Transition of Ex2K3 to Ex2010 Server

Hi All,

Below I had mentioned each & every step for trnasition from Ex2K3 to Ex2010 Server.
Exchange 2010 is 64-Bit which runs on 64-Bit O.S of Win2K8 or Win2K8 R2.


There are 2 ways to implement Ex2010
1) Transition from EX2k3 to Ex2010 (Existing AD & Ex2K3 environment)
2) Migrate from Ex2K3 to Ex2010 (new AD Forest & Implement Ex2010 environment)

In My scenario which I did is Transition from Ex2K3 to Ex2010 Server.

Migration of Windows 2003 AD2K3 to Windows 2008 AD2K8
Introducing Additional Win2K8 DC into Win2K3 Same AD Forest

1)Run adprep.exe /forestprep on (Win2K3 DC) type this in command prompt
D:\sources\adprep.exe /forestprep - this is the path of Win2008 32 Bit disc
Before you run the adprep.exe /domainprep on Win2K3 DC,
need to Raise Domain Functional Level to Windows Server 2003
2) Run adprep.exe /domainprep on Win2K3 DC
D:\sources\adprep.exe /domainprep - this is the path of Win2008 32 Bit disc
3) Run dcpromo on Win2K8-64Bit to Install ADS
4) MOving All 5 FSMO roles from Win2K3 AD to Win2K8 AD
5) Mve AD-Integrated DNS zones from Win2K3 AD to Win2K8 AD
6) Remove Win2K3 AD from Forest
7) Raise Forest Functional Level on Win2K8 AD to Windows 2003 Server
8) Raise Exchange Operation mode Native on Ex2K3 Server.

Till here after all the above steps done.
Windows 2003 Server AD is migrated to Windows 2008 AD

Now It's time to Prepare Windows Server 2008 AD for Exchange 2010 installation
Run below mentioned commands on Schema Master of Win2K8 AD

NOTE : Wherever you want to Install Exchange Server 2010 Roles we need to install
.net framwork 3.5, Powershell 2.0 & IIS by default.

Below all the commands should be run from Exchange 2007 64-Bit Disc only.
C:\EX2K7-64-Bit>setup.com /PrepareLegacyExchangePermissions
C:\EX2K7-64-Bit>setup.com /PrepareSchema

Below all the commands should be run from Exchange 2010 64-Bit Disc only
on Win2K8 Schema Master.
C:\EX2010-64-Bit>setup.com /PrepareAD
C:\EX2010-64-Bit>setup.com /PrepareDomain

Till here after all the above steps done.
We have Prepared the Windows 2008 AD for installation of Exchange 2010 Server

Now Its time to Install Exchange Server 2010 Roles as per your Organization requirements.
In my scenario I have installed CAS & Hub on One Server &
Mailbox Role on Separate Server

1) First Install CAS & Hub Transport roles on One Server by selecting Custom Option.
In case if the installation fails, it gives error of missing updates to install.
2) Second Install Mailbox Server roles on a separate Server by selecting Custom Option.
In case if the installation fails, it gives error of missing updates to install.

Once the above Roles Successfully Installed Your Exchange Server 2010 is installed & ready.

Now its time to move Public Folders & OAB from Exchange 2003 Server to Exchange 2010 Server
Create 2-3 new mailboxes on Exchange 2010 Server & check routing between Ex2K3 & Ex2010 Server

Create One new Send connector on Ex2010 Hub Trasport Server & Now move all the mailboxes
from Ex2K3 Server to Ex2010 Server & check the routing between
moved mailboxes on Ex2010 Server.
Now you can delete the SMTP connector on Ex2K3 Server in case if you want to make it Ex2010 connector Primary.


In Ex2010 environment POP doesn't work for mailboxes which are moved from Ex2K3 to Ex2010.
Still Microsoft is working on it...


Now the Exchange 2010 Server is ready with all the mailboxes.


I hope this is very usefull for System Administrators.
This is very usefull for people who wants to transition from Ex2K3 to Ex2010 Server.

This is my First article regarding the transition of Exchange 2K3 to Exchange 2010 Server.

Thanks & Regards
Anand S

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Dear All,

Welcome to my Blog.

I'm Anand Narayan Sunka, a Microsoft 365 Consultant and Architect with more than 22 years of IT experience, including over 14 years specializing in Microsoft 365, Exchange Online, Exchange Hybrid, Microsoft Entra ID, Teams, SharePoint Online, OneDrive, Security, Compliance, and Digital Workplace Transformation.

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