Exchange 2003 preinstallation problems

Essendon

Quick summary of the lab I got:

server01 (first DC in the forest, DHCP server, DNS server)
IP:192.168.100.100
Pref. DNS: 192.168.100.101

server03 (also a DC, DNS server)
IP: 192.168.100.101
Pref. DNS: 192.168.100.100

client02
IP:assigned by server01, 192.168.100.102
Pref. DNS: from scope options (192.168.100.100)

Now, I want to install Exchange 2003 on server01. I know I should do the dcdiag and netdiag tests. The event logs for the File Repl Service gives me an error every now and then about server01 being unable to replicate with server03 because of a DNS lookup failure (Both servers are resolvable from each other, by hostname and FQDN). I have gone into Active DIrectory Sites and Services to force replication from there, and it gives me NO errors. Just says AD has replicated the connections. A similar replication force on server03 also just says AD has replicated the connections.

dcdiag gives me some kcc errors on both servers. I have done nltest /dsregdns , dcdiag,netdiag:fix. Then waited a few minutes, about 10, and then did a repadmin /syncall. Still gives me some kcc errors.

Any changes in AD and DNS get replicated almost right away. I have noticed some GP errors too. Something on the lines of access denied while trying to query some folder on %rooot%/sysvol/policies...

Some please give me some pointers. I dont see anything obviously wrong, it's just that I didnt want to install exchange before replication/DNS errors are resolved.

I need a beer....been at this for more than a few hours.

HeroPsycho

You should be fine then. Just make sure Server1 is a Global Catalog. When installing Exchange 2003 on a Domain Controller, Exchange will only use AD services on the local machine. Since Exchange depends upon Global Catalog services, it has to be GC, too.

If it were me, I would install Exchange on its own instance of Windows.

Essendon

Awright, I'll take your word for this, HP. Yeah, server01 is the GC.

Could you please elaborate when you say you would install Exchange on its own instance of Windows. Do you mean not having DNS and DHCP sevices on it?

HeroPsycho

Specifically no Active Directory, as installing Exchange causes numerous oddities when doing so. If you do so anyway, you then shouldn't tweak the OS like setting the /3GB switch, userva=3030, etc. Also, as I mentioned, Exchange then won't use other GC/DC's, too.