Error on Exchange 2016 reinstall

Question

Microsoft's error message are less than helpful most of the time but I am really stumped right now. I am trying to do a re-install after having my exisiting Exchange 2016 server throw error 500 messages when I tried to connect to its management page.

Endstate goal: Migrate from Exchange 2010 to Exchange 2016

Currently I am getting hung up at installing the mailbox role (step 9) with the following error:

[04/14/2021 16:40:14.0358] [2] Active Directory session settings for 'Get-Mailbox' are: View Entire Forest: 'True', Configuration Domain Controller: 'redacteddc.local', Preferred Global Catalog: 'redacteddc.local', Preferred Domain Controllers: '{ redacteddc.local }'
[04/14/2021 16:40:14.0358] [2] User specified parameters: -Arbitration:'True' -Filter:'name -eq $name' -IgnoreDefaultScope:'True' -ResultSize:'1'
[04/14/2021 16:40:14.0358] [2] Beginning processing get-mailbox
[04/14/2021 16:40:14.0379] [2] Searching objects of type "ADMailboxRecipient" with filter "(&((RecipientTypeDetails Equal ArbitrationMailbox)(Name Equal SystemMailbox{e0dc1c29-89c3-4034-b678-e6c29d823ed9})))", scope "SubTree" under the root "$null".
[04/14/2021 16:40:14.0382] [2] Request filter in Get Task: (&(!(!(objectClass=user)))(objectCategory=person)(mailNickname=)(msExchHomeServerName=)(msExchRecipientTypeDetails=8388608)(name=SystemMailbox{e0dc1c29-89c3-4034-b678-e6c29d823ed9})(!(msExchCU=))(|(&(msExchVersion<=2251799813685248)(!(msExchVersion=2251799813685248)))(!(msExchVersion=)))).
[04/14/2021 16:40:14.0382] [2] Internal Query Filter in Get Task: (&((RecipientTypeDetails Equal ArbitrationMailbox)(Name Equal SystemMailbox{e0dc1c29-89c3-4034-b678-e6c29d823ed9}))).
[04/14/2021 16:40:14.0395] [2] Previous operation run on global catalog server 'redacteddc.local'.
[04/14/2021 16:40:14.0395] [2] Preparing to output objects. The maximum size of the result set is "1".
[04/14/2021 16:40:14.0403] [2] Searching objects "Mailbox Database 1840237472" of type "MailboxDatabase" under the root "$null".
[04/14/2021 16:40:14.0418] [2] Previous operation run on domain controller 'redacteddc.local '.
[04/14/2021 16:40:14.0512] [2] [ERROR] Database is mandatory on UserMailbox.
[04/14/2021 16:40:14.0516] [2] Ending processing get-mailbox
[04/14/2021 16:40:14.0525] [1] The following 1 error(s) occurred during task execution:
[04/14/2021 16:40:14.0529] [1] 0. ErrorRecord: Database is mandatory on UserMailbox.
[04/14/2021 16:40:14.0529] [1] 0. ErrorRecord: Microsoft.Exchange.Data.DataValidationException: Database is mandatory on UserMailbox.

Now, whenever I try to run a get-mailbox command, I get this:

[PS] C:\Windows\system32>Get-Mailbox -Arbitration | ft Name, ServerName, Database -Auto
Database is mandatory on UserMailbox.

• CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [Get-Mailbox], DataValidationException
• FullyQualifiedErrorId : [Server= exchangeservername ,RequestId=327bcf7b-0efa-4065-a1f9-e2f2f7619c6f,TimeStamp=4/14/2021 8:27:29 PM] [FailureCategory=Cmdlet-DataValidationException] C7D089CE,Microsoft.Exchange.Management.RecipientTasks.GetMailbox
• PSComputerName : exchangeservername.redacted

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I have nowhere to go and I have no idea what to do next, if anybody has an idea what to do or look for I'd appreciate it.

Thanks!

Answer 1

So, the answer to your questions is yes, I have the latest Exchange 2010 SP and rollups on it. I had also previously deleted the accounts and re-ran the upgrade with PrepareAD to no avail.

I had another forum going (community.spiceworks.com) and was provided the following AD command that dumped the users out that didn't have the homeMDB set without using exchange to get it.

Get-ADUser -Filter * -Properties * | where{$_.legacyExchangeDN -ne $null -and $_.homeMDB -eq $null} | ft Name, legacyExchangeDN, homeMDB -AutoSize

Using that I was able to obtain a very long list that I corrected the issues on and after that I ran the upgrade again and it completed successfully. So, currently its fixed!

Answer 2

Hi @Dennis Aston ,

Good day.

Do you mean you first uninstalled the Exchange server and then reinstall it on the same machine?
Please check the ADSI Edit -> Connect to Default Naming Context -> CN=User -> Check the Properties "homeMDB"of the System/DiscoverySearchMailboxes and FederatedEmail, they are system mailboxes, they should be like, if any of them are blank, please copy this value from another system mailbox.

CN=Mailbox Database 1840237472,CN=Databases,CN=Exchange Administrative Group (GUID),CN=Administrative Groups,CN=Contoso,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=domain,DC=com  

Then restart the MS Exchange Information Store service to test.

Also if you want a fresh Exchange, you could delete the system mailboxes or everything about Exchange:
https://www.alitajran.com/how-to-remove-exchange-from-active-directory/
Please Note: Since the web site is not hosted by Microsoft, the link may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

Best regards,
Lou

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Answer 3

[04/21/2021 21:26:48.0338] [1] [ERROR] Database is mandatory on UserMailbox.
[04/21/2021 21:26:48.0339] [1] [ERROR-REFERENCE] Id=MailboxServiceControlLast___34385f18e6894267a2ec43ac827316a5 Component=EXCHANGE14:\Current\Release\PIM Storage\Archive Workflow
[04/21/2021 21:26:48.0339] [1] Setup is stopping now because of one or more critical errors.
[04/21/2021 21:26:48.0339] [1] Finished executing component tasks.
[04/21/2021 21:26:48.0392] [1] Ending processing Install-MailboxRole
[04/21/2021 21:30:57.0450] [0] CurrentResult setupbase.maincore:396: 0
[04/21/2021 21:30:57.0450] [0] End of Setup
[04/21/2021 21:30:57.0451] [0] **********************************************

Answer 4

I hate Exchange. With a burning passion.