Exchange server 2003 - Quick Installation

Hi
Few finds difficult to install exchange server 2003,for those i promise it is a simple task.This article gives you the best and short steps for the installation of exchange server 2003 with ease.

Basic Requirements:
Normal desktop PC with decent memory
Server OS (preferably /w SP and patches)
Exchange server software.

Steps:
1.Windows Server OS with recent available Service packs(standard/enterprise edition) and also necessary patches.
2.Assign the static IP address for the server machine and the DNS server (prob the same as that of the machine,its always better to have DNS in the first domain in your forest and also to be configured while making the domain controller itself)
3.Create the real server i.e Domain controller with DCPROMO command and while installing don't skip the DNS installation.
4.Reboot the machine
5.Needs to install the following from the Windows add/remove component wizard from the control panel.(it requires the I386 source while installing)
IIS 6.0
ASP(Active server pages)
ASP.NET
NNTP
SMTP
WWW
POP3(don't install the email service - pop3 because exchange package come along with the improved pop3 service and also to avoid the conflict)

6.Forest preparation (is used to update the active directory schema in the forest level to deploy the exchange server)
X:\exchange\setup\i386\setup.exe /forestprep
where X-Cd drive path/path for the exchange server 2003 source

7.Domain preparation (is used to update the active directory schema in the domain level to deploy the exchange server)
X:\exchange\setup\i386\setup.exe /forestprep

8.Installing the Core exchange package.
Normal installation
X:\exchange\setup\i386\setup.exe
(Microsoft exchange messaging and collaboration service and Microsoft exchange system management tools are mandatory and others are optional)
Unattend installation
creation of unattend file
X:\exchange\setup\i386\setup.exe /createunattend c:\answerfile.ini
Executing the unattend file
X:\exchange\setup\i386\setup.exe /unattendfile c:\answerfile.ini

After this, it takes some time to finish the installation and it restarts automatically.Once after restarting,the exchange server is ready for the mail flow.

Please do post if you have any queries.

Thanks
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