Hi Le Pivert, DCDIAG You ran the command on the domain controller in the second site, correct? YES This seems to be a problem: ###################################################################### REPADMIN Are either of these two domain controllers the one that you placed in the second site with the second Exchange server??? * DCsrvLB01 01d.00h:44m:48s 3 / 3 100 (1722) The RPC server is unavailable. THIS IS THE DC in the REMOTE SITE WHERE SECOND EXCH IS LOCATED DCsrvHO01 01d.00h:44m:51s 3 / 25 12 (1722) The RPC server is unavailable. THIS IS THE PDC WHERE THE FIRST EXCH IS LOCATED * ################################################################################# Can you: 1) Run the Exchange Best Practices Analyzer on the second Exchange server? HERE THE RESULTS I AM GETTING AFTER RUNNING EXBPA 1. ERROR: unrecognized exchange signature description (Active Directory domain 'mydomain' has an unrecognized Exchange signature. Current DomainPrep version: 11221). 2. ERROR Exchange store does not start The 'Services' string type value located in 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Exchange\Setup\Services' registry key is missing or inaccessible. The Microsoft Exchange Information Store service will not start. As a result, all services that depend on this service will not be able to start. Please visit http://support.microsoft.com/kb/285116 for more information. I ALSO RUN THE EXBPA READNESS CHECK AND THIS IS WHAT AM GETTING Active Directory site 'REMOTE SITE' does not contain any global catalog servers running Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 or later. This will prevent Exchange 2007 servers from being installed into site 'REMOTE SITE' to my surprise. in this remote site is where second exch and second DC (2k8) are located and the DC is also a GC. could this be because the second exch was deployed while in the same site as the PDC (2k8)? ############################################################## 2) Post any error or warning messages from the Event Viewer on that machine that would seem to have an effect on the services not starting? Event Type: Warning Event Source: MSExchange ADAccess Event Category: Validation Event ID: 2159 Date: 4/27/2012 Time: 4:57:53 AM User: N/A Computer: SECOND EXCH Description: Process w3wp.exe (PID=912). Configuration object CN=owa (Default Web Site), CN=HTTP,CN=Protocols,CN=FIRST EXCH,CN=Servers,CN=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT), CN=Administrative Groups,CN=First Organization MYORG,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services, CN=Configuration,DC=MYDOMAIN,DC=com read from REMOTEDC.MYDOMAIN.com failed validation and will be excluded from the result set. Set event logging level for Validation category to Maximum to get additional events about each failure. ........................................................................................... Event Type: Information Event Source: MSExchange ADAccess Event Category: Topology Event ID: 2080 Date: 4/27/2012 Time: 4:26:56 AM User: N/A Computer: SECOND EXCH Description: Process MAD.EXE (PID=1636). Exchange Active Directory Provider has discovered the following servers with the following characteristics: (Server name | Roles | Enabled | Reachability | Synchronized | GC capable | PDC | SACL right | Critical Data | Netlogon | OS Version) In-site: REMOTE DC.MYDOMAIN.com CDG 1 7 7 1 0 1 1 7 1 Out-of-site: PDC.MYDOMAIN.com CDG 1 7 7 1 0 1 1 7 1 DC.MYDOMAIN.com CDG 1 7 7 1 0 1 1 7 1 dc.MYDOMAIN.com CDG 1 7 7 1 0 1 1 7 1 For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Hi Steve, I am exactly getting event ID 2080 and here are the contents. Event Type: Information Event Source: MSExchange AD Access Event Category: Topology Event ID: 2080 Date: 4/26/2012 Time: 5:56:59 PM User: N/A Computer: FMBMAIL Description: Process STORE.EXE (PID=1560). Exchange Active Directory Provider has discovered the following servers with the following characteristics: (Server name | Roles | Enabled | Reachability | Synchronized | GC capable | PDC | SACL right | Critical Data | Netlogon | OS Version) In-site: Second DC.MyDomain.com CDG 1 7 7 1 0 1 1 7 1 Out-of-site: PDC.mydomain.com CDG 1 7 7 1 0 1 1 7 1 DC same site as PDC.mydomain.com CDG 1 7 7 1 0 1 1 7 1 DC same site as PDC.mydomain.com CDG 1 7 7 1 0 1 1 7 1

