The Exchange 2000 Post-SP3 Rollup is Released & some more info on it!

[The_Exchange_Team]

The Exchange team has released the July 2004 Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server Post-Service Pack 3 (SP3) Update Rollup to the Microsoft.com Download Center.  The KB article for this update is located at http://support.microsoft.com/?id=870540.  One of the main stories regarding this release is that this update rollup puts a prerequisite on all Exchange 2000 hotfixes being released from this point forward.  In other words, ALL Exchange 2000 hotfixes will now require the update rollup build 6603.1 to be installed before continuing with the hotfix installation.  This was done for a number of reasons.

Besides the official KB article for the rollup, I’ve consolidated the customer FAQs that have come up:

Q: Has the update rollup (6603.1) been released?

A: Yes, the update rollup (6603.1) released August 16.  Get it here.

Q: Can I get a list of the hot fixes in this update rollup (6603.1)?

A: The complete list of hot fixes in this update rollup is in its respective KB; http://support.microsoft.com/?id=870540.

Q: Who should install this update rollup (6603.1)?

A:  All Exchange 2000 customers with SP3 installed should install the August update rollup (6603.1)

Q: Why did Microsoft release an update rollup for Exchange 2000?

A: The update rollup ensures that all necessary hot fixes are installed and replaces recalled hot fixes.

Q: Why did Microsoft not re-release individual hot fixes that were recalled?

A: An update rollup allows customers to install all previously released hot fixes at once to save time and provide a better overall customer experience.

Q: Does this update rollup supersede "Update Rollup for Exchange 2000 (KB836488)" currently available on the Web?

A: Yes!

Q: Do I need to uninstall the superseded "Update Rollup for Exchange 2000 (KB836488)" before installing this update rollup (6603.1)?

A: No, you can install the (6603.1) update rollup without un-installing the (6556.5) update rollup.

Q: Does this update rollup (6603.1) include all released security fixes?

A: Yes!

Q: Can I uninstall the update rollup (6603.1)?

A: Yes. However, if additional Exchange Server hot fixes are installed after this update rollup, then the hot fixes must be uninstalled in the reverse order that they were installed.

Q: What is the recommended installation procedure for installing both the update rollup and an individual hotfix?

A:             1. Manually shut down Exchange services.

                2. Install the update rollup.

                3. Install the hotfix.

                4. Restart Exchange services.

Q: Does the update rollup require a reboot?

A: A reboot is required only if the installer detects that one or more of the files to be updated are locked open. The hotfix installer makes all attempts to shut down services, close open files, and show files that are in use before continuing with the installation, but if any files remain open, a reboot will be triggered.

Q: Can I install this update rollup using terminal services?

A: Yes, but there are known issues.  For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article 246216, "XADM: Exchange 2000 ExIFS May Not Start after ExIFS Is Manually Stopped", located at http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=246216 

Q: Does the installer detect 'file in use' while running in silent mode?

A: No. If a file is in use, a reboot is required.

If any other rollup related questions not covered here become FAQs, we’ll be sure to add them to this list.  Thanks and happy update rollup downloading!

- Michael Palermiti

[#2]

Why doesn't MS just release a SP4 instead of just releasing different "versions" of this Post-SP3 Rollup?

[#3]

I was wondering the same thing....

[#4]

Agreed -- I've thought this was quite odd for some time now. Michael -- wassup?

[#5]

Hi guys, the decision to release a service pack depends on quite a few details which are outside the scope of this blog. I can't say whether a SPn will be released for E2K, but I can say the process for the product group and their partners to release an update rollup are quite different than that of a SPn. When a big decision to ship a SPn or a new product is made, the key decision makers have to take into account the available team resources, current work schedules, dev/test costs, anticipated beta and support costs, documentation requirements, plus many other factors. Obviously, for the time being, the decision to ship the rollup today and help customers reduce support costs by bringing everyone up to a baseline that contains all the hot fixes since SP3 was made. I hope this helps.

[#6]

Version number doesnt update.
Version 6.0 (Build 6249.4: Service Pack3)
How come? The update was ok.

[#7]

Hi Thomas, the version in the ESM only updates after service packs and product upgrades. If you use Windows Explorer to check the properties of the files in the Bin directory updated with this rollup you should see that the version is either 6603.0 or 6603.1 (depending on what file from the rollup you actually check). For example, the version of excdo.dll should be 6603.1, whereas the store.exe should be 6603.0.

[#8]

Thanks for the Update Rollup which we are waiting for SMTP mailsize issue .
I agree with your points to SP4 release. I think all exchange resources are devoted to Exchange 2003 post Sp1 work .
Why can not MS can include M drive disable in Exchange 2000 post Sp3 fixes .just another menu/switch to enable M drive if they need .

[#9]

Hi Raveendran, thanks for the comment. Design changes like that are generally not introduced with an update rollup like this one. There is a KB article on the steps to take to create a simple M: drive removal script: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=305145

The script's KB also explains some of the potential side-effects of running it. Hope that helps.

[#10]

Exchange-faq.dk - Din portal til Microsoft Exchange Server information

[#11]

Thanks, especially for the info on exactly how to install (i.e. exactly which services need stopping - something many of the KBs don't actually spell out).

I've just discovered this Msft blog initiative, and it is grrreat. Normally I hate huge, aggressively competitive companies run by billionaires but at the moment I make an exception for Micro$oft - mainly because it seems to have such great internal and external communication skills, which really helps us IT folks.

.. And because the alternative might have been IBM taking over the world instead... :O(

[#12]

I use "mbsacli -hf -v" to check patch levels

I did not know from mbsacli that there _was_ a patch, it returned:

* EXCHANGE 2000 SP3

Information
All necessary hotfixes have been applied.

Now after patching and bouncing:

* EXCHANGE 2000 SP3

Warning MS03-046 829436
File version is greater than expected.
[\imediaexch02D$Exchsrvrbindrviis.dll, 6.0.6603.0 > 6.0.6487.1]
File version is greater than expected.
[\imediaexch02D$Exchsrvrbinexsmtp.dll, 6.0.6603.0 > 6.0.6487.1]
File version is greater than expected.
[\imediaexch02D$Exchsrvrbinpeexch50.dll, 6.0.6603.0 >
6.0.6487.1]
File version is greater than expected.
[\imediaexch02D$Exchsrvrbinphatcat.dll, 6.0.6603.0 >
6.0.6487.1]

What's up with that?

Is mssecure.xml just behind, or is something wrong on the system?

[#13]

Kaze - mssecure.xml is behind. I spoke with the team that owns that file, and they said they will be updating it for this rollup in the next month. Thanks for pointing this out!