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Exchange 2010 Install Fails It appears there is a ghost exchange 2003 server

I am trying to install Exchange 2010 to evaluate. I should say I have never used exchange before so go easy on me.
I have cloned (VMware) our domain controller and placed it into an isolated network so I can do the practice set up against a copy of our production environment. but when I try to install exchange I get errors.
1) The Exchange organization is not in native mode
2) One or more servers in the existing organization is running exchange server 2003 without sp2.

We do not have an exchange server and so far as I know never have. I am assuming my predecessor must have installed exchange 2003 at some point to evaluate, but did it against the production environment. How do I clean up whatever is still floating around so I can install exchange? I have done some googling and have read that on the older versions there was an update.exe /RemoveOrg that would clean up the leftovers but I can't seem to find a similar function for exchange 2010

Thanks

mattolan

ASKER

I have also read via google that I should be able to install the management tools only and use them to change the organization mode to the correct version to allow the install to continue, but the management tools install fails with the same error as the full install

Andy Keeney

The Exchange Server object exists in AD as well as any databases, public folder or otherwise and any other configuration settings, for example if it is a bridgehead server on any lingering SMTP or Routing Group connectors.

Andy Keeney

and what is the error you are receiving?

mattolan

ASKER

These are the errors
1) The Exchange organization is not in native mode
2) One or more servers in the existing organization is running exchange server 2003 without sp2.

I know exchange is tied in to AD, I just don't know how to clean it up so I can install the current version.

Andy Keeney

use ADSIEdit and see if you can find any entry of old server if you can find it there then follow the ADSIEdit removal steps as explained this is article : http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Remove-Exchange-server-entire-Exchange-organization.html

be careful since you are making changes in AD schema so backup every thing first

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Andy Keeney

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mattolan

ASKER

in the CN=Microsoft Exchange I see 2 things.
CN=Active Directory Connections
and
CN=CH

would I be safe in assuming that the CN=CH would be the entry for the old server? and am I safe to delete it?

This entire environment I am messing in is a cloned copy of my production set up so I'm not worried about breaking it, I can just re clone from the originals and start over

Andy Keeney

i would make a backup copy first, then delete it.

mattolan

ASKER

Ok, deleting the CN=CH seems to have worked, I got past that error and ran into a different error saying I need to apply a windows update before I can continue, I will do the updates and post back

mattolan

ASKER

Everything succeeds now except the the Client Access Role Prerequisites. It gives me a list of 4 hot fixes that need to be installed but when I click the supplied link to download them none of them seem to exist anymore

SOLUTION

Andy Keeney

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mattolan

ASKER

Thanks you for your help, This worked perfectly