Remove Exchange Server 2003 From Cluster that include Exchange 2010

When you have Exchange server version 2007 or 2010, it will be highly recommend to remove the old exchange server (2003), if exists. 

Some of the things you will be limited to do when having Exchange 2003 installed is Address list.

when trying to make a new address list you will get a message stating that there is a legacy exchange server version installed, and you have to remove it.

Anyone who worked with Exchange server 2003, will know how to install it and uninstall it. But when it come to cluster it will become more confusing.

In this article I will explain how to remove exchange server 2003 from Cluster.

Preparing to remove Exchange 2003

First to be able to remove Exchange 2003 you have to consider the following:

1- First the Mailbox Database should contain no mailbox, All mailboxes should be moved to another server  (Exchange 2007 or Exchange 2010)

2- Also move Public Folder Data to ensure there will be no data lost

3- Make sure to set the Exchange 2007, 2010 to be OAB Generator 

4- Remove the Recipient Update Service

Removing Exchange 2003 Cluster resource:

Now we are ready to remove the Exchange Server 2003 From our Cluster, and to remove Exchange From the Cluster, we have to remove the Exchange System Attendant using the Cluster Console.

1- Open Microsoft Cluster Console.

2- In the Group, you wil find the Exchange Group.

3- Make sure that the Exchange System Attendant resource is offline

4- Rght Click on the SA resource and then Right Click and select "Remove Exchange Cluster Resource"

You receive a "c1034a7f" error message when you delete a mailbox store: "One or more users currently use this mailbox store"

this error need to use LDP tool, for me Powershell is easier and better.

What is this error:

Remember on Exchange 2003 when you create a mailbox user the user is not shown in the console unless the user receive an email or the user login to that mailbox, otherwise it will not appear.

So what can you do, you can use Powershell Script :

get-aduser -properties * -filter{msExchHomeServerName -like "*YouOldServerName"}

Where YourOldServerName represent your Exchange 2003 Server, leave the asterisk before the server name and dont include space.

This will return a list of users that have their mailbox on your old Exchange Server.

Now everything should be OK, you can remove the Binaries using Add/Remove Programs

for more information you can read this Article from Microsoft

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg576862(v=exchg.141).aspx