So you've just deployed the second Exchange server (the one with problems)?[] yes Has it ever functioned correctly (I'm guessing not?)?[] No Have you tried to restart the entire server?[] many times. just for more clarification, the second Exchange server is running on a member server and within that site I have also deployed a Domain controller that is pointing to the PDC in a different site. ***** Otherwise, I might try to determine if the start mode for the Exchange services is incorrect (you could compare them to the settings on your working server) or correct, but not working for another reason. Besides looking at each one separately in the GUI, you could run the command below in the EMS, replacing "w32*" with "msex" [PS] C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.FMBMW>get-WMIObject Win32_Service | where {$_.Name -like "msex*"} | fl Name,State,StartMode Name : MSExchangeADTopology State : Running StartMode : Auto Name : MSExchangeAntispamUpdate State : Stopped StartMode : Auto Name : MSExchangeEdgeSync State : Stopped StartMode : Auto Name : MSExchangeFDS State : Stopped StartMode : Auto Name : MSExchangeImap4 State : Stopped StartMode : Manual Name : MSExchangeIS State : Running StartMode : Auto Name : MSExchangeMailboxAssistants State : Stopped StartMode : Auto Name : MSExchangeMailSubmission State : Stopped StartMode : Auto Name : MSExchangeMonitoring State : Stopped StartMode : Manual Name : MSExchangePop3 State : Stopped StartMode : Manual Name : MSExchangeRepl State : Stopped StartMode : Auto Name : MSExchangeSA State : Running StartMode : Auto Name : MSExchangeSearch State : Stopped StartMode : Auto Name : MSExchangeServiceHost State : Stopped StartMode : Auto Name : MSExchangeTransport State : Stopped StartMode : Auto Name : MSExchangeTransportLogSearch State : Stopped StartMode : Auto You could also try running the ExBPA which is a good all round troubleshooting tool that may provide useful hints (EMC, Tools). ***** ***** You could verify Active Directory replication health on the domain controllers with these commands (regular old command line): Dcdiag DCDIAG Result below, C:\Users\Administrator.MYDOMAIN>dcdiag Directory Server Diagnosis Performing initial setup: Trying to find home server... Home Server = Remote DC * Identified AD Forest. Ldap search capabality attribute search failed on server PDC, return value = 81 Got error while checking if the DC is using FRS or DFSR. Error: Win32 Error 81The VerifyReferences, FrsEvent and DfsrEvent tests might fail because of this error. Done gathering initial info. Doing initial required tests Testing server: My Remote site\Remote DC Starting test: Connectivity ......................... Remote DC passed test Connectivity Doing primary tests Testing server: My Remote site\Remote DC Starting test: Advertising ......................... Remote DC passed test Advertising Starting test: FrsEvent There are warning or error events within the last 24 hours after the SYSVOL has been shared. Failing SYSVOL replication problems may cause Group Policy problems. ......................... Remote DC passed test FrsEvent Starting test: DFSREvent ......................... Remote DC passed test DFSREvent Starting test: SysVolCheck ......................... Remote DC passed test SysVolCheck Starting test: KccEvent ......................... Remote DC passed test KccEvent Starting test: KnowsOfRoleHolders ......................... Remote DC passed test KnowsOfRoleHolders Starting test: MachineAccount ......................... Remote DC passed test MachineAccount Starting test: NCSecDesc Error NT AUTHORITY\ENTERPRISE DOMAIN CONTROLLERS doesn't have Replicating Directory Changes In Filtered Set access rights for the naming