Exchange 2010 SP2 Error after upgrading to Rollup 5

 

Unfortunately last update released by Microsoft for Exchange 2010 SP2 (Rollup 5) causes many issues with Exchange DAG.

After installation of Rollup 5 for Exchange 2010 SP2 you will receive EventID 4999 in Event Log and also you won’t be able to run Get-DatabaseAvailabilityGroup -Status and the MSExchangeADTopology service started acting strangely.

Like we said first test this Rollup 5 in your test environments.

In Event Log you will find errors 4999 like below about watson:

Watson report about to be sent for process id: 792, with parameters: E12, c-RTL-ADM64, 14.02..0318.004 RemotePowershell, M Exchange Management 
M.E.C.R dagTaskHelper.GetServersInDeferredRecovery, System.TypeLoadException, 253d, 14.02.0328.005

 

and when you run below command:

Get-DatabaseAvailabilityGroup -Identity DAG01  -Status

 

you will receive error like below:

 

After uninstallation of Rollup 5 all errors goes away.

So for now we recommend do not install this rollup in production environment.

 

 

 

Update Rollup 8-v3 for Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 3 (KB2778154)

 

Microsoft has again re-released Rollup 8 for Exchange 2007 SP3 to address an issue in which digital signatures on files produced and signed by Microsoft will expire prematurely.

This time this is version number 3.

When you install Rollup 8-v3 for Exchange 2007 SP3 your system version number will be: 8.3.279.6

 

Rollup 8-v3 dla Exchange 2007 SP3 can be downloaded from:

Update Rollup 8-v3 for Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 3 (KB2778154)

 

Description of Rollup 8-v3 for Exchange 2007 SP3:

Description of Update Rollup 8 Version 3 for Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 3

 

Update Rollup 7 Version 3 for Exchange Server 2010 SP1 (Service Pack 1) (KB2778158)

 

Microsoft released also new update for Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 SP1.

It’s not exactly new update, but new version of last update Rollup 7.

We wrote about Rollup 7, next Rollup 7-v2 and now we want to inform about Rollup 7-v3 for Exchange Server 2010 SP1.

This new version of Rollup 7 resolves an issue in which the digital signature on files produced and signed by Microsoft expires prematurely.

This update replaces the original KB2743248 and KB2756496 updates.

After installation of new version of Rollup 7 (Rollup 7-v3) your Exchange Server will have new version number 14.1.421.3

 

you can download this new “update” Rollup 7-v3:

 Rollup 7-v3 for Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 1 (KB2778158)

 

For a list of changes that are included in this update rollup, see:

Description of Update Rollup 7 Version 3 for Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 1

 

Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 2 Rollup 5 (KB2719800)

 

On 11/13/2012 Microsoft released Rollup 5 for Exchange Server 2010 SP2

After you install this Rollup 5 you will update Exchange Server 2010 SP2 version number to 14.2.328.5

This update resolves issues that were found in Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 2 since the software was released.

Rollup 5 for Exchange Server 2010 SP2 is available here:

Update Rollup 5 for Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 2 (KB2719800)

 

This is a cumulative rollup as always so you don’t need to install previous versions.

Remember to disable ForeFront before installation and enable after (fscutility /disable).

 

For a list of changes that are included in this update rollup, see:

Continue reading

Export mailbox to pst larger than mailbox size

 

When we export mailbox from Exchange Server to .pst file, we can see that size of this .pst file is larger than mailbox size in Exchange Management Console (EMC).

We can export mailbox using New-MailboxExportRequest like below:

New-MailboxExportRequest -Mailbox "JSmith"  -Name JSmith -FilePath \\server\share\JSmith.pst

 

When we check .pst file size we will see that it’s larger than mailbox size.

 

Size difference between mailbox size and .pst export file size is caused by Recoverable Items.
When you export mailbox to .pst, all items in mailbox including Recoverable Items will be exported to .pst file. But when you check mailbox size in EMC, you check size of mailbox without Recoverable Items, so this is size difference.
In Recoverable Items you can find all items deleted by user which can be restored and calendar versioning it’s dumpster.

