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Remove lost Exchange Server - 19.Mar.2008 3:22:53 PM

advball

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Joined: 19.Mar.2008
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We just installed two new Exch2007 mailbox servers. We lost the SAN hooked up to the first server. How do we remove that server from the Exchange organization? No users were on that one so we don't really care about anything on it. It was so new we didn't even have a backup of it yet. The EMC won't let us do anything.

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RE: Remove lost Exchange Server - 19.Mar.2008 3:29:24 PM

mark@mvps.org

Posts: 6811
Joined: 9.Jun.2004
From: Philadelphia PA
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To be honest I'd do it this way:

Virtual PC / Virtual Server / VMware (I could care less)
Bring up a fresh server with that same name and join it to the domain
Install Exchange with the /disasterrecovery switch.
Start the stores and accept the messages about blank stores.
Then uninstall Exchange.

Sure, there are MS articles to rip the server out with adsiedit but I'd prefer you did it nice and cleanly.

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Mark Arnold (Exchange MVP)
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(in reply to advball)

Post #: 2

RE: Remove lost Exchange Server - 19.Mar.2008 4:09:56 PM

advball

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Joined: 19.Mar.2008
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I tried that but it wouldn't let me uninstall. I'll try it again this afternoon.

(in reply to mark@mvps.org)

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RE: Remove lost Exchange Server - 19.Mar.2008 4:19:21 PM

Elan Shudnow

Posts: 897
Joined: 4.Jan.2007
From: Chicago, IL
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Could you elaborate on, "it wouldn't let me uninstall?"

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http://www.shudnow.net

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RE: Remove lost Exchange Server - 19.Mar.2008 4:58:08 PM

advball

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Joined: 19.Mar.2008
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It said I couldn't remove the server because the databases couldn't be removed. The databases showed unmounted and it wouldn't let me re-associate them with blank databases.

(in reply to Elan Shudnow)

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RE: Remove lost Exchange Server - 20.Mar.2008 11:27:06 AM

advball

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Joined: 19.Mar.2008
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I have created a virtual server with the same IP. Do I remove the old server from AD and recreate or just rejoin as the same name? When I do this do I install from the command line as /disasterrecovery?

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RE: Remove lost Exchange Server - 20.Mar.2008 11:33:21 AM

Elan Shudnow

Posts: 897
Joined: 4.Jan.2007
From: Chicago, IL
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With Exchange 2007, you actually don't use /disasterrecovery anymore. You use setup /m:recoverserver.

Read these two articles:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb123496(EXCHG.80).aspx
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa998656(EXCHG.80).aspx

The short jist of it, is reset the computer account for the Exchange server you're recovering within ADUC. You then name the Exchange box to the same name as the old Exchange box you're recovering, join it to the domain, then do the setup /m:recoverserver. This will restore everything possible within AD for that server. You then restore any files/settings not stored within AD back on the Exchange box such as OWA template files, etc...

_____________________________

Elan Shudnow
Exchange MVP
http://www.shudnow.net

(in reply to advball)

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RE: Remove lost Exchange Server - 20.Mar.2008 1:22:08 PM

advball

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Joined: 19.Mar.2008
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What do I do for the lost databases?

(in reply to Elan Shudnow)

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RE: Remove lost Exchange Server - 20.Mar.2008 4:16:13 PM

advball

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Joined: 19.Mar.2008
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I have re-installed Exchange on the virtual server with the recoverserver mode. I don't have any databases that I can mount. It also won't let me uninstall until I kill those databases. Any help? Any other way to remove this server gracefully?

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Post #: 9

RE: Remove lost Exchange Server - 21.Mar.2008 9:28:05 AM

ismail.mohammed

Posts: 3018
Joined: 9.May2007
From: India
Status: offline

hi mate,

My last option would be
taking system state backup
ADsiedit.msc => Deleting mailbox store from there
and then uninstall it in a normal way

or else from the ADSIEDIT itself i would delete the server infromation

(in reply to advball)

Post #: 10