context: DC=DomainDnsZones,DC=MYDOMAIN,DC=com Error NT AUTHORITY\ENTERPRISE DOMAIN CONTROLLERS doesn't have Replicating Directory Changes In Filtered Set access rights for the naming context: DC=ForestDnsZones,DC=MYDOMAIN,DC=com ......................... Remote DC failed test NCSecDesc Starting test: NetLogons ......................... Remote DC passed test NetLogons Starting test: ObjectsReplicated ......................... Remote DC passed test ObjectsReplicated Starting test: Replications REPLICATION-RECEIVED LATENCY WARNING Remote DC: Current time is 2012-04-26 18:03:10. DC=DomainDnsZones,DC=MYDOMAIN,DC=com Last replication received from PPDC at 2011-11-01 16:51:59 CN=Schema,CN=Configuration,DC=MYDOMAIN,DC=com Last replication received from PDC at 2012-04-25 17:27:04 CN=Configuration,DC=MYDOMAIN,DC=com Last replication received from PDC at 2012-04-25 17:26:59 DC=MYDOMAIN,DC=com Last replication received from PDC at 2012-04-25 17:27:04 ......................... Remote DC passed test Replications Starting test: RidManager ......................... Remote DC passed test RidManager Starting test: Services ......................... Remote DC passed test Services A ......................... Remote DC failed test SystemLog Starting test: VerifyReferences ......................... Remote DC passed test VerifyReferences Running partition tests on : DomainDnsZones Starting test: CheckSDRefDom ......................... DomainDnsZones passed test CheckSDRefDom Starting test: CrossRefValidation ......................... DomainDnsZones passed test CrossRefValidation Running partition tests on : ForestDnsZones Starting test: CheckSDRefDom ......................... ForestDnsZones passed test CheckSDRefDom Starting test: CrossRefValidation ......................... ForestDnsZones passed test CrossRefValidation Running partition tests on : Schema Starting test: CheckSDRefDom ......................... Schema passed test CheckSDRefDom Starting test: CrossRefValidation ......................... Schema passed test CrossRefValidation Running partition tests on : Configuration Starting test: CheckSDRefDom ......................... Configuration passed test CheckSDRefDom Starting test: CrossRefValidation ......................... Configuration passed test CrossRefValidation Running partition tests on : MYDOMAIN Starting test: CheckSDRefDom ......................... MYDOMAIN passed test CheckSDRefDom Starting test: CrossRefValidation ......................... MYDOMAIN passed test CrossRefValidation Running enterprise tests on : MYDOMAIN.com Starting test: LocatorCheck ......................... MYDOMAIN.com passed test LocatorCheck Starting test: Intersite ......................... MYDOMAIN.com passed test Intersite repadmin /showrepl Replication is showing to be successful repadmin /replsum AND THE SUMMARY AS below C:\Users\Administrator.srver>repadmin /replsum Replication Summary Start Time: 2012-04-26 18:11:49 Beginning data collection for replication summary, this may take awhile: .......... Source DSA largest delta fails/total %% error DCsrv 14m:49s 0 / 8 0 DCsrvHO01 25m:03s 0 / 23 0 DCsrvHO02 14m:49s 0 / 6 0 DCsrvLB01 01d.00h:44m:48s 3 / 3 100 (1722) The RPC server is una vailable. DCsrvLL01 14m:48s 0 / 5 0 LIMBEDC01 14m:26s 0 / 5 0 PDCsrvLB01 14m:49s 0 / 4 0 Destination DSA largest delta fails/total %% error DCsrv 12m:23s 0 / 8 0 DCsrvHO01 01d.00h:44m:51s 3 / 25 12 (1722) The RPC server is una vailable. DCsrvHO02 12m:07s 0 / 6 0 DCsrvLL01 14m:15s 0 / 5 0 LIMBEDC01 22m:57s 0 / 5 0 PDCsrvLB01 25m:17s 0 / 5 0 Experienced the following operational errors trying to retrieve replication info rmation: 58 - dcsrvlb01.srver.com And... netdiag (if you still have W2K3 domain controllers).

