How to uninstall Exchange IMF, so I can install SP2 on Exchange 2003?

check http://www.petri.co.il/installing_imf_with_exchange_2003_sp2.htm

Are you sure that it is not saying that if you remove that "update" the following programs and hotfixes may not work? If that is all it is saying, and I am sure that it is, then you can safely go past that prompt as there is nothing that will be upset by removing that "update".

Simon.

This is the message I get when I try to install SP2:
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the component microsoft exchange messaging and collaboration services cannot be assigned the action "Update" because Set has detected that the hotfix described in KB # 831464 has not been installed. This hotfix is required for OWA to function properly.

SP2 for Exchange Server 2003 includes an updated version of the MS Exchange IMF. An earlier version of the Exchange IMF has been detected on this system and this earlier version must be uninstalled before applying SP2.
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in 'Add/Remove Programs', there is an item called 'Update for IMF on Exchange Server 2003' 11.26.2007 (KB 907747). But I do not see an entry for IMF itself, only the 'Update for IMF'. Should I go this route, or Tbone2K's article suggests the following:( I prefer this not, since it seems like bring down the server temporarily, and also playing with the registry)

 To manually remove Intelligent Message Filter v1
1.      Stop all Exchange services (Information Store, System Attendant, SMTP, and Exchange-aware antivirus services).
2.      Rename the MSCFV1 folder in X:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\bin, where X is the drive letter where Exchange Server is installed.
3.      Rename the ContentFilter.dll file in X:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\bin\, where X is the drive letter where Exchange Server is installed.
4.      Open regedit and export the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Exchange key.
5.      Delete the ContentFilterVersion sub key from the registry.
6.      Restart the server. You should now be able to install Exchange Server 2003 SP2 without errors.

Mestha
The Link you provided talks about re-installing IMF v1 and then uninstalling it to make SP2 work again, but v1 is not available anymore. can you please tell what 'command' are you referring to?

Mestha
The author of the link you sent has written an article 7 months later, suggesting the same as Tbone2k's article.
http://exchangepedia.com/blog/2006/11/update-manually-removing-imf-v1.html

Is that what you recomended?

In the comments there is a command to remove the tool.

Simon.

I tried
MsiExec.exe /X{DCE4D1BC-6E15-433F-99FE-D7F7A2FDC0FF}

It says "This action is only valid for products that are currently installed"

Not just to promote my own answer... It sounds like you have an unusual situation here. I hate these, because they seem like the most work to solve. However someties you have to do things manually. I understand the concerns about bringing down services and modifying the registry. Just make sure you make backups first and you'll be fine.

Backing up registry should be fine..anything else to be mindful of?
thanks

In the alternative to get the SP2 install,
Step 2.      Rename the MSCFV1 folder in X:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\bin, where X is the drive letter where Exchange Server is installed.

there no folder called MSCFV1 in the server, but only MSCFV2. Should I do all the steps except step 2.

What I see with this, and also along with the content of id # 24890163, the server is thinking that IMF v1 is not there, but the part b error message in id 24889852 clearly says there is 'a' version of IMF that is blocking the install of SP2.

I just tried the reinstall, without touching the MSCFV2 folder (There was no MSCFV1 folder).
I stopped 3 services -Information Store, System Attendant, SMTP.
I renamed the ContentFilter.dll file in the Program Files\Exchsrvr\bin\.
I opened regedit and exported the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Exchange key.
I deleted the ContentFilterVersion sub key from the registry. Then I restart the server.

I was able to install Exchange Server 2003 SP2, but during mid-way point, I get this error:

Setup Failed while installing sub-component Misc Atom with error code oxc1037989 (please consult the installation logs for a detailed description). You may cancel the installation or try the failed step again".

What do you recommend I do?

Also, can you suggest where (location) may this installation log may be?

Of course the users are not able to access their emails now. But better sunday evening rather than monday morning.

kindly help.thanks.

I chose the 'retry' option. It gave the error

*Run-Time error in c:\windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\regasm.exe,

I clicked ok, it continued and then it gave another error

*Run-time error in c:\windows\system32\wbem\wmiprvse.exe

Then there was one more error in 'Health Monitor' utility.

Then it asked If I want send all the errors to Microsft. After that, it says SP2 installed fine.

I asked the user's to check their emails. They are starting to get their emails. Also they can connect to RWW.

Can you suggest where exactly this is, with relation to all the errors.

Thanks

After all of this, I tried to open Active Directory, but I get this message:
MMC cannot open the file c:\windows\system32\dsa.msc

This may be because the file does not exist, or is not an MMC console, or was created by a later version of MMC.

Any thoughts.

I am not able to open the server management tool, either.

I went to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Small Business Server\Administration\Launchconsole.exe, but it did not start either, neither did it give any message.

My original post has been resolved in the sense, IMF has been worked around,  and SP2 has been installed, but with errors. If I should start a new thread, I could do that,too.

Sorry for all the trouble! You might be able to run the adminpak install again to fix anything that is missing, or you could fix MMC by updating it: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/907265

Otherwise I found some more information on this error and there seems to be lots of suggestions here: https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/23097626/MMC-cannot-open-the-file-C-WINDOWS-SYSTEM32-dsa-msc.html

Short of that, it might be better to open another case in the appropriate spot simply so you can get it seen by more experts in that area.

TBone2K,
I did'nt have any other option, did I?

I will run the MMC update. Thanks.