Hello all, Currently I'm running an Exchange 2003 server running on Windows 2000 Server. I have no money to spend and running into issues with antivirus software that i need to get installed on windows 2003 to upgrade my AV software. What i was thinking was backup my exchange databases (store and public folders), wipe windows 2000 from the box and start with a clean windows 2003 install, install exchange 2003 back and do a restore. Use same name and IP from existing server. I never accomplished this so looking for some help or is there another way that i should be thinking. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Thekid

Hi Do you have any type of virtual infrastructure to play with? If yes, maybe you can take a "clone" of the exchange server and make it run virtual while reinstalling windows 2003 on the physical server and reinstall exchange 2003 on it, then just move mailboxes etc over to the new one?Jonas Andersson MCTS: Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, Configuration | MCITP: EMA | MCSE/MCSA Blog: http://www.testlabs.se/blog

Jonas, thanks for the response. i dont have any virtual infrastructure setup. Do you think i would just be able to do an inplace upgrade on windows 2000 to windows 2003?

Is this server only exchange server or does it serve anything else? Give it a shoot and do a inplace upgrade of it, but if I should do that I would take a "ghost" or image of it before if anything goes wrong. And also check so that the backup have been taken successfully before doing this. I found a article about common mistakes when upgrading 2000 -> 2003 DC.. I don't think it apply in your scenario but i'll post it anyway, maybe it will help someone else http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555040 Jonas Andersson MCTS: Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, Configuration | MCITP: EMA | MCSE/MCSA Blog: http://www.testlabs.se/blog

Jonas, Thanks for the reply back. This server is a mail server with OWA on it. It's not a DC. I have two other DC server's that are windows 2003. I was going to take a full backup and image the box so i can have two methods of reverting back if i run into any major problems. with my reply answers do you think it's okay by doing the upgrade? Thanks,

Also you can go with a third if you want to do clone of it into a virtual machine of any kind.. Yes i think it should be ok, give some feedback when it's done :)Jonas Andersson MCTS: Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, Configuration | MCITP: EMA | MCSE/MCSA Blog: http://www.testlabs.se/blog

Hi thekid1970, It is not a good idea to directly upgarde windows 2000 to windows 2003, if the exchanage installed on the server. There would some odd issue with your system. So, if I do, I would use the third method as Jonas refered. And I want to verify, how many users account on your exchange server, if there is not too many users, you also could use a mormal computer box as a temp server, install the exchange 2003 and move the users, and then move back to the orginal server with new windows 2003 server. Regrds! gavin