I've replaced an aging Exchange server, but have encountered a small problem. I've moved all mailboxes, changed new one to master where it needed, basically going by the outline set forth at http://exchange.sembee.info/2003/migration/swing-migration.asp & mail is going in & out with no problems. One thing to point out is that most of the clients are set up as POP3, the reason being is that this is a offshoot of a larger company & most users already have an exchange account from other company on server & I have changed server settings in all clients. I figured I could shut old server down to make sure all worked well before taking it out of domain, but if I don't have old server running, clients time out, saying they can't connect to server. What could I have missed?

You mean to say that when you configure the Outlook profile at that time you are getting this message?Gulab | MCTS-MCITP Messaging: 2010 | MCTS-MCITP Messaging: 2007 | MCC 2011 | Skype: Gulab.Mallah

I am not a fan of the shutdown and see what breaks method. Exchange will be expecting it to be there. The usual reason for this problem is a dependency was missed - so OAB, public/system folders etc. The other reason can be that something is set to configure the clients and is effectively forcing them back to the old server. You shouldn't have to touch the clients manually, as long as the old and the new server are available then they will redirect automatically. Simon. Simon Butler, Exchange MVP Blog | Exchange Resources | In the UK? Hire Me.

Outlook profiles are already configured. This happens when I shut down old server.

I figured it would be safer than removing old exchange server form the mix & then see if everything works! Not really using any OAB, public folders, etc. I thought that automatic redirect wouldn't happen, since clients are using POP3 & I have new server name set up in outlook settings. COuld it be my own DNS? Both mail servers have a value of 10 - should one be lower/higher than the other?

You are using OAB, and you are using public folders. You cannot operate Exchange without them. Outlook in cached mode uses the Offline Address book, and all Outlook clients on Exchange 2003 will use public folders as that is where the OAB is stored, as well as the free/busy information for calendars. DNS? Exchange has nothing to do with DNS. Value, are you referring to MX records? If so then that has nothing to do with it. It isn't exactly clear from your question what is happening. As for the shutdown server idea - many people think that shutting down the old server is safer than removing Exchange to see if things work, but unfortunately the Exchange servers that are still up will expect the old server to still be there and it can actually cause more problems. Furthermore the process for removing Exchange can often throw up things that have been missed. The guide that you are using I wrote, and it hasn't really changed for over five years (I tidied it up a little and moved the URL recently, but the core procedure is the same). Simon.Simon Butler, Exchange MVP Blog | Exchange Resources | In the UK? Hire Me.

Yes, MX records were what I was referring to. What if I remove exchange from old server & then have the same problem? This is only the second replacement I've done on an exchange server - the first actually having been a 2003 to 2008 SBS Migration, so I am a little nervous! You are saying that if I start the process of removing exchange from old server & have missed something, the process will stop? Will it tell me why it can't continue?

The Exchange uninstall process will stop if something is still on the server and it usually tells you what the problem is. However the full procedure for removing Exchange, if followed should get everything. The most common stop cause is missed mailboxes. If you haven't already, I would suggest that you run the Exchange Best Practises analyser against the environment - it is a free download from Microsoft. Also ensure that the new Exchange server is using the local public folder store on the properties of its mailbox database, rather than the public folder store on the old Exchange server. Simon.Simon Butler, Exchange MVP Blog | Exchange Resources | In the UK? Hire Me.

Everything looks good on BPA reports. All mailboxes have been moved, except for the 3 that can't be moved - SMTP, System & System Attendant, but I am getting the mesage saying one or more users currently use a mailbox store on this server. Users must be moved or mail disabled before uninstalling this server. Is there something I'm missing here?

Everything looks good on BPA reports. All mailboxes have been moved, except for the 3 that can't be moved - SMTP, System & System Attendant, but I am getting the mesage saying one or more users currently use a mailbox store on this server. Users must be moved or mail disabled before uninstalling this server. Is there something I'm missing here? You don't need to move them as they are system owned. If all the mailboxes has been moved than simple remove the database and if it fails than you can do it from AdsieditGulab | MCTS-MCITP Messaging: 2010 | MCTS-MCITP Messaging: 2007 | MCC 2011 | Skype: Gulab.Mallah

Everything looks good on BPA reports. All mailboxes have been moved, except for the 3 that can't be moved - SMTP, System & System Attendant, but I am getting the message saying one or more users currently use a mailbox store on this server. Users must be moved or mail disabled before uninstalling this server. Is there something I'm missing here? That isn't unusual. The three mailboxes that you have flagged are system mailboxes. However if you have mail enabled users on the server, but have never used Exchange, then you would see their mailbox listed. I have a technique for finding those mailboxes here: http://exchange.sembee.info/2003/migration/unused-mailboxes.asp There should be no need to hack the database or the server out using adsiedit.msc - it isn't something I have ever had to do when the server has been active in over six years of working with Exchange 2003. Simon.Simon Butler, Exchange MVP Blog | Exchange Resources | In the UK? Hire Me.

Yep, there were 5 mailboxes that showed up & once I removed them, the uninstall process ran. New server is running fine now, too, with old server out of the mix. Thanks for all the help!