Moving Exchange from NT server to 2000 server 2

[MattJpopo]

My network will be upgrading all servers to Windows 2000 shortly. Along with the upgrade, a new mail server is being purchased and it's planned to reassign the old mail server to another task. Here is the info on the network:

1. Windows NT 4 Network sp 6a all servers
2. Servers: PDC, Mail (also the BDC), Proxy

Here is the info on the project scope:

1. Upgrade all servers to 2000
2. Setup mail server on network
3. Reassign old mail server to dns/dhcp/print/antivirus services

I'm checking to see if it's possible to move the mail database from the NT server as it is to the new Windows 2000 server. Or do I have to upgrade the NT server to Windows 2000 and then move the database over to the new 2000 machine. I have read a few articles that explain how to move the database from NT to NT or 2000 to 2000 but none going from NT to 2000. If it's not possible what would be the safest way to move the mailboxes from machine to machine?

Thanks for any help.

 

[fuego007]

Matt,

The process should be as straight-forward as moving from NT to NT. I've detailed the procedure below.

First, ensure you have a current backup of the existing server.

On the existing server, from Exchange Admin, open the properties window for the server. Select the Database Paths tab and note where each item is located. Also, note the Organization, Site, and Server names.

Stop all Exchange services and set them to manual startup.

Ensure there is a local administrator account on the server.

Rename the server and restart. Make sure it is accessible from the network.

Delete the original server name from the domain.

Install Win2k on the new server, but set it up as a stand-alone server for now. Do not install Exchange 5.5 yet. Ensure your hard drive configuration matches what your old server has (i.e. C:, D:, and E: - size does not need to match, but should be as large as the old server's).

Once the original server's name has disappeared from the server manager window, join the server to the domain.

Install Exchange server on the new hardware using the same Organization, Site, and Server names used on the original server. Ensure all Exchange service packs have been applied that were installed on the old server.

Run Exchange Optimizer and make sure the database paths match the information gathered from the original server.

Once Optimizer completes, stop all Exchange services.

On the new server, find the following folders on all drives: mdbdata, mtadata, dsadata.

In each folder, create a folder named 'Hold', and move the contents of the folders into the respective 'Hold' folders.

COPY (DO NOT MOVE) the data from the above folders on the old server to the corresponding folders on the new server, being careful to move data from drive C: to drive C:, D: to D:, etc.

When all data has been copied over, open a DOS window and execute the following command:

c:\exchsrvr\bin\isinteg -patch

When this completes, you will receive a message that the database was successfully updated. If you get any errors, try changing the directory to the drive and folder containing the priv.edb and pub.edb, and try again.

Once you have received the message that the database was successfully updated, you can start the Exchange services. If you had installed the internet mail connector on the original server, you will have to delete it and re-install it on the new server.

Send test messages to ensure the IMC is working properly.

Once the server is up and running, you can delete the 'Hold' folders.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Bob

 

[MattJpopo]

Thanks for the advice Bob but I'm not able to move from NT to NT. The new server is coming with Windows 2000 loaded. Do I need to upgrade the existing server from NT to 2000 first and then follow your procedure or can I move the database from NT to 2000 as is?

 

[zoeythecat]

Matt,

If you can verify in more detail what you are trying to do.
(1) Are you going to a true Windows2000 network? If you are the very first thing you need to do is upgrade your NT4 PDC to Windows 2000 then you upgrade all your other servers (Your NT4 BDC',s Your NT4 Member Servers).
(2) Are you upgrading your Exchange 5.5 to Exchange 2000? Or are you staying with Exchange 5.5? Advice would be to upgrade to Exchange2000.
(3) On the new server you are getting will this have Exchange 5.5 or Exchange 2000?

* Need to clarify more clearly what you are trying to do. I can then help (along with others) lead you in the right direction as far as your strategy is concerned.