 

If  you want to check mailbox size with deleted items yet not purged (Recoverable Items) you have to use powershell and Get-MailboxStatistics CMDlet like below:

Get-MailboxStatistics JSmith | Format-List StorageLimitStatus,TotalItemSize,TotalDeletedItemSize,ItemCount,DeletedItemCount

 

As a result you will get mailbox size, and also Recoverable Items size, when you add them you will get total mailbox size after export to .pst file.

 

Exchange Server 2010 Monitoring Management Pack for SCOM 14.3.38.4

 

For those of you who monitor IT environments using Microsoft System Center Operations Manager, Microsoft released Exchange Server 2010 Monitoring Management Pack.

It was released 8/31/2012 with version number 14.3.38.4

You can easly use this Management Pack to monitor yours Exchange 2010 servers with all installed roles.

This Management Pack, includes rules and scripts to monitor and report Exchange Server 2010 performance, availability with installed roles:

  • Mailbox Server Role
  • Client Access Server Role
  • Hub Transport Server Role
  • Edge Transport Server Role
  • Unified Messaging Server Role

 

Management pack with version number 14.3.38.4 was released for SCOM 2007 R2 but you can use it in SCOM 2012.

Remember to read Management Pack Guide before you will apply MP.

Below you can find links to Exchange 2010 Management Pack

Exchange Server 2010 Monitoring Management Pack

Exchange Server 2010 Management Pack Guide.doc
Exchange2010ManagementPackForOpsMgr2007-x64.msi
Exchange2010ManagementPackForOpsMgr2007-x86.msi

 

Exchange 2010 datacenter switchover switchback tool

 

Microsoft released Data Center switchover-switchback tool for Exchange 2010.

This tool is made in … PowerPoint :)

You can run it in your PowerPoint software and it’s designed to help administrators troubleshoot the process to switch Exchange 2010 DataCenter.

When you run it you will find a series of questions that will help you to determine what commands to run and where to run and how to verify them to switchover or switchback your Exchange 2010 DataCenter.

This tool will ask you right questions to get information about yours environment and then you will get right feedback with commands to switchover and switchback Exchange 2010 DataCenter.

Continue reading

Microsoft Exchange Server TechNet Library – changed URLs

 

Exchange Team Blog inform in post Exchange Server TechNet Library URLs updated that they have updated Exchange TechNet Library URLs.

So now link (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb124558.aspx)) to Exchange 2010 documentation will take you to Exchange Server 2013 documentation.

But if you want to get to Exchange Server 2010 documentation you need only modify this link at the end and add (v=exchg.141) like below:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb124558(v=exchg.141).aspx

Then you will get to Exchange 2010 documentation on TechNet

It’s not to much work to update your browser shortcuts.

 

Below you can find links to main documentation for Exchange Server versions:

Exchange Server 2013 Documentation
Exchange Server 2010 Documentation
Exchange Server 2007 Documentation

 

Exchange Server 2013 RTM download

 

From today on Microsoft Websites you can download Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 RTM evaluation version.

This version can be installed and it’s working for 180 days.
This allow us to get to know Exchange Server 2013 RTM in test or lab environments.

Exchange 2013 RTM works on Windows Server 2008R2 and Windows Server 2012.

Remember that coexistence Exchange 2010 and Exchange 2013 is not supported.
It will be probably supported when Microsoft will release SP3 for Microsoft Exchange 2010.

Below you can find useful links for Exchange 2013 RTM:

Download Microsoft Exchange Server 2013

Exchange 2013 System Requirements

Microsoft Exchange 2013 RTM Documentation

 

Microsoft Outlook 2013 change .ost location

 

How to change location of the .ost file in Outlook 2013:

When  you want to change location of .ost file in Microsoft Outlook 2013 you can use following two methods:

1. Change .ost file path by creating new Outlook Profile

Open Control Panel, find and choose Mail or Mail (Microsoft Outlook 15)

In Mail Window click Add

 

Write new Profile Name:

 

Choose OK, Outlook should find your mail account.

Continue reading