I have installed Exchange 2013 SP1 on a 2012R2 server, and all went well (I am at early stages of migration).

Following the pre-reqs listed here: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb691354%28v=exchg.150%29.aspx#WS2012

I installed Microsoft Unified Communications Managed API 4.0, Core Runtime 64-bit only.

Since then I have seen other articles suggesting that I install:

Microsoft Office 2010 Filter Pack 64 bit
Microsoft Office 2010 Filter Pack SP1 64 bit

Given I didn't notice any errors in the install, do I need to install those filter packs or is that outdated advice?

regards

Roga

Hello

Yes you need to install them both.

Thanks for taking the time to post Ed

I did a bit more research and it appears that there is more than one view on this.

E.G. this blog Why Exchange 2013 doesnt need the Microsoft Office Filter Pack says:
"Exchange 2013 swaps MSSearch for the Search Foundation, a component shared with SharePoint 2013. The Search Foundation has no need of the Office Filter Pack because it includes its own filters. Unfortunately, until SP1 came along, the Exchange 2013 Setup program overlooked this fact and stated that the Office Filter Pack was a prerequisite. Setup would install if the Office Filter Pack was missing, but whos going to ignore a warning issued by Setup. In any case, that warning seems to have finally been suppressed."

This blog Planning and migrating a small organization from Exchange 2007 to 2013 (Part 10) has:
"After choosing the relevant setting needed to begin installation, the Exchange 2013 setup program will now perform readiness checks. Assuming these complete successfully, we'll expect to see just one warning.

This warning relates to the lack of the Office 2010 Filter Packs, which are not required for installation, and are only required to create Transport Rules for OneNote or Publisher files"

And this one Exchange Server 2013 FAQ: Is the Office Filter Pack Required?
"The Exchange 2013 pre-requisites page on TechNet, at the time of this writing, does include the Office Filter Packs as a step in the preparation of a server for Exchange 2013. What it doesnt make clear is that they are not required.

The new Exchange Search already has support for indexing/searching Office file types, as well as a series of other file types including some third party formats such as PDF. You can see a full list here.

So should you install the Office Filter Pack? If you want to stop seeing that warning message, then yes. If you want to take the approach of only installing required software on your servers, then no. Consider also that installing it means potentially having to update it later on if there is a bug fix or a security issue."

The final para above is the approach that I have now taken, but if someone can give me a good reason to install office 2010 filter packs on Ex 2013 sp1 I'll revise my view

regards

roga

• Edited by rogajones 23 hours 12 minutes ago

Thanks for taking the time to post Ed

I did a bit more research and it appears that there is more than one view on this.

E.G. this blog Why Exchange 2013 doesnt need the Microsoft Office Filter Pack says:
"Exchange 2013 swaps MSSearch for the Search Foundation, a component shared with SharePoint 2013. The Search Foundation has no need of the Office Filter Pack because it includes its own filters. Unfortunately, until SP1 came along, the Exchange 2013 Setup program overlooked this fact and stated that the Office Filter Pack was a prerequisite. Setup would install if the Office Filter Pack was missing, but whos going to ignore a warning issued by Setup. In any case, that warning seems to have finally been suppressed."

This blog Planning and migrating a small organization from Exchange 2007 to 2013 (Part 10) has:
"After choosing the relevant setting needed to begin installation, the Exchange 2013 setup program will now perform readiness checks. Assuming these complete successfully, we'll expect to see just one warning.

This warning relates to the lack of the Office 2010 Filter Packs, which are not required for installation, and are only required to create Transport Rules for OneNote or Publisher files"

And this one Exchange Server 2013 FAQ: Is the Office Filter Pack Required?
"The Exchange 2013 pre-requisites page on TechNet, at the time of this writing, does include the Office Filter Packs as a step in the preparation of a server for Exchange 2013. What it doesnt make clear is that they are not required.

The new Exchange Search already has support for indexing/searching Office file types, as well as a series of other file types including some third party formats such as PDF. You can see a full list here.

So should you install the Office Filter Pack? If you want to stop seeing that warning message, then yes. If you want to take the approach of only installing required software on your servers, then no. Consider also that installing it means potentially having to update it later on if there is a bug fix or a security issue."

The final para above is the approach that I have now taken, but if someone can give me a good reason to install office 2010 filter packs on Ex 2013 sp1 I'll revise my view

regards

roga

• Edited by rogajones Friday, March 20, 2015 8:11 AM

Thanks for taking the time to post Ed

I did a bit more research and it appears that there is more than one view on this.

E.G. this blog Why Exchange 2013 doesnt need the Microsoft Office Filter Pack says:
"Exchange 2013 swaps MSSearch for the Search Foundation, a component shared with SharePoint 2013. The Search Foundation has no need of the Office Filter Pack because it includes its own filters. Unfortunately, until SP1 came along, the Exchange 2013 Setup program overlooked this fact and stated that the Office Filter Pack was a prerequisite. Setup would install if the Office Filter Pack was missing, but whos going to ignore a warning issued by Setup. In any case, that warning seems to have finally been suppressed."

This blog Planning and migrating a small organization from Exchange 2007 to 2013 (Part 10) has:
"After choosing the relevant setting needed to begin installation, the Exchange 2013 setup program will now perform readiness checks. Assuming these complete successfully, we'll expect to see just one warning.

This warning relates to the lack of the Office 2010 Filter Packs, which are not required for installation, and are only required to create Transport Rules for OneNote or Publisher files"

And this one Exchange Server 2013 FAQ: Is the Office Filter Pack Required?
"The Exchange 2013 pre-requisites page on TechNet, at the time of this writing, does include the Office Filter Packs as a step in the preparation of a server for Exchange 2013. What it doesnt make clear is that they are not required.

The new Exchange Search already has support for indexing/searching Office file types, as well as a series of other file types including some third party formats such as PDF. You can see a full list here.

So should you install the Office Filter Pack? If you want to stop seeing that warning message, then yes. If you want to take the approach of only installing required software on your servers, then no. Consider also that installing it means potentially having to update it later on if there is a bug fix or a security issue."

The final para above is the approach that I have now taken, but if someone can give me a good reason to install office 2010 filter packs on Ex 2013 sp1 I'll revise my view

regards

roga

• Edited by rogajones Friday, March 20, 2015 8:11 AM

Hi,

Yes, Exchange 2013 Setup requires that the Microsoft Office 2010 Filter Pack update be installed on the computer before installation can continue. 
If don't, the setup cannot be continue. More details about Exchange 2013 Readiness checks, for your reference:
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms.exch.setupreadiness.msfilterpackv2sp1notinstalled(v=exchg.150).aspx

Thanks

It may be true for Exchange 2013 RTM, but SP1 (which is what I asked about) doesn't appear to check. Certainly in my case the lack of filter packs didn't result in a dialogue box and completed fine without them.

Hi,

Exchange 2013 Service Pack 1 is same as Exchange 2013s system requirements, it just integrate some relevant  cumulative update.
For your reference: http://blogs.technet.com/b/exchange/archive/2014/02/25/exchange-server-2013-service-pack-1-available.aspx

Best Regards,
Allen Wang