Error when you install the Edge Transport server role on a domain-joined Exchange server: Cannot get child of ADObjectId

• Applies to:

  Exchange Server 2019, Exchange Server 2016 Enterprise Edition, Exchange Server 2016 Standard Edition, Exchange Server 2013 Enterprise, Exchange Server 2013 Standard Edition

Original KB number:   3205799

Symptoms

This issue occurs in a Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 environment with Cumulative Update 2 or later update installed, or in an Exchange Server 2013 environment with Cumulative Update 14 or later installed. When setup fails, you see the following error in the Setup log:

Error: The following error was generated when "$error.Clear(); new-ExchangeServer" was run: "System.ArgumentNullException: Value cannot be null.
Parameter name: Cannot get child of ADObjectId: this is a GUID based ADObjectId.

Workaround

To work around this issue, use one of the following methods:

• Run setup again using the setup UI. Running setup from PowerShell might not allow you to work around the problem at this time.
• Unjoin the server from the domain, install the Edge Transport server role, and then rejoin the domain.

More information

Setup of the Edge Transport server role will never fail if the Setup.exe /PrepareAD command isn't run.

Status

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in Applies to.