Requirements for preparing Windows domains for Exchange Server 2003 or for Exchange 2000 Server

This step-by-step article describes the requirements for preparing Microsoft Windows domains for Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 or for Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server. To prepare domains for Exchange Server 2003 or for Exchange 2000 Server, you must do the following:

• Run the Exchange Setup program by using the /DomainPrep command line option on each domain.
• Configure a Recipient Update Service for each domain that contains a global catalog server.

The domain in which a server that is running Exchange Server is being installed requires that you run the Setup program by using the /DomainPrep command line option. You must also run /DomainPrep on any domains that contain Windows global catalog servers or user accounts that are mail enabled or mailbox enabled. Also, run /DomainPrep on any domain that contains users or groups that will manage the Exchange organization. The steps for running the Setup program by using the /DomainPrep option are listed in the "Prepare Windows domains" section.

When Exchange Server is installed, two Recipient Update Services are created. One Recipient Update Service is for the Enterprise configuration. The other Recipient Update Service is for the domain. You must create additional Recipient Update Service instances for any domains that contain global catalog servers or user accounts that are mail enabled or mailbox enabled.

For more information about how to create a Recipient Update Service instance for each domain, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Requirements

To prepare domains for Exchange Server 2003 or for Exchange 2000 Server, you must fulfill the following requirements:

• You must be a member of the Domain Admins group for the domain that you want to prepare.
• You must be a member of the local Administrators group.

Prepare Windows domains

To prepare Windows domains, follow these steps.

Note You must perform Exchange Server 2003 ForestPrep before you can prepare a domain with Exchange Server 2003 DomainPrep.

1. Click Start, click Run, and then type the following:
   E:\Setup\i386\SETUP.EXE / ?
   Note In this path, E is the letter of the CD drive or the DVD drive.
2. Click OK to display the Microsoft Exchange - Usage dialog box. The Microsoft Exchange - Usage dialog box includes all the available Setup options. Examine the individual command-line options, noting /DomainPrep, and then click OK.
3. Click Start again, click Run, type the following, and then click OK:
   E:\Setup\i386\SETUP.EXE /DomainPrep
4. On the Welcome screen, click Next.
5. On the End-User License Agreement screen, accept the licensing agreement by clicking I Agree, and then click Next.
6. On the Product Identification screen, enter the product key of the Exchange Server 2003 or Exchange 2000 Server installation CD, and then click Next.
7. On the Component Selection screen, under Action, make sure that DomainPrep is selected, and then click Next.
8. Complete the domain preparation.