Cannot Uninstall Exchange Server 2003

If you are trying to uninstall Exchange Server 2003 and you get the following error,

The component ‘Microsoft Exchange Messaging and Collaboration Services cannot be assigned the action “Remove” because: -One or more users currently use a mailbox store on this server. These users must be moved to a mailbox store on a different server or be mail disabled before uninstalling this server.

1. Launch MMC
2. Add Snap In -> ADSI Edit
3. Right Click on ADSI Edit and select Connect to
4. Select Domain under Select a well known naming context and click OK
5. Right Click on Doman, select New -> Query
6. Under Name type Mail User Search, under Root of Search Click on Browse and Select Domain, Click on Edit Query, under field choose User -> Exchange Home Server.  Under Conditions select Ends With, this is important as I could only find the user under this condition. Under Value type the Exhange Server name.  Click Add, then OK
7. Click OK

You should see all the users that have their mailbox on the Exchange Server that you would like to remove.  Delete all users and then go back to the Exchange Server and remove Exchange through Add and Remove Programs in Control Panel.

Public Folder ESM Error in Exchange

If you get the following error in Exchange “The token supplied to the function is invalid. ID no:
80090308 Exchange System Manager” you can do the following to fix it.

1. In the properties of the virtual root Exadmin in IIS, go to the “Directory Security” tab
2. In the “Secure Communications” section select “Edit”.
3. Make sure to deselect “Require secure channel (SSL)” and “Require 128-bit encryption.”
4. If the “Require 128-bit encryption.” is selected and greyed out, make sure to select “Require secure channel (SSL)” and deselect “Require 128-bit encryption.” then deselect “Require secure channel (SSL)” again.
5. Goto Start – Programs – Windows 2000 Support Tools – Tools and launch ADSI Edit.
6. In the left side pane expand the Configuration container.
7. Next expand CN=Configuration
8. Then CN=Services
9. CN=Microsoft Exchange
10. CN=
11. CN=Administrative Groups
12. CN=First Administrative Group site name>
13. CN=Servers
14. CN=Protocols
15. CN=HTTP
16. CN=1
17. Right Click on CN=Exadmin and choose Properties.
18. In the Properties dialog box you will see 2 drop-down lists. drop down the top list and select “Both”. Drop down the second list and scroll down to the attribute “msExchSecureBindings” and double click on it.
19. If this attribute is set to 443 or any other value really, click the 443 value to select it and click the “Remove” button. Then click “Apply” and then “OK”
20. Close out of ADSI Edit, close and reopen Exchange System Manager and test Public Folder access again.