Exchange Panic

[SpuffMonkey]

Hi - we've been demoting and rebuilding some servers (all 2003) over the summer - and everything seemed to be hunky dory - but gone in to add a new user today and all the extra Exchange 2003 tabs that usually show in Active Directory when you select a user are not there - neither do you get prompted for Exchange info when you set up a new user.

The Exchange was on a DC but its been demoted - the email for existing users still functions OK - just can't change anything.

Help!

[plexer]

uh oh I thought once you had installed exchange you weren't supposed to change the role of the server or nasty things would happen???

Ben

[Abaddon]

Sounds like you lost the Schema for Exchange when you rebuilt the servers... Have you re-extended it?

[steve]

If you are managing the server from a workstation, you need the Exchange System Management Tools installing from the Exchange CD.

[Roberto]

Hi - we've been demoting and rebuilding some servers (all 2003) over the summer - and everything seemed to be hunky dory - but gone in to add a new user today and all the extra Exchange 2003 tabs that usually show in Active Directory when you select a user are not there - neither do you get prompted for Exchange info when you set up a new user.

The Exchange was on a DC but its been demoted - the email for existing users still functions OK - just can't change anything.

Help!

Do you still see this issue when you run the copy of Active Directory Users & Computers that Exchange 2003 itself installed?

In the Exchange System Manager, open Administrative Groups / Your Organisation Name / Servers and right-click the server and choose properties.

Click Directory Access. Does the list of DCs available look sensible? If not, step through each part of this dialogue and make sure that 'Automatically Discover Servers' is selected, then stop and restart the Exchange Services.

Download the Exchange Best Practices tool
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

and also the Exchange troubleshooting tool
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

... run them on the Exchange server and see what they say.

[ajbritton]

Before you demoted the DCs, did you make sure that the FSMO roles and Global Catalog were held elsewhere? Also, did you check that the demotion events were processed by the other DCs? If so, then AD should be fine and as Roberto says, you need to use the special customized copy of AD Users & Computers with Exchange puts on.

[SpuffMonkey]

If you are managing the server from a workstation, you need the Exchange System Management Tools installing from the Exchange CD.

Sorted - you need that on the servers too! Thanks for your suggestions guys - realised what to do after looking in AD on the Exchange server and seeing it was all complete there. Phew!