Zoey

 

[MattJpopo]

I'm upgrading to a true Windows 2000 network. I'll be upgrading my PDC first. I was however trying to save a step by removing my BDC from the network and insert the new server in it's place as a DC (the new server will be here before the upgrade is scheduled). Next upgrdae the Proxy server. I was going to reformat the old mail server/BDC and install a clean install of 2000. The new mail server will be loaded with Windows 2000 only, nothing else. I will be installing a fresh copy of Exchange 5.5. As for Exchange 2000, that is in the plan but not for some time. The first step in the plan is to upgrade the network to Windows 2000.

 

[zoeythecat]

Just a thought. It would be easier keeping the BDC and upgrading this to Windows2000 (and setting up an Active Directory Connector for your Exchange database to communicate in Active Directory). Or, you could exmerge all your email recipients to a *.pst so when you go to the new box you can just import the *.pst file (again via Exmerge) to the new box. I believe you will still have to create the mailboxes on the new server before importing the *.pst file. Make sure you copy/move your Public folders to a Personal folder within your outlook (as a backup and then simply copy the public folders to the new server afterwards). But I think you would save yourself a lot of headaches by just upgrading the BDC to Windows2000 (especially since you are installing Windows2000 on it to begin with). After you have upgraded to a Windows2000 environment and everything is in sync you can then make arrangements where you can install Exchange2000 and move your mailboxes to the new server (but read Microft White Paper documents on this subject first)

Things to remember too. Exchange 5.5 will act much differently in a Windows2000 environment. You will need to change the LDAP port in Exchange from Port389 (Active Directory uses Port389)(you need to do this before you upgrade the first Windows2000 server I believe) and once you have upgraded you will need to install an Active Directory Connector so your Exchange directory will communicate with Active Directory (This populates the Exchange Directory with Active Directory).

You should definitely read white paper articles from Microsofts Website that document the different Windows2000 upgrades that are involved and articles on Exchange 5.5 and Active Directory Connector.

Hope I was of some help.

Zoey

 

[MattJpopo]

Thank you very much for all your help. This helps out a lot!

 

[joelu]

I'm in a somewhat similar situation. In our NT4.0 domain, we have 2 5.5 Exchange servers in our organization at different sites. Because of our change in our network topology, we'd like to breakaway into 2 separate domains with 2 distinct 5.5 Exchange servers. The Exchange server in our remote site is on a BDC. At the same time, we'd like to upgrade this new domain to Win2k with AD. This new domain will consist of only 2 win2k servers and some win98 and win2k pro clients, (about 40 clients). One of the servers is already Win2k.
I was thinking to unplug the remote site BDC from the domain, promote it to a PDC in a new domain, upgrade to Win2k server and then upgrade to Exchange 2000. The uncertainty is what happens to Exchange 5.5 in the new domain. What gotchas are we missing?

 

[zoeythecat]

Check out some of these useful articles

---------------------------------------
Q264879 XADM: Upgrading to Exchange 2000--the Swing Upgrade Method

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q264879

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http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q264879>

___________________________________________________________

White Paper for Inplace Upgrade from Exchange 5.5 to Exchange 2000:

http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/techinfo/deployment/2000/InPlace_Up.asp

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http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/techinfo/deployment/2000/InPlace_Up.asp>

_______________________________________________________

Deploying Exchange 2000:

http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/techinfo/deployment/2000/AD_Best.asp

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http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/techinfo/deployment/2000/AD_Best.asp>

Tons of good information here:

http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/index.asp

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http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/index.asp>

 

[zoeythecat]

Note, some of the above links may no longer exist. I'm sure you can still find some articles on Microsoft's website.

 

[fuego007]

Matt,

The procedure I detailed assumed that you had Windows 2000 on the new server. This is the same procedure used for moving from NT to NT. The info above regarding the LDAP port may be helpful - I think that writer is assuming you are adding a server to the site, which is not what you're doing. I suggest you try the procedure I oultined and see if it works. The principal advantage to my method (which is a modification of Microsoft's method) is that you can bring the original server back on line if anything goes wrong.

Bob

 

[MattJpopo]

Thanks Bob. I setting up a test lab and am going to run through the ideas that you both offered. You are correct I do not want to add the server to the site.