Replace Dead Exchange Server

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lyonrouge

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#112340 5-Dec-2012 15:59

While attempting to install a RODC I have somehow corrupted the network stack on the Exchange server. I plan to just reinstall it and restore the user data, however, is there any underlying AD entries for the dead server I should remove first?

Note: Its a test server with only half a dozen users so no rush to fix.

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#727484 5-Dec-2012 16:00

ps. Exchange Server is a VM. Somewhere I believe the RODC VM network clashed with the Exchange virtual network. I've put virtual cards in and out of the server and a variety if fix attempts, but none has worked and the server remains in a locked state, whereby I can use any of the diagnostics I would normally use.

ubergeeknz

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Vocus

#727486 5-Dec-2012 16:03

Killing an Exchange server like that will leave an absolute mess in your AD, from experience, which is not trivial to clean up.

It is probably easier to restore the Exchange server, then remove it gracefully.

lyonrouge

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#727489 5-Dec-2012 16:05

By restore you mean a clean Windows Server 2008 R2 and restore the exchange instance onto that?

Stangely the network stack operates in Safe Mode, maybe I should try a little more before a restore.

gjm

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#727496 5-Dec-2012 16:26

I think I read that you can reset the computer account for the failed exchange server and then just do a reinstall on a fresh machine (call it the same thing and then join to domain). Exchange stores a lot of its config in AD so it can retrieve it all from there. Prob pay to read up on this a bit before starting though as its something I glanced over. Might have been only for Exch 2010 as well...not sure what version you are running.

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lyonrouge

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#727497 5-Dec-2012 16:29

Thanks, I'll give it a read tomorrow morning. Edit: yes, this is a 2010 exchange server

lyonrouge

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#728070 6-Dec-2012 14:14

gjm: I think I read that you can reset the computer account for the failed exchange server and then just do a reinstall on a fresh machine (call it the same thing and then join to domain). Exchange stores a lot of its config in AD so it can retrieve it all from there. Prob pay to read up on this a bit before starting though as its something I glanced over. Might have been only for Exch 2010 as well...not sure what version you are running.

This is the process I shall try http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd876880(v=exchg.141).aspx

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boby55

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#728081 6-Dec-2012 14:32

lyonrouge: ps. Exchange Server is a VM.

This is why you make Snapshots of VM's :) So you can just restore them if something happens

gjm

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#728086 6-Dec-2012 14:36

um, taking snapshots of Exchange servers is not really a good idea although in a lab like this I guess it would be better than nothing. If you want to see a mess snapshot a Exchange DAG member, let them go for a day or 2 and then restore the snapshot. Snapshotting AD would be an even worse idea (although apparently svr 2012 has some features that account for fresh grad / domain admin combination).

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lyonrouge

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#728097 6-Dec-2012 15:00

gjm: um, taking snapshots of Exchange servers is not really a good idea although in a lab like this I guess it would be better than nothing. If you want to see a mess snapshot a Exchange DAG member, let them go for a day or 2 and then restore the snapshot. Snapshotting AD would be an even worse idea (although apparently svr 2012 has some features that account for fresh grad / domain admin combination).

I've had these sort of dramas with snapshots in the past so I'm careful how I use them. In this instance I foolishly thought adding an RODC would no affect the exchange server, well, I learned something there.

Probably good practice to restore the Exchange server as you never know where you have to do this for real. The backup is from the night before the drama, so should be fine. The user accounts are loaded with test data, so if they are lost they can be reloaded manually from PST files.

gjm

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#728102 6-Dec-2012 15:06

Yeah thats really strange and I wouldnt have thought doing that would cause this kind of problem. Have had a problem with Hyper V and messing with physical and virtual network adaptors caused me to have to rebuild an SBS VM from scratch but I cant see why a RODC would do something like that to Exchange.

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lyonrouge

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#728132 6-Dec-2012 15:43

Looks similar to the scenario you described. I put the RODC in the internal network, then added another code in the edge, then removed the internal adapter, and somewhere around here all hell broke loose and the Exchange server went offline.

I think it has much more to do with Hyper-V virtual networking that it does with RODC.

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Snowflake

#728331 7-Dec-2012 01:44

i've done a couple of restores of exchange using the setup /m:recoverserver command on top of a new bare metal install of windows server. this command reads the exchange config from AD and restores it on the server. if you have a backup of the EDB files, then all the data (mailboxes) gets restored nicely too.

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lyonrouge

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#728457 7-Dec-2012 11:43

I've successfully run setup /m:recoverserver to reinstate the Exchange server, but stuck on the restore. My backups have been taken following the steps in this URL http://exchangeserverpro.com/exchange-2010-mailbox-database-backup-restore-windows-server-backup, however, this is the first time I've attempted a restore and it appears I failed to register the fact I had an exchange application installed with the server backup software.

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lyonrouge

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#728460 7-Dec-2012 11:46

lyonrouge: Looks similar to the scenario you described. I put the RODC in the internal network, then added another code in the edge, then removed the internal adapter, and somewhere around here all hell broke loose and the Exchange server went offline.

I think it has much more to do with Hyper-V virtual networking that it does with RODC.

During the recovery process for the Exchange server I think I uncovered what I did to cause the problem in the first place. I created a new site, but didn't configure the subnet, which I believe caused Exchange to be unable to discover the DCs for it's location. This didn't seem affect the other servers, just Exchange.

For me, I treat the Exchange server as a sophisticated mail server, but I'm really going to have to sit down and learn it properly.

gjm

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#728466 7-Dec-2012 11:53

try just restoring the mailbox databases from the file option and then seeing if you can mount them

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