real IP address of the DNS service. I have seen some funny results with 127.0.0.1.

Configure the domain controllers to use themselves as primary and the other one for secondary.

Simon.
I"m currently connected to a fake domain that I make up, could this be the reason why I can't get it to work?
Depends what the fake domain is.

If it is a valid domain on the internet, then that can cause problems.
If you want to make up a domain, then you should use something.local (where something can be anything you like).

Simon.
Thank you for you help guys, I'll spit the point.  What I did wrong was the initial setup of the DC server.  I reformatted and started over and I follow the step procedure above and everything is up and running.  Thanks