Hi, Our Exchange infrastructure have redundancy for each role, mainly we have 2 x dc (ad1 & ad2), 2 x cas, 2 x hub, 2 x edge and 2 x mailstore. Currently, one of the DC having some issues, we have transfer FSMO roles to another DC and rebuild again the problem DC from new and join back to the existing DC. However, it still have a lot of issues after we have bring up the new DC. We unable to create database from exchange 2010 and all the error/event log mention it was cause by DC. We plan to un-join all the AD(mailstore, cas, hub) from DC and re-install again both DC. After both DC running smoothly, we will join back all the AD servers. Do you think our plan is work? Kindly comment/advise if you have any ideas. Appreciate your help, Thank You!

Its not recommended to install exchange on a DC. You might ask them here about migration to a member server. http://social.technet.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/category/exchangeserver/ This Exchange server is also a domain controller, which is not a recommended configuration http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa997407(EXCHG.80).aspx Microsoft Exchange Server on domain controllers http://blogs.technet.com/b/omers/archive/2011/04/11/microsoft-exchange-server-on-domain-controller.aspx Regards, Dave Patrick .... Microsoft Certified Professional Microsoft MVP [Windows]

Hi Dave, Our Exchange never being DC, we have build the DC out of any exchange server. How can we re-install the DC from fresh if both of the DC having issues? I would like to hear the comment about our plan: 1) Would this actually work? 2) Is there a better way? 3) Is there any sort of official guide on this? Thanks in advance!

Hi, We need Microsoft Expert, who can tell me how to recover the failed DC? We do not have backup...DC Down! We still have fews AD servers join to this DC.. Can we re-build the DC with fresh installation? Then, join back the AD into new DC, does this work? Do we need to remove DC's ntdsDSA ojbect from all AD servers? We need solution ASAP, as the DC already dead. Thanks in advance!

This is the true problem from the exchange server as they are not able to discover your Domain Controllers. I strongly advice you to run setup / prepareAD from the exchange server http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb125224.aspx http://exchangeserverpro.com/how-to-use-a-specific-domain-controller-in-exchange-2010-management-shell and I strongly advice to write it in the exchange forums http://social.technet.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/category/exchangeserver/http://www.virmansec.com/blogs/skhairuddin

You can try seizing the roles. Using Ntdsutil.exe to transfer or seize FSMO roles to a domain controller http://support.microsoft.com/?id=255504 How to remove data in Active Directory after an unsuccessful domain controller demotion http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216498 Regards, Dave Patrick .... Microsoft Certified Professional Microsoft MVP [Windows]

Hello, please stick to one thread for the same problem and do NOT open additional ones: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/winservergen/thread/7f85a727-122c-4e08-8214-7142836e47e2/#8387dc1c-eb65-4e07-a6d2-d294c1851f6d Thank you for understanding.Best regards Meinolf Weber Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees , and confers no rights.

Hi all, Sorry for confusion, we are not sure our problem is cause by Exchange server or Domain controller. By right we should have two mailstore server, one of the mailstore having problem and we have try to recover the mailstore using the command setup /m:recoverserver. Unfortunately, we are fail to do this. All the error message was related to the DC, thats why we curious whats the root cause of the failure. Despite, we also fail to add new databases at mailstore server, the error message also mention the LDAP at DC1 was having problem(we have two DC). We only able to add database once we bring down DC1.

Hi Syed, Thanks for the post. We wonder the command setup /prepareAD need to be run at the server before the setup /m:recoverServer Correct me if I'm wrong. The command setup /prepareAD is prerequisites step before recover the mailstore. How can we check the existing mailstore (which in good condition) is no problem? We have keep trying run the recovery command for mailstore2 with error. Please advice! Thanks!

Hi, I completely understand your situation and also find a similar thread you posted in Exchange 2010 Hosters Forum. http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/exchange2010hosters/thread/9ebde030-389c-4f50-baf3-dda6e323524b/ What I could do is offer you a link related to the Event ID 2114 which you met when run the command setup /m:Recoverserver at mailstore2. http://www.eventid.net/display.asp?eventid=2114&eventno=2458&source=MSExchangeDSAccess&phase=1 Hope it helps! Regards, Jane

Hi I have try to run the command setup /prepareAD and it return with the following error: The Exchange Server is in an inconsistent state. Only disaster recovery mode is available. Please use Setup /m:RecoverServer to recover this Exchange server. Exchange Server setup encountered an error. ANyone have any idea?

and I strongly advice to write it in the exchange forums http://social.technet.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/category/exchangeserver/http://www.virmansec.com/blogs/skhairuddin

Shirobb, Install a standalone Windows server then make it as DC(as previous). Install Exchage server in another server and join it to this DC. Take the system state backup (only active directory) from the old server and restore it in new server. restore mail store from old exchage server to new. Replace the newer verion of the server with the older version in your network. Most of the time this will work. i experienced the same issue and this has done the trick for me... Best of LUCK.

Shirobb, Install a standalone Windows server then make it as DC(as previous). Install Exchage server in another server and join it to this DC. Take the system state backup (only active directory) from the old server and restore it in new server. restore mail store from old exchage server to new. Replace the newer verion of the server with the older version in your network. Most of the time this will work. i experienced the same issue and this has done the trick for me... Best of LUCK.

Thanks everyone for contributing the comments. Our DC issues resolved.