We recently tried installing SP1 to our Exchange 2007 server and had some problems that prevented installation. The prerequisites all passed and we continued but it would fail during the Organization Preperation on process Creating Exchange configuration objects in Active Directory with the following error: The well-known object entry with GUID 6c01d2a7-f083-4503-8132-789eeb127b84 on the otherWellKnownObjects attribute on the container object CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=OurDomain,DC=local refers to a non-USG CN=Exchange Servers,OU=Microsoft Exchange Security Groups,DC=OurDomain,DC=local. Please either delete the well-known object entry or promote the target object to a universal security group. We tried finding the GUID in question using ADSI Edit and LDP but were unable to locate it anywhere. We also received the following errors when running setup /prepad: Event ID: 4999 Watson report about to be sent to dw20.exe for process id: 6188, with parameters: E12, c-RTL-AMD64, 08.00.0685.020, ExSetup, M.E.Management, M.E.M.T.InitializeExchangeUniversalGroups.CreateGroup, System.NullReferenceException, c4f6, 08.00.0685.024 ---------- Event ID: 5000 EventType e12, P1 c-rtl-amd64, P2 08.00.0685.020, P3 exsetup, P4 m.e.management, P5 m.e.m.t.initializeexchangeuniversalgroups.creategroup, P6 system.nullreferenceexception, P7 c4f6, P8 08.00.0685.024, P9 NIL, P10 NIL. ---------- Below is the Exchange server system information: Host Name: OS Name: Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Server 2003 Standard x64 Edit ion OS Version: 5.2.3790 Service Pack 2 Build 3790 OS Manufacturer: Microsoft Corporation OS Configuration: Member Server OS Build Type: Multiprocessor Free Registered Owner: Registered Organization: Product ID: Original Install Date: 6/8/2007, 11:50:12 AM System Up Time: 4 Days, 16 Hours, 8 Minutes, 56 Seconds System Manufacturer: Dell Inc. System Model: PowerEdge 2950 System Type: x64-based PC Processor(s): 8 Processor(s) Installed. [01]: EM64T Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 7 GenuineIntel ~1596 Mhz [02]: EM64T Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 7 GenuineIntel ~1596 Mhz [03]: EM64T Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 7 GenuineIntel ~1596 Mhz [04]: EM64T Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 7 GenuineIntel ~1596 Mhz [05]: EM64T Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 7 GenuineIntel ~1596 Mhz [06]: EM64T Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 7 GenuineIntel ~1596 Mhz [07]: EM64T Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 7 GenuineIntel ~1596 Mhz [08]: EM64T Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 7 GenuineIntel ~1596 Mhz BIOS Version: UNKNOWN Windows Directory: C:\WINDOWS System Directory: C:\WINDOWS\system32 Boot Device: \Device\HarddiskVolume2 System Locale: en-us;English (United States) Input Locale: en-us;English (United States) Time Zone: (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) Total Physical Memory: 4,095 MB Available Physical Memory: 797 MB Page File: Max Size: 9,975 MB Page File: Available: 5,041 MB Page File: In Use: 4,934 MB Page File Location(s): c:\pagefile.sys Domain: Logon Server: Hotfix(s): 89 Hotfix(s) Installed. [01]: File 1 [02]: File 1 [03]: File 1 [04]: File 1 [05]: File 1 [06]: File 1 [07]: File 1 [08]: File 1 [09]: File 1 [10]: File 1 [11]: File 1 [12]: File 1 [13]: File 1 [14]: File 1 [15]: File 1 [16]: File 1 [17]: File 1 [18]: File 1 [19]: File 1 [20]: File 1 [21]: File 1 [22]: File 1 [23]: File 1 [24]: File 1 [25]: File 1 [26]: File 1 [27]: File 1 [28]: File 1 [29]: File 1 [30]: File 1 [31]: File 1 [32]: File 1 [33]: File 1 [34]: File 1 [35]: File 1 [36]: File 1 [37]: File 1 [38]: File 1 [39]: File 1 [40]: File 1 [41]: File 1 [42]: Q147222 [43]: SP1 - SP [44]: IDNMitigationAPIs - Update [45]: NLSDownlevelMapping - Update [46]: KB925398_WMP64 [47]: KB931768-IE7 - Update [48]: KB933566-IE7 - Update [49]: KB937143-IE7 - Update [50]: KB938127-IE7 - Update [51]: KB939653-IE7 - Update [52]: KB944533-IE7 - Update [53]: KB947864-IE7 - Update [54]: KB914961 - Service Pack [55]: KB926139 [56]: KB921503 - Update [57]: KB924667-v2 - Update [58]: KB925876 - Update [59]: KB925902 - Update [60]: KB926122 - Update [61]: KB927891 - Update [62]: KB929123 - Update [63]: KB930178 - Update [64]: KB931768 - Update [65]: KB931836 - Update [66]: KB932168 - Update [67]: KB932596 - Update [68]: KB933360 - Update [69]: KB933729 - Update [70]: KB935839 - Update [71]: KB935840 - Update [72]: KB936021 - Update [73]: KB936357 - Update [74]: KB936782 - Update [75]: KB941202 - Update [76]: KB941644 - Update [77]: KB941693 - Update [78]: KB942763 - Update [79]: KB942830 - Update [80]: KB942831 - Update [81]: KB943055 - Update [82]: KB943460 - Update [83]: KB943485 - Update [84]: KB945553 - Update [85]: KB946026 - Update [86]: KB948496 - Update [87]: KB948590 - Update [88]: KB948881 - Update [89]: XpsEPSC Thanks