Dear all, am having a problem with my second Exchange server 2007 (exch02) that is located in a different site from the Domain controller that is holding the Schema Master FSMO role. My first Exch01 which is in the same site with the PDC is just functioning well. I have deployed a second Domain controller in the same site as the second Exch02. I have configure the AD site and services well, by creating all the necessary subnets, sites, site links and placed all the Domain controllers into there respective sites. When I check the services on my Exch02 NOT all the services are starting 1. Microsoft Exchange Active Directory Topology Service, IS, System attendant services are starting very well but the rest cant start on their own, even if I start them manually they are failing and giving error ID 1053. am stuck. Please help, if there might be something am missing out. Thanks in Advance Michael

Hi Lisa, could you please come again on RU, I have missed the abbreviation

Hi Michael As the topology service is running you should be getting 2080 events in the application log. Could you post the contents of one? Cheers, Steve

So you've just deployed the second Exchange server (the one with problems)? Has it ever functioned correctly (I'm guessing not?)? Have you tried to restart the entire server? ***** Otherwise, I might try to determine if the start mode for the Exchange services is incorrect (you could compare them to the settings on your working server) or correct, but not working for another reason. Besides looking at each one separately in the GUI, you could run the command below in the EMS, replacing "w32*" with "msex*" PS C:\> get-WMIObject Win32_Service | where {$_.Name -like "w32*"} | fl Name,State,StartMode Name : W32Time State : Stopped StartMode : Manual You could also try running the ExBPA which is a good all round troubleshooting tool that may provide useful hints (EMC, Tools). ***** ***** You could verify Active Directory replication health on the domain controllers with these commands (regular old command line): dcdiag repadmin /showrepl repadmin /replsum And... netdiag (if you still have W2K3 domain controllers). Anything look out of place? And of course, look for details in the Event Viewer. Please mark as helpful if you find my contribution useful or as an answer if it does answer your question. That will encourage me - and others - to take time out to help you.

RU - rollup Otherwise, thanks for the detailed response. DCDIAG You ran the command on the domain controller in the second site, correct? This seems to be a problem: * Ldap search capabality attribute search failed on server PDC, return value = 81 Got error while checking if the DC is using FRS or DFSR. Error: Win32 Error 81The VerifyReferences, FrsEvent and DfsrEvent tests might fail because of this error. * * This can be ignored and probably ruled out as a cause: Error NT AUTHORITY\ENTERPRISE DOMAIN CONTROLLERS doesn't have Replicating Directory Changes In Filtered Set access rights for the naming context: DC=DomainDnsZones,DC=MYDOMAIN,DC=com http://support.microsoft.com/kb/967482 The following seems to indicate some sort of replication issue - that may not have any bearing on the Exchange problem: Starting test: Replications REPLICATION-RECEIVED LATENCY WARNING Remote DC: Current time is 2012-04-26 18:03:10. DC=DomainDnsZones,DC=MYDOMAIN,DC=com Last replication received from PPDC at 2011-11-01 16:51:59 The other partitions have recently replicated though. * It looks like there are some errors in the system log that we might want to take a look at later. * REPADMIN Are either of these two domain controllers the one that you placed in the second site with the second Exchange server??? * DCsrvLB01 01d.00h:44m:48s 3 / 3 100 (1722) The RPC server is unavailable. DCsrvHO01 01d.00h:44m:51s 3 / 25 12 (1722) The RPC server is unavailable. * ############################################################## Otherwise, for Exchange, this is abnormal: Name : MSExchangeTransport State : Stopped StartMode : Auto This service (one example among others) should be started. It's set for automatic but it's stopped. Why? Hmmm... * * Can you: 1) Run the Exchange Best Practices Analyzer on the second Exchange server? 2) Post any error or warning messages from the Event Viewer on that machine that would seem to have an effect on the services not starting? I would start by looking in the Application Log, then System Log. Please mark as helpful if you find my contribution useful or as an answer if it does answer your question. That will encourage me - and others - to take time out to help you.

For example, what information is provided for this: even if I start them manually they are failing and giving error ID 1053 Please mark as helpful if you find my contribution useful or as an answer if it does answer your question. That will encourage me - and others - to take time out to help you.

REPADMIN indicating that the RPC servers are not available is also indicative of something not being right at the AD level: REPADMIN Are either of these two domain controllers the one that you placed in the second site with the second Exchange server??? * DCsrvLB01 01d.00h:44m:48s 3 / 3 100 (1722) The RPC server is unavailable. THIS IS THE DC in the REMOTE SITE WHERE SECOND EXCH IS LOCATED DCsrvHO01 01d.00h:44m:51s 3 / 25 12 (1722) The RPC server is unavailable. THIS IS THE PDC WHERE THE FIRST EXCH IS LOCATED * I will keep looking in my end - if anyone else sees something I'm missing, please don't hesitate to "chime in".Please mark as helpful if you find my contribution useful or as an answer if it does answer your question. That will encourage me - and others - to take time out to help you.

