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trying to install CU23 (currently on CU20, I believe) on an on-prem exchange server in hybrid online configuration
getting the error message on Step 1: Organization Preparation
Error:
The following error was generated when "$error.Clear(); initialize-ExchangeUniversalGroups -DomainController $RoleDomainController -ActiveDirectorySplitPermissions $RoleActiveDirectorySplitPermissions " was run: "System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object. at Microsoft.Exchange.Management.Tasks.InitializeExchangeUniversalGroups.CreateOrMoveEWPGroup(ADGroup ewp, ADOrganizationalUnit usgContainer) at Microsoft.Exchange.Management.Tasks.InitializeExchangeUniversalGroups.InternalProcessRecord() at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.<ProcessRecord>b__91_1() at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.InvokeRetryableFunc(String funcName, Action func, Boolean terminatePipelineIfFailed) at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.ProcessTaskStage(TaskStage taskStage, Action initFunc, Action mainFunc, Action completeFunc) at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.ProcessRecord() at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessor.ProcessRecord()".
last part of exchangesetuplog:
[12/02/2024 23:54:28.0268] [2] Used domain controller DC.XXX.XXX to read object CN=Managed Availability Servers,OU=Microsoft Exchange Security Groups,OU=Mystery People,DC=Apache,DC=County. [12/02/2024 23:54:28.0268] [2] Used domain controller DC.XXX.XXX to read object CN=Managed Availability Servers,OU=Microsoft Exchange Security Groups,OU=Mystery People,DC=Apache,DC=County. [12/02/2024 23:54:28.0268] [2] Used domain controller DC.XXX.XXX to read object CN=Managed Availability Servers,OU=Microsoft Exchange Security Groups,OU=Mystery People,DC=Apache,DC=County. [12/02/2024 23:54:28.0268] [2] Group CN=Managed Availability Servers,OU=Microsoft Exchange Security Groups,OU=Mystery People,DC=Apache,DC=County already exists. [12/02/2024 23:54:28.0273] [2] [ERROR] Object reference not set to an instance of an object. [12/02/2024 23:54:28.0283] [2] [WARNING] An unexpected error has occurred and a Watson dump is being generated: Object reference not set to an instance of an object. [12/02/2024 23:54:29.0777] [1] The following 1 error(s) occurred during task execution: [12/02/2024 23:54:29.0778] [1] 0. ErrorRecord: Object reference not set to an instance of an object. [12/02/2024 23:54:29.0778] [1] 0. ErrorRecord: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object. at Microsoft.Exchange.Management.Tasks.InitializeExchangeUniversalGroups.CreateOrMoveEWPGroup(ADGroup ewp, ADOrganizationalUnit usgContainer) at Microsoft.Exchange.Management.Tasks.InitializeExchangeUniversalGroups.InternalProcessRecord() at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.b__91_1() at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.InvokeRetryableFunc(String funcName, Action func, Boolean terminatePipelineIfFailed) at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.ProcessTaskStage(TaskStage taskStage, Action initFunc, Action mainFunc, Action completeFunc) at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.ProcessRecord() at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessor.ProcessRecord() [12/02/2024 23:54:29.0779] [1] [ERROR] The following error was generated when "$error.Clear(); initialize-ExchangeUniversalGroups -DomainController $RoleDomainController -ActiveDirectorySplitPermissions $RoleActiveDirectorySplitPermissions " was run: "System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object. at Microsoft.Exchange.Management.Tasks.InitializeExchangeUniversalGroups.CreateOrMoveEWPGroup(ADGroup ewp, ADOrganizationalUnit usgContainer) at Microsoft.Exchange.Management.Tasks.InitializeExchangeUniversalGroups.InternalProcessRecord() at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.b__91_1() at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.InvokeRetryableFunc(String funcName, Action func, Boolean terminatePipelineIfFailed) at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.ProcessTaskStage(TaskStage taskStage, Action initFunc, Action mainFunc, Action completeFunc) at Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.Task.ProcessRecord() at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessor.ProcessRecord()". [12/02/2024 23:54:29.0779] [1] [ERROR] Object reference not set to an instance of an object. [12/02/2024 23:54:29.0780] [1] [ERROR-REFERENCE] Id=443949901 Component= [12/02/2024 23:54:29.0780] [1] Setup is stopping now because of one or more critical errors. [12/02/2024 23:54:29.0780] [1] Finished executing component tasks. [12/02/2024 23:54:29.0793] [1] Ending processing Install-ExchangeOrganization [12/02/2024 23:58:35.0104] [0] CurrentResult setupbase.maincore:396: 0 [12/02/2024 23:58:35.0105] [0] End of Setup [12/02/2024 23:58:35.0105] [0] **********************************************
I inherited this server/exchange environment with the note 'exchange server has update issue' :| I'm not seeing what is missing from these logs. Any help would be appreciated.('Computers' OU does exist, this is the only related solution I could find)
The administration of a hybrid deployment that connects on-premises Exchange Server with Exchange Online, enabling seamless integration and centralized control.
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Hi, @ MLovell
Thanks for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.
According to your description, when you install CU23 on Exchange 16, you encounter the error "Object reference not set to an instance of an object". For more information about installing CU23, you can refer to https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/cumulative-update-23-for-exchange-server-2016-kb5011155-98183ada-e4cd-465f-b201-69d40fb74678.
Best,
Jeanne
Answer accepted by question author
If you run this, does it show any smoking gun?
https://microsoft.github.io/CSS-Exchange/Setup/SetupAssist/
Based on that error messages, the Exchange Security groups are not in the default OUs
OU=Mystery People
By default its
OU=Microsoft Exchange Security Groups,DC=domain,DC=com
Issue was in fact that the Exchange Security group OU had been moved inside another OU. CU23 installed successfully after correcting that issue. Thank you.