RE-installing Exchange Server 2003 onto Server 2003

[faza]

Over the Summer Holiudays I am going to re-install Exchange 2003. What are the best protocols to follow?

Currently the server is not perofming to its best. I am planning to format the server and re-install the O/S and then the Exchange 2003.

I am a bit worried to if I format everything i will not be able to restore the databases. I have got the backups as of last friday. I perform the backups by using the backup program that comes with Server 2003, I back up the first storage | Information Store.

Will that be enough?


Also if i just do that will that restore all the mailboxes and mail and other outlook items?

Would it be best if i remove it totally from Active Directory will that be ok?
What would I need to perform to do that?

Basically I would like to start from scratch either format the server and remove Exchange from the Active Directory or just format the server what ever is best.

But I really do need to be sure that i can restore the databases,

By just backing up using the backup program that comes with Server 2003 be ok would i need to backup the transaction logs???


Sorry about all these questions just want to be able to restore all the mailboxes so nobody loses their e-mail items.


Faza

[chrisg]

the best way to go about this is

1. Build up a spare machine with Server 2003 and exch 2003, a hefty workstation will do so long as you have the disk space

2. Migrate the mailboxes across to that machine.

3. Go through system manager and make the new machine the default for everything.

4. Then format/rebuild the old server, keeping the same name just incase you missed anything in step 3. and also your clients will not have reconfigure outlook.

5. go back through process in reverse order.

6. uninstall exchange from spare machine.

[faza]

What about just a backup will that be ok?

[ChrisH]

What about just a backup will that be ok?

Given the choice I would back it up and do as Chrisg has said. At least you have more than one thing to fall back upon. You can go to many forums and hear of the sob stories of someone trying to restore Exchange from a backup and having big problems.

[faza]

Ok, I shall do that cheers. i will let you know the outcome!!!

[faza]

I have just tried to migrate the mailboxes from one Exchange Server to another.

I got an error message stating:

Unable to perform the migration. Please enter a source Exchange Server outside of the Target Exchange Organisation.

[Disease]

We just had to restore exchange on a rebuild from backups but we were using Veritas with the Exchange Agent and it's restored fine in the end. We had a few problems but it was ok. The main problem was restoring exchange without the mailboxes and then having to push them over from tape 1 box at a time.