Dear all, I have an Exchange 2000 server which installed on a domain which contains only one Domain controller. The Exchange is installed on the DC too. The HDD of the DC (and Exchange) was failed over half a year, and no useable backup media can be used. All the accounts had been migrated to other Exchange servers at another domain long before. I want to remove the Exchange 2000. Following the instruction of http://support.microsoft.com/kb/260378/, I attempted to remove the Exchange at ESM by "All Tasks, and then click Remove Server". Unfortunately, the removal was not successful. The following error was prompted. Setup encountered an error while checking prerequisites for the component "Microsoft Exchange Server": 0X8007202B (8235): A referral was returned from the server. Facility: Exchange System Manager ; ID no: c103fc97 My target is to remove the Exchange and the whole domain. All the accounts and mailboxes could be simply discarded. Thank you for your advice.

Hi, I got something from my bookmarks and will suggest you try this maybe it could help you. http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=307917 Regards. Shafaquat Ali.M.C.I.T.P Exchange 2007/2010, M.C.I.T.P Windows Server 2008, M.C.T.S OCS Server 2007 R2, URL: http://blog.WhatDoUC.net Phone: +923008210320

Hi Check this one, i think it can help you http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Remove-Exchange-server-entire-Exchange-organization.htmlJonas Andersson MCTS: Microsoft Exchange Server 2007/2010 | MCITP: EMA 2007/2010 | MCSE/MCSA Blog: http://www.testlabs.se/blog

This is not applicable to my case as my server is already failed and cannot start due to HW problem. Anyway, thank for your suggestion.

From http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Remove-Exchange-server-entire-Exchange-organization.html , it stated that ... you may use the ADSI Edit snap-in to manually remove the server attributes so that you can try a successful reinstallation. This method does not perform cleanups of references to the server object outside the server's own container. In addition, from Microsoft KB http://support.microsoft.com/kb/833396, the similiar solution was mentioned. It stated that this is not a remmended method unless the exchange server will be re-installed. This is because ADSIEDIT will not help to cleanup the references to the server object outside the server's own container. .... you can use the Active Directory Service Interfaces (ADSI) Edit snap-in to manually remove enough of the server attributes so that you can try a successful reinstallation. This method does not perform cleanups of references to the server object outside the server's own container. We do not recommend that you use this method unless you intend to immediately reinstall the server in the same administrative group. This is because you may have to manually remove or edit many attributes on objects throughout Active Directory The solution does not help in my case. Anyway. thank you.

Have you replicated and moved the public folders and the hierarchy?Jonas Andersson MCTS: Microsoft Exchange Server 2007/2010 | MCITP: EMA 2007/2010 | MCSE/MCSA Blog: http://www.testlabs.se/blog

Agree with Jones, For safe remove you have to turn on sevrer then remove using exchange setup wizard, Also here is question if you have PF folder in sevrer and moved back it .Anil

The other Exchange Objects will not harm anything if they are left in place in AD. I would not start digging around in AD with ADSI Edit as it can have adverse consequences.MVP Exchange Server

Thank you. You reminded me that the server is the only replica of its own "Schedule+ Free Busy" and "Offline Address Book" folder. I hadn't manually modified the PF hierarchy. Except the system PF, there should be no user created PF left in the hierarchy.