I'm attempting to Configure Exchange 2013 on a fresh Win Server 2012 VM, in a domain that's currently using Exchange 2010.  I've got SP3, the various service packs and language packs, per the MS prerequisite suggestions.  The install runs through and ultimately fails during the User Mailbox creation (error message below).  

The support articles I've found indicate that removing the Arbitration accounts (FederationEmail, DiscoverySearchMailbox, HealthMailbox, Migration, SystemMailbox), with Powershell and then ultimately removing from AD.  
The proceed with the 2013 install and things should work.  Will this interfere, in any way, with my production Exchange 2010 box?

And secondly, is the appropriate route to resolve the 2013 setup/install?

Error:

The following error was generated when "$error.Clear();

     if (($server -eq $null) -and ($RoleIsDatacenter -ne $true) )

     {

       Update-RmsSharedIdentity -ServerName $RoleNetBIOSName

     }

     "was run: "Database is mandatory on UserMailbox.  Property Name: Database".

It shouldn't cause any significant problems because Exchange 2013 installation will recreate them in short order.  If you're worried about it, do it during off hours.  If for some reason the Exchange 2013 installation fails, you can recreate these mailboxes by running Exchange 2010 PrepareAD again.

I removed the corrupted mailboxes without any problems and the Exchange 2013 install finally completed.  Now I'm getting prompt with this:

"The discovery mailbox, a hidden default mailbox that is required to search mailboxes, can't be found.  It may have been inadvertently deleted.  This mailbox must be re-created before you can search mailboxes."

From what I can find, the accounts should have been recreated when I ran my 2013 install?  I thought the "Setup.exe /PrepareSchema /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms" would have taken care of that?

I went back to my Exchange 2010 Server, ran Setup /prepare AD (out of my SP3 install location).  Copying .  Files completed, No server roles were installed; Organization Checks Failed; then received, The Active Directory organization configuration version (15449) is higher than Setup's version(14322).  Therefore, PrepareAD can't be executed.  

Am I going about recreating these accounts the correct way?

From Exchange 2013 media:

Setup.exe /PrepareAD /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms

Interesting.  I skipped this step after the previous install failed; running it again resolved it.  Exchange 2013 and 2010 are both online and kicking.  Thanks for the advice!

Happy to have helped.

Hi,

Thanks for your response. It's great to hear the good news.

Setup.exe /PrepareAD will create the arbitration mailbox, such as system mailbox, migration mailbox, discovery system mailbox and so on.

Hope this can be helpful.

Best regards,