How to remove an old exchange server from active directory, when you successfully uninstall it and still you can see it?

I think that unfortenatley the only way is to do it through ADSI

Hello,

if a DC is removed incorrect or crashed and cannot be demoted you have to do metadata cleanup according to http://msmvps.com/blogs/mweber/archive/2010/05/16/active-directory-metadata-cleanup.aspx

Also the old DCname must be removed from AD sites and services, DNS zones and DNS zone properties, Name server tab.

For Exchange see also http://blog.dargel.at/2012/02/23/remove-legacy-exchange-server-using-adsi/ and assure to start ADSIEdit with RUNAS Administrator so your permissions are elevated

I guess one of your old server is not demoted properly and thats why you cannot remove your exchange.

Work around with Metadata cleanup to remove the server which was not removed properly and then go for the exchange.

I am sure this is gonna help you !!

Thanks,

Arif

• Use the Active Directory User and Computers snap-in to disconnect all mailbox-enabled users
• Run the Exchange Server2003 Setup program to remove the installed components
• Manually remove Exchange2003
• Stop and disable the Exchange2003 services

• Use Registry Editor to remove the Exchange registry keys
• Remove and reinstall the Internet Information Server (IIS) component
• Remove the Exchange2003 server object from the Exchange5.5 Admin program
• Remove the Exchange2003 server from Active Directory
• Use the /removeorg switch to remove the whole Exchange2003 organization from Active Directory.

Stop and disable the Exchange2003 services

Set the start up type of the following services to disabled and stop the services:

• Distributed Transaction Coordinator.
• Internet Information Services (IIS) Admin Service
• Microsoft Exchange Event
• Microsoft Exchange Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP4)
• Microsoft Exchange Information Store
• Microsoft Exchange Message Transfer Agent (MTA) Stacks
• Microsoft Exchange Post Office Protocol version3 (POP3)
• Microsoft Exchange Routing Engine
• Microsoft Exchange Site Replication Service
• Microsoft Exchange System Attendant
• Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP)
• Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)

Use Registry Editor to remove the following Exchange registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\ExchangeHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DAVEXHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\EXIFSHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ExIPCHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\EXOLEDBHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\IMAP4Svc HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeActiveSynchNotifyHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeADDXAHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeAL HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeDSAccessHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeESHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeFBPublishHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeISHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeMGMTHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeMTAHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeMU HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeOMAHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeSA HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeSRS HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeTransport HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeWEBHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\POP3Svc HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\RESvc

Remove and reinstall the Internet Information Services (IIS) component

Remove IIS over the Add/Remove feature of the computer. After you have removed Exchange, you can reinstall IIS if necessary.

use only command mode for uninstall