I had installed a 2008 server with an exchange 2007 starting a migration scenario from 2003 server and exchange when the 2008 machine lost a disk in the array. I removed the server in AD but nothing else. Trying to reinstall give me the error. Below is the log. [24-09-2008 23:21:56] [0] **********************************************[24-09-2008 23:21:56] [0] Starting Microsoft Exchange 2007 Setup[24-09-2008 23:21:56] [0] **********************************************[24-09-2008 23:21:56] [0] Operating System version: Microsoft Windows NT 6.0.6001 Service Pack 1.[24-09-2008 23:21:56] [0] Setup version: 8.1.240.6.[24-09-2008 23:21:56] [0] Logged on user: XVET\administrator.[24-09-2008 23:21:57] [0] Command Line Parameter Name='mode', Value='Install'.[24-09-2008 23:21:57] [0] Command Line Parameter Name='sourcedir', Value='G:\exchange'.[24-09-2008 23:21:57] [0] Command Line Parameter Name='fromsetup', Value=''.[24-09-2008 23:21:57] [0] ExSetupUI was started with the following command: '-mode:install -sourcedir:G:\exchange /FromSetup'.[24-09-2008 23:22:00] [0] Setup is choosing the domain controller to use[24-09-2008 23:22:01] [0] Setup is choosing a local domain controller...[24-09-2008 23:22:02] [0] Setup has chosen the local domain controller Fu-Si.Xvet.local for initial queries[24-09-2008 23:22:02] [0] PrepareAD has been run, and has replicated to this domain controller; so setup will use Fu-Si.Xvet.local[24-09-2008 23:22:02] [0] Setup is choosing a global catalog...[24-09-2008 23:22:02] [0] Setup has chosen the global catalog server Fu-Si.Xvet.local.[24-09-2008 23:22:02] [0] Setup will use the domain controller 'Fu-Si.Xvet.local'.[24-09-2008 23:22:02] [0] Setup will use the global catalog 'Fu-Si.Xvet.local'.[24-09-2008 23:22:02] [0] Exchange configuration container for the organization is 'CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=Xvet,DC=local'.[24-09-2008 23:22:02] [0] Exchange organization container for the organization is 'CN=Xvet,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=Xvet,DC=local'.[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] Setup will search for an Exchange Server object for the local machine with name 'FU-SI'.[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] Exchange Server object found : 'CN=FU-SI,CN=Servers,CN=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Administrative Groups,CN=Xvet,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=Xvet,DC=local'.[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] The following roles are unpacked: [24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] The following roles are installed: [24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] The local server does not have any Exchange files installed.[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] Setup will use the path 'G:\exchange' for installing Exchange.[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] Setup will discover the installed roles from server object 'CN=FU-SI,CN=Servers,CN=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Administrative Groups,CN=Xvet,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=Xvet,DC=local'.[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] 'BridgeheadRole' is installed on the server object.[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] 'ClientAccessRole' is installed on the server object.[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] 'MailboxRole' is installed on the server object.[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] The server is cluster type: 'None'.[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] The requested cluster type: 'None'.[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] The installation mode is set to: 'Install'.[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] An Exchange organization with name 'Xvet' was found in this forest.[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] Active Directory Initialization status : 'True'.[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] Schema Update Required Status : 'False'.[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] Organization Configuration Update Required Status : 'False'.[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] Domain Configuration Update Required Status : 'False'.[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] Applying default role selection state[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] Setup is determining what organization-level operations to perform.[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] Because the value was specified, setup is setting the argument OrganizationName to the value Xvet.[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] Setup will run from path 'G:\exchange\Setup\ServerRoles\Common'.[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] InstallModeDataHandler has 2 DataHandlers[24-09-2008 23:22:03] [0] RootDataHandler has 1 DataHandlers[24-09-2008 23:25:15] [0] End of Setup[24-09-2008 23:25:15] [0] ********************************************** I read some postings about opening adsi edit and i have tried but couldt find anything I dared to delete

Hi, You need to remove the server from AD with ADSIEdit.msc and from the Exchange groups. Setup Fails With Error: The Exchange Server Is in an Inconsistent State. Only Disaster Recovery Mode is Available http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc411332(EXCHG.80).aspx

Thank you It did the trick. While I was "under the hood" I noticed some other places where the server was mentioned f.ex. in connectors. What about these, will they be overwritten or forever exist as "garbage" from a unlucky administrator. Do there exist a cleaning tool for the AD. I know my old 2003 server with all the practice it had to put up with must have a lot of these remnants, and since my new 2008 imported a lot of AD stuff from the old one....... Regards

Glad to hear that it was solved... It will not be overwritten and you may need to remove it manually from the place once upon a time. You may use either EMC of 2007 or EMS commands to remove old server depending on the place of it.

I have the same issue but I can not find the CN=Configuration. I know this was in windows server 2003, but I'm trying to perform this action in server 2008. I hope someone can point me in the right direction.

Same problem as previous poster, so I'm bumping this. What about server 2008?Harold Naparst