Networknet.nl

If you are running a Windows Server 2008 virtual machine with “AD DS” Services (Domain Controller) and you installed Exchange 2007 SP1 on the same machine than three services may fail to start. During the boot process of the virtual machine Active Directory Services are not ready and some Exchange 2007 services will fail to start.

Screenshot of the Services console during my troubleshooting actions.

Microsoft Exchange Information Store, Microsoft Exchange Service Host and Microsoft Exchange System Attendant services are not started. The Startup Type of has been set to Automatic.

The System EventViewer will show the following error events:

• EventID 7024: The Microsoft Exchange Information Store service terminated with service-specific error 0 (0×0).
• EventID 7009: A timeout was reached (30000 milliseconds) while waiting for the Microsoft Exchange Service Host service to connect.
• EventID 7000: The Microsoft Exchange Service Host service failed to start due to the following error: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion.
• EventID 7022: The Microsoft Exchange Transport service hung on starting.

Exchange Management Console message:

• ERROR: Could not connect to the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service on server Networknet.nl. One of the following problems may be occurring: 1- The Microsoft Exchange Information Store service is not running. 2- There is no network connectivity to server Networknet.nl. 3- You do not have sufficient permissions to perform this command. The following permissions are required to perform this command: Exchange View-Only Administrator and local administrators group for the target server. 4- Credentials have been cached for an unpriviledged user. Try removing the entry for this server from Stored User Names and Passwords.

To fix this problem change the Startup Type of Microsoft Exchange Information Store, Microsoft Exchange Service Host and Microsoft Exchange System Attendant to “Automatic (Delayed Start)”

Reboot the virtual machine again and everything should be started as smooth as you would have two separate virtual machines.

Related links:

• WS2008: Startup Processes and Delayed Automatic Start

Last week I run into free disk space problem on my Windows Server 2003 virtual machine and today on another virtual machine running Windows Server 2008 I encountered same thing again. The virtual disk was sized for 10GB and only 80MB was free.

The virtual machine is running Windows Server 2008 and Microsoft enhanced the feature for extending basic disk volumes on the fly. In my previous post I needed to add the virtual disk to another server; assign a drive letter and than run the extend option in diskpart. Within VI client extend the "Hard Disk" in the properties of the virtual machine to desired and planned size and goto Computer Management / Storage / Disk Management, right-click and Refresh.

The additional defined disk space will be shown as "Unallocated". Right-click on the C:\ volume and choose "Extend Volume". Follow the wizard and within seconds the basic volume has been extended. Thanks to VMWare ESX and Microsoft Server 2008 our lives as System Engineers is becoming easier.

As lesson learned size your virtual environment appropriate and especially the Hard Disk configuration.

Related links:

• Technet - Extend a Basic Volume

Thanks to guys from Telnetport25 I was able to finish my SSL certificate migration for my new Windows Server 2008 virtual machine running a Exchange 2007 SP1 installation.

My work log:

• Logon on the old Windows Server 2003 hosting the OWA front-end role
• Start MMC and add the Certificate Snap-In; choose the Computer Account.
• Go to Personal/Certificates and locate the SSL certificate assigned to IIS for SSL encryption. Right click ; All Tasks and choose export. Choose the appropriate options like the certificate path; assign password and save the PFX file to "My Documents"
• Copy the PFX file to your Windows Server 2008 Client Access Server
• Logon on the Windows Server 2008 and add the Certificate Snap-In to a new MMC console for the Computer Account
• Go to Personal/Certificates; right click; All Tasks and choose Import.

• Locate the PFX file; enter the password and make sure you check "Mark this key as exportable" to enable future migrations of the SSL certificate.
• Place the certificate in the Personal Store

• Open the certificate and go to Details tab. Locate the Thumprint field and select Value with mouse; press CRTL-C to copy the data.

• Paste the value in Notepad and replace the "SPACE’ with CRTL-H. In the Find what field press space on the keyboard and click Replace All

• Copy the Thumbprint
• Start the Exchange Management Shell and run the Enable-ExchangeCertificate cmdlet
• Type IIS as Services and paste the copied data from Notepad to Thumbprint

• Start Exchange Management Console and go to Server Configuration /  Client Access / Select the server and open owa from Outlook Web Access tab
• Type External URL of the SSL certificate and DNS. E.g. https://webmail.domain.tlk

• Click OK and you are finished to test the configuration.
• Start IE and test your OWA role. Review your NAT and Firewall rules also.

Related links:

• Enable-ExchangeCertificate
• Exporting Existing SSL OWA Certificates from Exchange 2003 FES to Exchange 2007 SP1 CAS on Windows 2008…