White Paper: Preparing Active Directory for Exchange 2007 Have you checked this? This white paper explains you how to find & deal with OtherWellknownObjects error with ldp utility.

Amit Tank wrote: White Paper: Preparing Active Directory for Exchange 2007 Have you checked this? This white paper explains you how to find & deal with OtherWellknownObjects error with ldp utility. Yes, as stated in our original post we did try ADSI and LDP tools to try and find the mystery GUID and were unable tolocate it. I have seen other posts on the internet concerning this topic that were having the same issue. A few people posted that they had called MS for support and they were unsuccessful in finding the GUID also.

Interesting .

Amit Tank wrote: Interesting . You ain't kidding.... I assisted in this and have only one thing to say... it appears that during the process of creation of the Security Groups for Exchange Server *There are 5*... it bombs during this process. I'm trying to get a little attention to this thread, is anyone out there?

The Microsoft Exchange Security Groups object container needs to beupgraded from the advanced view of AD Users and Computers.. Make sure they are all UNIVERSAL groups. Then the otherWellKnownObjects error happens. Navigate in ADSI edit to Configuration, CN- Configuration, DC=Mydomain,DC=com CN-Services CN=Microsoft Exchange Right click on Microsoft Exchange hit properties. Find the otherWellKnownObjects attribute which may be something like ;;;; and edit it. Press add (adding blank data). Then hit okay. Only edit this if the attribute is junk. Give it a few to replicate or force AD replication using your support tools or replication monitor. Restart your server before attempting the GUI install. This should allow you install or reinstall exchange 2007 SP1. You can reference my post if more info is needed. http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=3562261&SiteID=17&mode=1

You can fix these GUID's by repairing them. Please refer this White Paper: Preparing Active Directory for Exchange 2007. URL: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb288907(EXCHG.80).aspx Refer section called Repair the Exchange 2007 Security Groups.

