Re: Rebuild Exchange 2003 SP1 on same hardware



1. Using ntbackup, backup the Exchange Information Store.

You can (depending on your disk configuration) also leave them. If you have
dedicated disks for your databases and transaction logs for example
configured using hardware RAID and not Windows you can leave them. When
rebuilding the server and assigning a drive letter back to the disks, the
data will still be present.

Still, ENSURE you still backup your data - also ensure you check 'verify'

2. Make a note of the Organisation name, host name, IP address, disk
partitions.

Correct

3. Make a note of the transaction log paths, information store paths.

Correct

4. Stop all Exchange services.
5. Uninstall Exchange 2003 ( - is this required?)


The above you don't/shouldn't do. Unistalling Exchange will remove that
Exchange Servers configuration container information from AD. Meaning you
won't be able to restore it using the /disasterrecovery switch - as it won't
be able to pull the information from AD.

6. Remove computer from the domain ( - is this required?)

Nope, Just power down the server and then start to rebuild it.

7. Format the computer, same partitions, same computer name, same IP
address.

Correct

8. Join computer to the domain (during Windows setup)

Doesn't have to be during Windows Setup - that's entirely up to you though.
Because you never removed the machine from the domain the computer account
will still be in ADUC. So before you make the machine a member of your
domain again using the same name (has to be the same name for Exchange to
work) ensure you right click the Computer object and select ' reset machine
account '

9. Re-install Exchange 2003 using the /disasterrecovery switch.

Correct!

10. Restore the Information store backup using ntbackup (use eseutil /
cc?)

*This needs to be AFTER you've installed Exchange and got it to the relevant
SP and hotfix level*

Depending on what I highlighted in response to 1) You can either restore
from your backups or use your existing disks (if you have it configured this
way).

11. Install Exchange 2003 SP1 using the /disasterrecovery switch.

As mentioned this is step 10), restoring is step 11)

12. Reboot computer (or just start all Exchange services?

Your Exchange Server is restored.

Oliver


.

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