Exchange 2010 Install Client Access Role Failed

I messed around with trying to uninstall IIS and reinstall it. I am trying to get the Client Access Role installed and now I am getting a different error about IIS Root can't be found. I have included a screen shot. Thanks again for any help.
error2.png

I was also thinking about trying to uninstall the Hub Transport role but I cannot remove the bridgehead server entry on the Exchange 2003 server that we are currently running on. I can not access the Exchange Power shell and if I righ click on the connector in the Exchange 2003 manager the bridgehead server shows up as the 2010 server but is grayed out. It tells me I need a newer console to modify from the Exchange 2003 server. Does anyone have any suggestions? I also can't get into the Exchange management console on the exchange 2010 server either. If I can get the rest of the roles installed and the IIS Root fixed I won't need to do this but I am running out of ideas.

It appears you could have a couple issues here. Was this a failure of a working CAS server where some update failed? Some of what you said has given me the impressions this was a working CAS server. If not, then verify that all of the pre-requisites have been done:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb691354(v=exchg.141).aspx

There are several hotfixes in the list above.

Also, in the IIS Manager, go to SERVERNAME > ISAPI and CGI restrictions. Then, delete the entry for "Microsoft Exchange Client Access Server"

Finally, in the registry, delete the two keys: HKLM\software\microsoft\ExchangeServer\V14\ClientAccessRole

Restart, and then try the install again. Also, if you have anti-virus on the system, it needs to be disabled for the install and any UAC controls disabled. On two of mine, I also had to start the installation by right clicking and doing a "run as administrator."

Here's an update. I copied the applicationHost file from a test server that I have working fine. I was able to uninstall everything except the mailbox role since I couldn't get into the powershell or the EMC. I also uninstalled IIS and the Windows Process Activation Service to try to start as fresh as possible. I rebooted the server reinstalled IIS then reinstalled the Client Access Role and Hub Transport Role. All seemed to go smooth without any errors. Once the server started I logged in and tried the EPS and EMC both were not letting me in. After digging around I noticed the Powershell virtual directory was not listed under Default Websites in IIS. I used the Windows Power Shell under Admin Tools and was able to get it recreated and restarted IIS. Once it was recreated I noticed I was still unable to get in the EPS and EMC with the WinRM errors. Just for a chance I thought I'd try to install Exchange 2010 SP2. I installed the service pack and after the reboot it seemed to be working I could get into the EPS and EMC but I had a bunch of performance counter issues. I thought I'd troubleshoot that and started using the Exchange Analyzer Tool in the EMC. I ran it and cleaned some things up that I have seen before but I noticed there was one warning that came up that the PowerShell virtual directory was using SSL. I opened IIS manager and saw that there was a PowerShell virtual directory and also a PowerShell-Proxy virtual directory. The PowerShell VD was not using SSL but the PowerShell-Proxy directory was. I unselected SSL in the PowerShell-Proxy directory and applied. Everything seemed to still be working fine. I had to reboot the server again as I was going to start configuring Exchange and stuff. Now I can't get into the EMS or the EMC again the error is a different WinRM error. I will post a screen shot. I thought maybe it was related to the SSL change on the PowerShell-Proxy VD even though MS recommended doing this. I went back into IIS and configured SSL on the VD again. I also noticed under module the kerbauth module was not listed under PowerShell-Proxy but I noticed it was not listed when everything was working as well. It is listed under the modules in the PowerShell VD. At this point I am stuck. I need help getting access again to the EPS and EMC. Then I would also like to get access troubleshooting the Performance counter issues. Here is a couple of screen shots from the server. Any help is greatly appreciated.
WinRM-Error.png
Exchange-errors.png

Personally, at this point with all of the things that have been changed and done. I would uninstall Exchange and reload the operating system. It looks like you are spending a lot of time trying to correct issue after issue, and you seem to have a working CAS server. Is this an option?

After starting the Windows PowerShell I noticed something may be up with talking to AD on the new exchange server as well. I get an message on the powershell WARNING: Error initializing default drive: 'Unable to find a default server with Active Directory Web Services running.' I can ping both ad servers and resolve them fine. I found some issues in DNS but cleaned them up as well and replicated but I am still having problems.

The Exchange Roles seem to be working fine and all the services are running properly. I'm not sure if this is an exchange issue at this point or some issue with AD. Like I said I had it working fine for hours. everything seemed to be running properly and I was getting ready to configure. Also I when I first tried installing exchange on this new server the CAS role failed and seemed to not be able to contact AD as the reason. This is what started everything. If I planned on uninstalling Exchange I could uninstall all the roles but would have issues with the Mailbox Role as I get an error because of the Mailbox databases and stuff. I can't get into the management consoles to correct that. Do you know of a way I can get this role uninstalled properly so I can remove all exchange roles and IIS and start over with a new install?

Ok I found a way to access the EPS on the server and I am trying to remove the Mailbox Role. I remove the arbitration mailboxes for the Mailbox database but I still see a DiscoverySearchMailbox when I run Get-Mailbox. I can't remove this mailbox with any command I try. Once I get this removed I should be able to remove the mailbox database and the public folder database and attempt to uninstall the mailbox role. Can you help with the powershell commands for this?

It should be the same as any other mailbox. Using the Get-Mailbox command. However, based on what you have said, you may have a similar situation as in the link below describes. See if this isn't the same issue.


http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/exchange2010/thread/27957c55-bfe8-4a8c-91e1-5844d8d02881/

Okay I got all the mailboxes emoved and the mailbox database deleted. The last error I am running into is with the Public Folder Database. Though I see some Public folders on the Exchange 2003 server that list the Exchange 2010 server as a replica. When I highlight the Exchange 2010 server the remove button is grayed out. I;m not sure if there is a way to force delete the public folder database on the Exchange 2010 server but if we can that would be great. Once that is done I can try uninstalling the mailbox role.
Public-Folder-DB.png

I ended up using ADSI edit and removed it from there using this guide. http://blog.dargel.at/2012/01/19/remove-public-folder-using-adsiedit/ 

Trying to uninstall the mailbox role now. Hopefully I can get everything uninstalled clean so we can start fresh again. I will post how I make out. Thanks for all the help!

I hope this worked for you. Sorry for the delay in responding. I didn't see the emails come through on my phone.

No problem. I tried some more stuff yesterday. I removed all the Exchange roles from the server and also all the windows roles and features. Rebooted and tried a new fresh install. All went well with the install. Everything installed without any error and once it was complete I rebooted and tried to launch exchange. Once again I got the error using the EPS and EMC. I opened the powershell under admin tools which loaded the exchange powershell module. this time though if I ran get-mailbox the discoverysearcmailbox was not recreated. It was like it remembered some configuration settings. I once again uninstalled all the exchange roles and windows roles and features using add remove programs. I will be restoring the server to an image of before I started the exchange install. I guess what I'm trying to figure out is this. Is there anything in AD that I need to clean up? I know it's not supported by microsoft and I really don't want to mess with using ADSIedit. There is currently a working exchange 2003 server that we are trying to migrate off of. I don't want to accidentally remove something in AD and mess up that server. I was also thinking what if I just leave AD alone for now and just try reimaging the server and reinstalling exchange on it. If I go that route do you think I should leave the server name the same or rename it to something new when I try to reinstall exchange? Thanks again for all the help! This is driving me crazy. haha

Great source of help but the install and Schema was way too messed up. I had to do a AD DS restore and attempt a fresh install.