I know I am using an outdated version of Exchange given 2019 is current but I can't upgrade yet. We are currently using Exchange CU14 on Windows 2008 and I'd like to get a fresh install of Exchange on 2012 R2. Since CU14 is no longer available, I was looking to upgrade to CU23 ... at least I would be on a supported version of 2013 on a supported server OS.
So far, I have a new VM that is patched up to date.
I've run repadmin /syncall on by DCs and they are error free
I've run dcdiag on my DCs and they are in synch
I ran setup /PrepareSchema /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms successfully.
I reran the two utilities above as well as repadmin /showreps ... everything cleared.
When I try to run setup with the /PrepareAD parameter, it errors out.
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D:\Exchange Install\Exchange2>setup /PrepareAD /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms
Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 Cumulative Update 23 Unattended Setup
Copying Files...
File copy complete. Setup will now collect additional information needed for
installation.
Performing Microsoft Exchange Server Prerequisite Check
Prerequisite Analysis COMPLETED
Configuring Microsoft Exchange Server
Organization Preparation FAILED
The following error was generated when "$error.Clear();
initialize-ExchangeUniversalGroups -DomainController $RoleDomainControll
er -ActiveDirectorySplitPermissions $RoleActiveDirectorySplitPermissions
" was run: "System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instan
ce of an object.
at Microsoft.Exchange.Management.Tasks.InitializeExchangeUniversalGroups.Crea
teOrMoveEWPGroup(ADGroup ewp, ADOrganizationalUnit usgContainer)
at Microsoft.Exchange.Management.Tasks.InitializeExchangeUniversalGroups.Inte
rnalProcessRecord()
at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.<ProcessRecord>b__b()
at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.InvokeRetryableFunc(String fun
cName, Action func, Boolean terminatePipelineIfFailed)
at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.ProcessTaskStage(TaskStage tas
kStage, Action initFunc, Action mainFunc, Action completeFunc)
at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.ProcessRecord()
at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessor.ProcessRecord()".
The Exchange Server setup operation didn't complete. More details can be found
in ExchangeSetup.log located in the <SystemDrive>:\ExchangeSetupLogs folder.
----------------------
When I go into ADSI Edit and look at Configuration, Services, Microsoft Exchange properties and drill down to the contents of the OtherWellKnownObjects attribute, I can see the full path of where it is currently set. When I look in AD, I can drill down into the OU and see the Managed Availability Servers group. In the properties, I can see our existing Exchange server.
Since the OtherWellKnownObjects attribute can't be edited, how can I resolve the issue to get AD Prep'd and Exchange installed? Am I going about this the wrong way? My thoughts were to bring up a second exchange server, migrate the mailboxes and other settings and then make the necessary DNS modifications.
Thoughts?
