Removing Exchange Installation from an old server

[FN-GM]

Hi I had exchange installed on a Domain controller (I know …. It shouldn't) that install was a test and now I have a dedicated exchange server and it works brill. I plan to remove the old Exchange off the network. I think I have moved everything over to the new server.

 

 

To test I disabled & stopped all the exchange services (on the old server) that are listed in a tutorial found on msechange.org. I have not noticed any problems or changes in the exchange system on the new server.

 

 

I take it that is a good sign? I will be setting up new domain controllers as these have seen there day. Will I be able to take off the old exchange server? I plan just to take it offline and the server is for the scrap, will i need to do anything before i do that?

 

Thanks for you time

 

Z

 

Update: I have noticed that when u unplug the network cable of the DC with old exchange on i cannot access new exchange in outlook.

[Simcfc73]

Have a look at this.

 

http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Removing-First-Exchange-2003-Server-Part1.html

 

You need to replicate everything across to your new server including the Recipient Update service, replicate public folders etc.... can't rememebet them all I think they are in the article above.

 

I removed my first ex2003 server today when i moved over to 2007 and its pretty straightforward as long as everyhting vital has been moved across. Ex2003 doesn't let you uninstall if there are still mailboxes, services etc on the old server vital to the organisation.

[FN-GM]

This is another thing that i am lost about i ahve removed the mail boxes and it wont let me uninstall.

[srochford]

Take a look at http://hellomate.typepad.com/exchange/2004/02/having_trouble_.html for details of how to find the mailboxes you haven't yet moved

 

the other note I have is http://support.microsoft.com/kb/279220 - this details another way of finding these mailboxes.

 

As I understand it, the GUI shows you mailboxes which exist (ie they have mail in them or have had mail in them) but AD knows about users who are configured to use a mailbox but may not yet have used it - these must be moved and this will find them for you.

[FN-GM]

Will i be able to simpily pull the plug on the server when i demote it?

 

Z

[Simcfc73]

You can do a find in AD computers and Users to find the users with mailboxes, thats how I found them.

 

As soon as you uninstall exchange and remove it from the domain you can unplug it.

[FN-GM]

That’s what i have done but it still says some people have mail boxes, but when i go in the system manager to find them i can see some accounts but they dont have mailboxes on this server when i go to exchange tasks there is nothing there at all not create move delete etc. So i am thinking about just unplugging because i can't uninstall.

 

Is an un-installation necessary? Can i just not pull the plug?

 

Z

[Simcfc73]

I would recommend removing it. I didn't at my last school and it leaves loads of crap in the Active Directory

 

The last step in this article should help

 

http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Removing-First-Exchange-2003-Server-Part2.html