Active Directory site 'REMOTE SITE' does not contain any global catalog servers running Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 or later. This will prevent Exchange 2007 servers from being installed into site 'REMOTE SITE' to my surprise. in this remote site is where second exch and second DC (2k8) are located and the DC is also a GC. could this be because the second exch was deployed while in the same site as the PDC (2k8)? Exchange obviously does not like something here. So you are 100% sure the domain controller in the remote site is actually placed in that site, logically and physically? What is the physical topology of your sites? Are they located in different cities, different parts of same city? And the both physical devices, the DC and EXCH server are currently located in that site, in the same site, correct? Just asking because Exchange is claiming there is no DC/GC there. What if you run this command on the domain controller in the remote site: nltest /dsgetsite /server:DCsrvLB01 What site is the DC located in according to that command? And let's try this just to double-check the remote DC is indeed presented as a GC: dsquery server -forest -isgc Is DCSrvLB01 a GC? * Could this be because the second exch was deployed while in the same site as the PDC (2k8)? Not sure. Have you rebooted the remote DC since the move to the second site? Normally, it should have registered or updated it's SRV records to reflect it's presence in the proper site. Could you either restart the DC (if that does not disrupt your operations) or simply execute this command on the remote / second site DC: net stop netlogon & net start netlogon That too would refresh the SRV records in DNS. *** Just re-read this in your first post: I have deployed a second Domain controller in the same site as the second Exch02. Did you actually deploy the DC/GC in this site AFTER you installed Exchange there? Or did you install Exchange in the first site and then move it over? * * When all is said and done, it looks like you have a problem with the Active Directory as far as sites and maybe DNS goes and until that is fixed, there is no chance that Exchange will start working on it's own. * * MODS: is there any way to direct the attention of some of the Directory Service experts / MVPs to this post - without violating cross-posting rules? * * Please mark as helpful if you find my contribution useful or as an answer if it does answer your question. That will encourage me - and others - to take time out to help you.

REPADMIN indicating that the RPC servers are not available is also indicative of something not being right at the AD level: REPADMIN Are either of these two domain controllers the one that you placed in the second site with the second Exchange server??? * DCsrvLB01 01d.00h:44m:48s 3 / 3 100 (1722) The RPC server is unavailable. THIS IS THE DC in the REMOTE SITE WHERE SECOND EXCH IS LOCATED DCsrvHO01 01d.00h:44m:51s 3 / 25 12 (1722) The RPC server is unavailable. THIS IS THE PDC WHERE THE FIRST EXCH IS LOCATED * I will keep looking in my end - if anyone else sees something I'm missing, please don't hesitate to "chime in".Please mark as helpful if you find my contribution useful or as an answer if it does answer your question. That will encourage me - and others - to take time out to help you.

One more thing: what are the operating system and service pack levels on each of your domain controllers: DCsrv DCsrvHO01 - is this the current PDC? That's what you wrote above. DCsrvHO02 DCsrvLB01 (sole DC in remote site) DCsrvLL01 LIMBEDC01 PDCsrvLB01 - was this a former PDC? And then, what are the operating system, Exchange versions (E2K7, right?) service packs and rollup levels of each of the two (just two?) Exchange servers?Please mark as helpful if you find my contribution useful or as an answer if it does answer your question. That will encourage me - and others - to take time out to help you.

One more thing: what are the operating system and service pack levels on each of your domain controllers: DCsrv DCsrvHO01 - is this the current PDC? That's what you wrote above. DCsrvHO02 DCsrvLB01 (sole DC in remote site) DCsrvLL01 LIMBEDC01 PDCsrvLB01 - was this a former PDC? And then, what are the operating system, Exchange versions (E2K7, right?) service packs and rollup levels of each of the two (just two?) Exchange servers?Please mark as helpful if you find my contribution useful or as an answer if it does answer your question. That will encourage me - and others - to take time out to help you.

Hello, And you install any RU on your exchange server? Best Regards, Lisa