Thank you! This helped fix my problem. Mine was not the exact same, but I will post it; incase others get the same error as me. We had Exchange 2007 SP1 & tried both SP2 & SP3. Neither update would work. The update would fail during setup /PrepareAD we got this error... C:\Downloads\Exch2k7SP3\64>setup /PrepareAD Welcome to Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Unattended Setup Preparing Exchange Setup No server roles will be installed Performing Microsoft Exchange Server Prerequisite Check Organization Checks ......................... COMPLETED Configuring Microsoft Exchange Server Organization Preparation ......................... FAILED The well-known object entry with GUID 73000302-5915-4dce-a330-91dd24f58231 on the otherWellKnownObjects attribute on the container object CN=Microsoft Exch ange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=CO,DC=OURDOMAIN refers to a non-USG CN=Exchange Public Folder Administrators,OU=Microsoft Exchange Security Groups,DC=CO,DC=OURDOMAIN. Please either delete the well-known o bject entry or promote the target object to a universal security group. The Exchange Server Setup operation did not complete. For more information, visi t http://support.microsoft.com and enter the Error ID. Exchange Server setup encountered an error. I did what Brad said (and I will copy his solution from above, because I am lazy,) ran adsiedit.msc (need to have Windows Server Tools installed to have this tool) Navigate in ADSI edit to Configuration, CN- Configuration, DC=Mydomain,DC=com CN-Services CN=Microsoft Exchange Right click on Microsoft Exchange hit properties. Find the otherWellKnownObjects attribute which may be something like ;;;; and edit it. Press add (adding blank data). Then hit okay. Only edit this if the attribute is junk. Give it a few to replicate or force AD replication using your support tools or replication monitor. Restart your server before attempting the GUI install. Brad's solution worked great. Thanks! Jason

How did you edit the attribute? When I try I get an error saying there is not an editor associated with this attribute.

Hello GB, "Right click on Microsoft Exchange hit properties. Find the otherWellKnownObjects attribute which may be something like ;;;; and edit it. Press add (adding blank data). Then hit okay. Only edit this if the attribute is junk." You can just double click on the attribute to change it. Adsiedit is the editor unless you have a serious problem on your box. BradOutsource Technology Inc. MSFT Professional Consultant

When I open Adsiedit, pick the default naming context -> Attribute editor and try to view the sttribute "wellKnownObjects" I get an error: There is no editor registered to handle this attribute type. But in the Attribute editor I can partially view it's value. wellKnownObjects is of type "DB Binary" Please advice

Hi Maheshranny, If you did get the same error message as above, you shouldn´t connect to "Default naming content" in Adsiedit. Instead connect to Configuration and brows you way down CN-Services, CN=Microsoft Exchange and remove the otherWellKnownObjects If you used ADSIEdit in Windows Server 2003 instead, you will be able to edit the attribute. Windows Server 2008 will give you the error message you got, but thats fine. It will remove the object that you want it to and you should be able to run setup.com /preparad againMartina Miskovic

Hi Martina, PLease find the above error i am getting Br MaheshMahesh P N Computer Point Rwanda

If you used ADSIEdit in Windows Server 2003 instead, you will be able to edit the attribute. Windows Server 2008 will give you the error message you got, but thats fine. It will remove the object that you want it to and you should be able to run setup.com /preparad again Like I wrote, you will get that error on a Windows Server 2008 Server. Can´t you run ADSIEdit from an W2K3 Server? ADSIEdit is not included in the Operating System and you will need to download and install the Support Tools to get itMartina Miskovic

Hello Martina Thank you for your advice. Please note that this a windows 2008 domain and we dont have any 2003 server .we run ADSIedit in windows 2008 and it's there .(please refer the attached above screen shots ). I can conect to both "Default naming content" and "Configuration" but cant edit the otherWellKnownObjects. its there am getting error .So do you think its the problem with ADSIedit. Please advice George

Nopp, no problem with Adsiedit on W2K8. It´s more a design "thing" Don´t you have any W2K3 or XP Server at all in your environment? I my own testing I was had to use Edit + Apply many times in W2K8 for all the otherWellKnownObject to be deleted. That´s why I prefer W2K3 or XP and installing the Support Tools doesn´t take many seconds. Martina Miskovic

Dear All, Thankyou very much for the help This suggestion resolved the issue ... We tried doing Adsiedit from a windows XP machine and it finally worked for us Again thankyou very much and see attachment Screen shot all the installation completed BR mahesh Mahesh P N Computer Point Rwanda

Thanks for the update Mahesh!! We all like a successfull Installation :) PS. Don´t forget to install the latest Rollup4.Martina Miskovic

Thanks for the white paper article, I had to delete all of my otherWellKnownObjects. The steps were easy to follow, and let to a successful installation.Best regards, Al Ericson Partner Online Technical Community ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We hope you get value from our new forums platform! Tell us what you think: http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/partnerfdbk/threads ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights