Exchange 2013 AD prep- "Object reference not set to an instance of an object."

[FN-GM]

Hi

 

I am trying to install Exchange 2013 CU 3. We currently have CU 2 installed. During preparing the organization i get the error "Object reference not set to an instance of an object."

 

I googled this and some posts suggest its a dodgy exchange federation relationship. We don't have any or have it enabled.

 

Any ideas please?

 

Thanks

 

 

[01/05/2014 13:05:49.0656] [2] Group CN=Managed Availability Servers,OU=Microsoft Exchange Security Groups,OU=IT System,OU=Groups & Other Accounts,DC=domain,DC=local already exists.
[01/05/2014 13:05:49.0718] [2] [ERROR] Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
[01/05/2014 13:05:49.0718] [2] [WARNING] An unexpected error has occurred and a Watson dump is being generated: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
[01/05/2014 13:05:50.0591] [1] The following 1 error(s) occurred during task execution:
[01/05/2014 13:05:50.0591] [1] 0.  ErrorRecord: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
[01/05/2014 13:05:50.0591] [1] 0.  ErrorRecord: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
  at Microsoft.Exchange.Management.Tasks.InitializeExchangeUniversalGroups.CreateOrMoveEWPGroup(ADGroup ewp, ADOrganizationalUnit usgContainer)
  at Microsoft.Exchange.Management.Tasks.InitializeExchangeUniversalGroups.InternalProcessRecord()
  at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.b__8()
  at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Core.LatencyTrackerExtension.StartAndEndInternalTracking(LatencyTracker latencyTracker, String groupName, String funcName, Boolean logDetailsAlways, Action action)
  at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Core.CmdletLatencyTracker.StartAndEndInternalTracking(Guid cmdletUniqueId, String groupName, String funcName, Boolean logDetailsAlways, Action action)
  at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.b__7()
  at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Core.LatencyTrackerExtension.StartAndEndInternalTracking(LatencyTracker latencyTracker, String groupName, String funcName, Boolean logDetailsAlways, Action action)
  at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Core.CmdletLatencyTracker.StartAndEndInternalTracking(Guid cmdletUniqueId, String groupName, String funcName, Boolean logDetailsAlways, Action action)
  at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.ProcessRecord()
  at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessor.ProcessRecord()
[01/05/2014 13:05:50.0607] [1] [ERROR] The following error was generated when "$error.Clear(); 
initialize-ExchangeUniversalGroups -DomainController $RoleDomainController -ActiveDirectorySplitPermissions $RoleActiveDirectorySplitPermissions

" was run: "Object reference not set to an instance of an object.".
[01/05/2014 13:05:50.0607] [1] [ERROR] Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
[01/05/2014 13:05:50.0622] [1] [ERROR-REFERENCE] Id=443949901 Component=
[01/05/2014 13:05:50.0622] [1] Setup is stopping now because of one or more critical errors.
[01/05/2014 13:05:50.0622] [1] Finished executing component tasks.
[01/05/2014 13:05:50.0638] [1] Ending processing Install-ExchangeOrganization

[adamf]

Could be a stab in the dark, but the first thing I noticed is that the Managed Availability Servers group is not in the place it gets installed by default. Mine reads CN=Managed Availability Servers,OU=Microsoft Exchange Security Groups,DC=domain,DC=local

 

Then I found this (albeit for Exchange 2010): Install Second Exchange Server 2010 in same domain installation Error

 

In ADSIEdit if you goto Configuration, Services, Microsoft Exchange, right click on that and select properties, find the attribute otherWellKnownObjects. You can't edit it, but scroll along it's value and you should see where it is looking for the Managed Availability Servers group.

 

Is what's in there, the same location as where your group is in AD?

[FN-GM]

Thanks for the help. I can't see where it is, its chopped the path off. See attached.

 

Thanks

 

[adamf]

Try this: Reading the otherWellKnownObjects attribute with PowerShell - Remko Weijnen's Blog (Remko's Blog)

 

Looks like you can extract the value using Powershell.