You receive an account permission error message and the setup /forestprep command is not successful in Exchange Server 2003 (830186)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
  • Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Standard Edition

SYMPTOMS

When you try to run the setup /forestprep command in Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, the command is not successful, and you receive the following error message, even when you use an Exchange Full Administrator account:

The component "Microsoft Exchange Forest Preparation" cannot be assigned the action "Forestprep" because to install the first Exchange server in a domain, or to run setup in "/ForestPrep" mode, you must be an Exchange Full Administrator at the organization level. You must use an account that has been granted the Full Exchange Administrator role on the Exchange organization using the Exchange Administrative Delegation Wizard.

CAUSE

This issue may occur if the setup /forestprep command fails shortly after it creates the GUID org container and before it creates the related global containers, and Exchange 2003 does not have permission to the GUID org container.

WORKAROUND

To work around this issue, manually delete the GUID org container and the heuristics attribute by using the ADSI Edit snap-in, and then run the Exchange 2003 Setup /forestprep command again. The ADSI Edit snap-in is included in the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Support Tools. To manually delete the GUID org container and the heuristics attribute by using the ADSI Edit snap-in, follow these steps.

Warning If you use the ADSI Edit snap-in, the LDP utility, or any other LDAP version 3 client, and you incorrectly modify the attributes of Active Directory objects, you can cause serious problems. These problems may require you to reinstall Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server, Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, or both Windows and Exchange. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems that occur if you incorrectly modify Active Directory object attributes can be solved. Modify these attributes at your own risk.
  1. Start the ADSI Edit snap-in. To do this, click Start, click Run, type adsiedit.msc in the Open box, and then click OK.
  2. Locate the CN=Configuration,CN=Services,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN={335A1087-5131-4D45-BE3E-3C6C7F76F5EC} container.

    Note The CN={335A1087-5131-4D45-BE3E-3C6C7F76F5EC} container may also appear as CN=First Organization.
  3. Right-click the CN={335A1087-5131-4D45-BE3E-3C6C7F76F5EC} container, and then click Delete.
  4. Right-click the CN=Microsoft Exchange container, and then click Properties.
  5. On the Attribute Editor tab, click the heuristics attribute if it exists, click Edit, click Clear, and then click OK two times.
  6. Run the Exchange 2003 setup /forestprep command again.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

312878 XADM: The Exchange 2000 Service Pack 2 Removeorg option for Update.exe

822942 Considerations when you upgrade to Exchange Server 2003

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:11/10/2005
Keywords:kbsetup kbnofix kbprb KB830186 kbAudITPRO
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