Server is a member server... IIS is installed on it and AD tools as well. The prep screen showed all is well. When install begins i get this error ... Organization PreparationFailed Error:The following error was generated when "$error.Clear(); install-ExchangeSchema -LdapFileName ($roleInstallPath + "Setup\Data\"+$RoleSchemaPrefix + "schema0.ldf")" was run: "There was an error while running 'ldifde.exe' to import the schema file 'C:\Windows\Temp\ExchangeSetup\Setup\Data\PostWindows2003_schema0.ldf'. The error code is: 8224. More details can be found in the error file: 'C:\Users\administrator.TKA\AppData\Local\Temp\ldif.err'". There was an error while running 'ldifde.exe' to import the schema file 'C:\Windows\Temp\ExchangeSetup\Setup\Data\PostWindows2003_schema0.ldf'. The error code is: 8224. More details can be found in the error file: 'C:\Users\administrator.TKA\AppData\Local\Temp\ldif.err'______________ If someone needs to see the error file let me know... Some background info.. Everything is fresh install of server 2008R2. I have a DC that was just setup fresh. all seems fine on that box. On another physical server I have fresh install as well with '08R2 that server is a member server. I do have a second DC which is a backup.. but I have it off-line right now. thank You Rob

Bring your other DC online and try again.Santhosh Sivarajan | MCTS, MCSE (W2K3/W2K/NT4), MCSA (W2K3/W2K/MSG), CCNA, Network+ Houston, TX http://blogs.sivarajan.com/ http://publications.sivarajan.com/ This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

OK... That allowed me to go a bit further... but still got errors...So... I formatted and started over... I Like learning... I am setting these servers up now in a lab but will move them into production soon. We don't have that many users so re-creating user accounts is not that big of deal. Besides we are running win server 2000 with an exchange server 2003 and I don't like migrations. Things always go wrong. I took one server down... Made one a Domain Controller (its gc server) it also has dns... thats where I stopped... So AD is setup and ready to go. I have the other server Loaded and joined it to the domain.. Worked great. so my domain is setup, I have one DC. I figure I can join another DC later as a backup.. OR do I have to do that first?? And the soon to be Exchange server is joined as a member server My real question is what roles should I put in.... 1. What roles on DC? 2. What roles on Exchange server box? I know I have to put IIS on... I just want to make sure I have done everything correctly before I start the Exchange server install. thanks

If you are building a brand new environment, build your complete AD structure first before you install Exchange. Adding additional DC can provide fault tolerance capability. You can read more info here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc738032(WS.10).aspx Role on DC: - I hope your question is related to FSMO roles. You don’t have a choice J you need to have 5 FMSO roles per forest (2 Forest + 3 Domain). http://blogs.technet.com/bpuhl/archive/2005/12/07/415761.aspx Ex Roles: You can read more info here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd298026.aspx It depends on your requirement. Santhosh Sivarajan | MCTS, MCSE (W2K3/W2K/NT4), MCSA (W2K3/W2K/MSG), CCNA, Network+ Houston, TX http://blogs.sivarajan.com/ http://publications.sivarajan.com/ This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

So let me get this straight... Go ahead and add another dc first before I setup the exchange '10 box. You will have to pardon me.. I'm an old nt4 guy setup win srvr2000 in 2000 and have just sat on it... To busy to jump into 2003. Network has been solid no problems for 10 years. I think it's time. So I just bought 4 brand new IBM rack servers with lots of horsepower. In my old train of thought I would just setup 2 domain controllers both with dns. I know you are probably laughing at me, but some of the things I read confuses me. It was my understanding that you create an AD and then if you can create forests... We are a single site with about 60 users so never created a forest.. Just used the root domain.. Is this ok? I guess I'm asking.. Should I go ahead and setup the second dc before I install exhange on the third box. And how do I choose what roles each dc has? What should be installed as a base install. And on the exchange box, if I want owa, general outlook connectivity, what things should I install first before I start exchange insall?

It is not a requirement. You can add DCs later. For you testing go with one DC. In production, I would say install both DCs first before you introduce your Exchange server. Here is the AD Domain creation process details: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc725897(WS.10).aspx When you create a domain controller using DCPROMO process, it will create an AD forest and Domain. If needed you are create child domains in the same forest. When you install your first DC, by default, it will hold all 5 FSMO roles. You can see the FSMO roles details here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/324801 For exchange you can go with Client Access, Hub Transport and Mailbox roles. Santhosh Sivarajan | MCTS, MCSE (W2K3/W2K/NT4), MCSA (W2K3/W2K/MSG), CCNA, Network+ Houston, TX http://blogs.sivarajan.com/ http://publications.sivarajan.com/ This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Now if everything installs ok I'm going to leave it and just point everything to the new domain. Will I encounter any issues if I add another dc later?

After you add the new DC, please force DC replication and ensure that domian controllers are in the same status. Regards, Xiu

This works! Thank you, Xiu!