I had a working exchange 2007 server but re-formatted to re-install as an edge server. When install is attempted the message "the Exchange Server is in an inconsistent state. Only disaster recovery mode is available" I can find no information about this message, and Exchange server install has yet to begin. Any ideas?

Is this server in your Active Directory? If so, there are remnants of that server in the Active Directory. Remove the machine from the Active Directory and Edge should install. Ideally, the Edge Transport server is a standalone server that lives in your DMZ/Perimeter network. You should also clean that old server out of the Active Directory and the Exchange organization. I suspect you will have to perform some surgery using ADSIEDIT to remove it, but perhaps there is an EMS cmdlet that will remove a dead server and I am just spacing on what it is. Maybe someone else will chime in here.

Jim, Thanks for the idea's. Your suggestions were about whatI expected but before I received your idea's I tried loggin in as local administrator and the install proceeded without a hitch!. I was previously logged on as a Domain Admin and the system is a Domain Computer.