Hi,
I installed Exchange Server 2010 on Windows server 2012 Essentials. I demoted the 2012 server and made it a member server to the Domain Controller, Windows 2012 and Installed Exchange 2010. I prepared and did the pre-requirements and the schema was updated.
After the install of Ex2010 I installed service pack 3 and that's when everything went to hell. The Exchange Management shell would initialize and open and I can see the roles. I just can't expand the roles. I researched some of the things suggested and didn't work.
Trying to fix the problem solved nothing and the server became slow, almost unstable. I tried to use the recover switch and didn't fix nothing. So I decided, if this doesn't work then I will uninstall Exchange 2010 and start over. There was error, said there was a mailbox in the database.
I found the tech article to remove the mailbox. Turns out there was two of them. I was able to delete one, but not the other one. I tried to figure out why, but was unsuccessful.
I ended up using the restore to default factory on the server as the last resort. I forgot about the schema and it's still in the domain controller. I did try to install Exchange 2013 and I get an error that tells me to remove the 2010 exchange server.
So how do I fix this on a live production server to remove the Schema. The DC servers only purpose is for file storage and user authorization and 1 program that looks at a flat database file for the software that runs on the clients computers. Only 3 computers have access to this flat database file.
Please help. I know I might be missing some information that you may need to know. Just ask, I hope what I explained helps.