Hello all, I have an issue. I recently updated some domain controllers OS from Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008. The domain functional level was not changed because there are other domains within the forest that still have Server 2003. The transfer of all information to the new domain controllers went well and all servers and users function properly. However, it wasn't until I demoted the old domain controllers that we realized that the exchange admin account was removed. The exchange admin account existed on the domain that was changed. So, as of right now, we have no exchange admin account to manage the exchange servers. Do I have to have the same account to manage the exchange servers or can I make a new account and give it the same rights? If I can't make a new account, is there a way to create a new admin account or recover the old account? Quick Details: The exchange version is 2003. Exchange server OS Windows server 2003 STND Ed. Domain controller OS Windows server 2008 STND Ed. Domain functional lvl, 2003 Windows Server 2003. Need instructions/help to recover or create new exchange server admin account. Thanks for any help you can give! Let me know if you need more information.

Can you check through Adsiedit and check for the permissions or assign required permissions on the exchange Organization . ( I do not have a test system but you can browse throgh adsiedit and find the deleted Exchange admin and assign the required permnissions , also you can check your backup admin permissions etc to start with)

I ran the ADISEDIT and no information came up in the window. When I looked at the users on the exchange server I found two users that had a SID number with a see through head and a questions mark on it. I'm assuming that one of those could be the exchange admin account. Is there any way to restore it? I found the SID number in the registry files under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\IMEJP\8.1\MigrateUser does this mean that the user never migrated when I migrated the active directory information from the old domain controllers to the new ones?

Hi butlertf, What do you mean the exchange admin, the built in or you create manually to let the account to admin the exchange email system. Assume it is credated, you just create another one account through ADUC, and add the account in to proper SG, and then on the exchange server, reconnect the disconnected mailbox to the new account. Regards! Gavin

Hello Gavin! Thanks for your reply. What I mean when i said exchange admin, is the account set up to admin the exchange e-mail system (ie. add new servers, remove old servers...). I still have the ability to modify user e-mail accounts through my domain admin accounts. I remember reading somewhere, can't recollect exactly where, that if I changed the exchange admin, that the exchange admin's SID is bound to the exchange servers thus not allowing the creation of a new exchange admin. Is this thought correct? If not, then by creating a new exchange admin account and giving it the propper rights, there should be no hickups? -On a side note, the exchange systems still works just fine. No issues. But I do not have the ability to make any changes to the system if need be without the exchange admin account. Thanks again! -Butler

Hi Butler, Per my known, there is no a account called exchange admin. When we do the prepare domain, there would be two exchange SG credated, those are Exchange Enterprise servers and Excahnge Domain Servers. We usually create manually a new account to set up the excange e-mail system, whithout using the DC admin, but the account must be a member of the two SG. In my opinion, you just create other one account and add it a member of the SGs, it would work. Regards! Gavin