Exchange Server 2003 SP1 Installation Problem
While trying to install SP1 on my Exchange Server 2003 I get an error message that states: "Exchange Server 2003 has a known compatibility issue with this version of Windows. For more information see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=37488" This links to an article giving system requirements. Here's some info about the server:Server:Windows Server 2003 SP1Single Xeon 3 GHz processor3.25 GB RAM43.2 GB free space on C: DriveExchange System Version: 6.5.6944.0Thanks for any help or solutions.Bob
May 25th, 2007 10:47pm

This is a "normal" error you get when installing Exchange 2003 SP1 on a Windows 2003 server (pre-sp1). I have seen this many times on my installations & never once had a problem with the exchange functionality.Exchange 2003 SP2 has been out for sometime now, I would strongly recommend you apply SP2 as opposed to SP1, since they are cumulative SP2 supercedes SP1 & has improved security & functionality features.Exchange SP2:http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/downloads/2003/sp2/download.mspx
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May 26th, 2007 7:28am

I am Also facing same problem on my server. i have download server 2003 service pack2 and instaled then also i tryied but same error , Help me, Thx server confg: Xeon 3.0 ghz, gb Ram, server 2003 standard edition sp2 give me the solution thanx Rafi
August 27th, 2007 12:51pm

Hi, ignore the first message that comes out when install Exchange Server 2003 , the installation of Exchange shuold finish successfully without any problems. after you finish exchange installation, you need to install Exchange Server 2003 SP2 on the same box. you will not get any warnings when you install SP2. also, you need to update your exchange server(s) with latest exchange patches and rollup updates from microsoft site. please connect to windows update site from your exchange server and run windows update, and choose all exchange server updates and patches from the list. make sure that your windows update engine is updated with latest version to include exchange and office security updates and patches from microsoft update site. let me know if you need more help on your issue. Regards Alaa Al-Ankar
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August 27th, 2007 3:04pm

Hi, I am new to these forums and saw this post and had a look because I had the same issues. The ForestPrep and DomainPrep errors: "Exchange Server 2003 has a known compatibility issue with this version of Windows. For more information, refer to http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=37488." If this error is annoying I beleive there is a check box to tell it not to appear any more, as long as there is an awareness to apply service packs to Exchange when the installation is done. Are fine and do not affect the installation. According to an earlier reference: KB 555285 (More Info about this error) Basically this means you need to make sure you install the service packs for Exchange (Service Pack 2 can be done straight off as it is cumulative). The other issue I had was the Exchange installation (after ForestPrep and DomainPrep had gone through ok with these messages) actually errored really badly on the 4th step out of 5 on some module about the Atom Core. I realised one thing - I had installed .Net Framework 3.5 Sp1, ASP .Net, www, nntp and smtp services beforehand and did not reboot. These all need to be set properly (via a reboot) before Exchange is installed. On a fresh server I tested this and found that it works. On the initial one that did not get rebooted, I rebooted, uninstalled Exchange, rebooted, ran through the steps to install Exchange including ForestPrep and DomainPrep again and then ran the install for Exchange and it went through without error and completed successfully. Hope this helps some people out. Cheers, Matt
December 3rd, 2008 7:47am

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