Hello

I'm trying run the Exchange CU2 setup on a Windows 2012 server however every time I try I'm prompted with a message that says "The current mode or operation is not specified".

The server is litterally an out of the box install with the latest Windows updates - theres nothing else on there. I've even tried it on another Windows 2012 server and I get the same issue. If I run the install on my Windows 7 SP1 admin machine it works and the wizard appears. I can't seem to find anything on Google about this. Also, I am running the setup using an account with correct privileges etc. Any ideas?

Running Setup from an elevated prompt (Run as Administrator...) ?

Yep thats correct... I've also made sure that the PS execution policy is "unrestricted" as per the Technet recommendations...

• Edited by Mode Design Friday, September 27, 2013 6:25 AM

Hi,

It seems like an operation or mode issue.

 

MODE:

We don't support the installation of Exchange 2013 on a computer that's running in Windows Server Core mode.

The computer must be running the full installtion of Windows Server.

If want to running in Windows Server Core mode, we must convert the server to a full installation of Windows Server by running following command:

Install-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra, Server-Gui-Shell -Restart

 

OPERATION:

Supported operating systems for Exchange 2013 (following information is only about WinServer 2012):

MBX and CAS roles-- WinServer 2012 Standard or Datacenter (WinServer 2012 R2 will be supported in a future version of Exchange 2013)

Management Tools--WinServer 2012 Standard or Datacenter (WinServer 2012 R2 will be supported in a future version of Exchange 2013)

 

More details in the following article:

Exchange 2013 System Requirements

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa996719(v=exchg.150).aspx

 

Hope it is helpful

 

Thanks

Mavis

 

• Marked as answer by Simon_WuMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator Tuesday, October 15, 2013 8:34 AM

Hi

Thanks for your response but I have been trying to install it on a full installation of windows server 2012 (standard).

• Marked as answer by Simon_WuMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator Tuesday, October 15, 2013 8:34 AM

I am in precisely the same boat- Windows 2012 (not R2) Datacenter with GUI.  I attempt to install Exchange 2013 and I receive "The current mode or operation is not specified".

It feels like something in Active Directory to me.

Did you ever get to the bottom of this in your case?

-Jason

I found my problem...as hard as this is to believe, I needed to execute the installation from a location with a DRIVE LETTER!  I was attempting to execute from a folder.

When I took the contents of my folder and used them to create an ISO, then ran the installation from there, it worked...really strange stuff.