Hi there, I was running through the setup of a new HT/CAS combined-server today and ran in to two (potential) issues at the Readiness Checks: Organization Prerequisites Warning: Setup is going to prepare the organization for Exchange 2010 by using 'Setup /PrepareAD'. No Exchange 2007 server roles have been detected in this topology. After this operation, you will not be able to install any Exchange 2003 or Exchange 2007 servers. Hub Transport Rules Prerequisites: Warning: SMTP instance 'CN=1,CN=SMTP,CN=Protocols,CN=<Exchange SMTP Server>,CN=Servers,CN=<Administrative Group>,CN=Administrative Groups,CN=<Company>,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=<Domain>,DC=local' is configured to route all messages via smart host 'smtp.isp.net'. Remove this option if this SMTP instance is set as the source or target transport server of a routing group connector between an Exchange Server 2010 routing group and an Exchange Server 2003 Server routing group. In regards to the Organizational Prerequisits, I did run setup /PrepareAD about a month ago from an RTM disk. I am trying to run the installation from the SP1 download. I think this might be the issue, but I wasn't certain. The Hub Transport Role one is freaking me out a bit though. Any info here? Is it going to effect my upgrade if my ISP (they host my MX record and spool our mail when necessary) is running Exchange 2003? Any insight and suggestions are appreciated. Thanks in advance!

You will have to "re-prep" your environment for SP1. As far as your other warning. This is for outbound. Do you have an Exch 2003 server that your are going to interop with? If so, than it looks like on Exch 2003, you have the Default SMTP Virtual Server configured to use a smarthost. If this is true, than email between 2003 and 2010 will not flow correctly. The fix is to delete the smarthost from this Default SMTP virtual server and create an SMTP connector to send outbound. You will not have any issues connecting to your smarthost. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/265293Tim Harrington - Catapult Systems - http://HowDoUC.blogspot.com

Hi Tim, Thank you for the reply. So will I need to redo all four of the "setup.com" preparation steps, or just /PrepareAD and /PrepareDomain? I figured since it didn't saying anything about needing to run /PrepareLegacyExchangePermissions or /PrepareSchema that those ones might still be okay... Yes, I am upgrading from an Exchange 2003 environment. So remove the information regarding the Smart Host from the SMTP Virtual Server and create an SMTP connector? Do I need to do anything else to the SMTP Virtual Server (like right-click then click "stop") or will simply removing the Smart Host address handle that? Thanks for the help!

Actually /prepareAD includes the /PrepareLegacyExchangePermissions and /PrepareSchema. So all you need is the /prepareAD and /preparedomain See: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb125224.aspx Once you take out the smarthost from the Default SMTP instance, I recommend stopping and starting it (in needs to be in a running state). This will refresh the settings. Then you can create a separate SMTP connector for outbound email.Tim Harrington - Catapult Systems - http://HowDoUC.blogspot.com

Once you take out the smarthost from the Default SMTP instance, I recommend stopping and starting it (in needs to be in a running state). This will refresh the settings. Then you can create a separate SMTP connector for outbound email. Tim Harrington - Catapult Systems - http://HowDoUC.blogspot.com Okay, cool. I take it that if I remove the smart host info then stop/restart the Virtual Server that any mail that my users are trying to send between the then and when the new connector is created will simply queue up? Won't simply be "dropped" or anything silly, right?

that is correct. I would not wait too long to get your SMTP connector in place.Tim Harrington - Catapult Systems - http://HowDoUC.blogspot.com

Awesome; the link you shared worked without a hitch! Thanks again!