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How to Install Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 SP1

Oh, oh, oh Merry Christmas !… Today we will see the most basic installation of Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 on a Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2. Due infrastructure limitations and since this server is being build for third party product testing purposes, we will run our installation on a domain controller . Let me say, that this is not supported by Microsoft as it can be read on Exchange 2010 System Requirements.

For security and performance reasons, we recommend that you install Exchange 2010 only on member servers and not on Active Directory directory servers. However, you can’t run DCPromo on a computer running Exchange 2010. After Exchange 2010 is installed, changing its role from a member server to a directory server, or vice versa, isn’t supported.

In our case proceeding has thrown this warning “Installing Exchange Server on a domain controller will elevate the privileges for Exchange Trusted Subsystem to domain administrators”. This is really well explained on Busting the Exchange Trusted Subsystem Myth (by Devin L. Ganger).

Before start clicking Next, Next, Next check Exchange 2010 Prerequisites for specific prerequisites for your platform. Here you have the common ones:

  • Functional level of your forest should be at least Windows Server 2003, and your schema master should be running Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) or later.
  • The full installation option of Windows Server 2008 with SP2 or later or Windows Server 2008 R2 must be used for all servers running Exchange 2010 server roles or management tools.
  • For all server roles other than the Edge Transport server role, you must first join the computer to the appropriate internal Active Directory forest and domain.

Additional hotfixes are needed if you are installing Exchange on Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2:

And finally, we recommend you to install Microsoft Office 2010 Filter Packs before proceeding with Exchange installation.

1. Logon to the Exchange server with a Domain Admin account and run Setup from the Exchange 2010 media.

2. Click on Step 3: Choose Exchange language option and choose one of the options (Install only languages from the DVD will be fine in most cases).

3. Click on Step 4: Install Microsoft Exchange and click Next at the Introduction page.

4. Accept the license terms and click Next.

5. Make a selection on the Error Reporting page and click Next.

6. Since this is a basic installation choose Typical Exchange Server Installation and click Next.

7. Choose a name for your Exchange Organization, decide to use (or not) to use split permissions security model and click Next.

8. Make a selection on the Client Settings page and click Next.

9. If you want your Exchange server to be available externally then choose a domain name such as mail.myorganization.com, click Next.

10. Make a selection on the Customer Experience Improvement Program page and click Next.

11. If you had installed all required hotfixes for your platform you will be able to proceed installing it, click install.

12. When the installation has finished go back to the Exchange installation page click on Step 5: Get critical updates for Microsoft Exchange.

At this point you have installed Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, now is time for the Post-Installation Tasks.

As usual, keep an eye on TechNet’s links below: