Disclaimer:
All the information in this blog post is subject to change as Exchange Server 2013 is still under construction. Although it’s not very likely that big changes will occur between now an RTM, it might.
In this article, we will have a first look at the different system prerequisites for installing Exchange Server 2013.
Supported Platforms
You can install Exchange Server 2013 either on Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2012. Just as with Exchange Server 2010, you will need the enterprise edition of Windows Server 2008 R2 if you are going to deploy a Database Availability Group (DAG).
As recently announced, Windows Server 2012 does not include an Enterprise Edition anymore. The Standard Edition now also covers all product features. The number of licenses you need depends on the number of physical processors your system will have.
For a nice and clear overview of the licensing changes, please have a look at Aidan Finn’s blog post.
Preparing Active Directory
On the computer you are going to use to prepare Active Directory, you need at least the Remote Server Administration Tools for Active Directory installed. To install the tools, open up PowerShell and type in the following commands:
Import-Module ServerManager
Add-WindowsFeature RSAT-ADDS (if you’re running WS2008R2)
Install-WindowsFeature RSAT-ADDS (if you’re running WS2012)
You will also need the Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 and Windows Management Framework 3.0. They are both already included on a system running Windows Server 2012.
Note make sure that you have appropriate permissions to execute the tasks listed below. Permissions include membership of the Schema Admins and Enterprise Admins group.
Just as with Exchange Server 2010 – the following tasks need to be execute to prepare the Active Directory:
- Update Schema
- Prepare AD
- Prepare Domains
- To update the schema, launch a PowerShell console and type in the following:
./setup.exe /PrepareSchema /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms
Note the use of “setup.exe”. Setup.com which was used before has been deprecated. There is also a new switch “/IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms”. It will prevent the mandatory time-out which displays the warning that by waiting you agree with the license terms.
- Next, you’re up for preparing the AD:
./setup.exe /PrepareAD /ON:<exchange organization name>
This command will prepare Active Directory and amongst others configure the appropriate permissions. This includes the creation of the Microsoft Exchange Security Groups (if they do not exist yet).
Lastly, you need to prepare the domain(s). As part of this task, setup will create/update the Microsoft Exchange System Objects container, update the objectVersion attribute and create a domain local group in the targeted domain called “Exchange Install Domain Servers”.
System Prerequisites for Mailbox Server or Mailbox/Client Access Server (combined):
First, on the computer you are going to install Exchange Server 2013, run the following commands (PowerShell) to install the required Roles and Features:
For Windows Server 2012:
Install-WindowsFeature AS-HTTP-Activation, Desktop-Experience, NET-Framework-45-Features, RPC-over-HTTP-proxy, RSAT-Clustering, Web-Mgmt-Console, WAS-Process-Model, Web-Asp-Net45, Web-Basic-Auth, Web-Client-Auth, Web-Digest-Auth, Web-Dir-Browsing, Web-Dyn-Compression, Web-Http-Errors, Web-Http-Logging, Web-Http-Redirect, Web-Http-Tracing, Web-ISAPI-Ext, Web-ISAPI-Filter, Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console, Web-Metabase, Web-Mgmt-Console, Web-Mgmt-Service, Web-Net-Ext45, Web-Request-Monitor, Web-Server, Web-Stat-Compression, Web-Static-Content, Web-Windows-Auth, Web-WMI, Windows-Identity-Foundation
For Windows Server 2008 R2:
Add-WindowsFeature Desktop-Experience, NET-Framework, NET-HTTP-Activation, RPC-over-HTTP-proxy, RSAT-Clustering, RSAT-Web-Server, WAS-Process-Model, Web-Asp-Net, Web-Basic-Auth, Web-Client-Auth, Web-Digest-Auth, Web-Dir-Browsing, Web-Dyn-Compression, Web-Http-Errors, Web-Http-Logging, Web-Http-Redirect, Web-Http-Tracing, Web-ISAPI-Ext, Web-ISAPI-Filter, Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console, Web-Metabase, Web-Mgmt-Console, Web-Mgmt-Service, Web-Net-Ext, Web-Request-Monitor, Web-Server, Web-Stat-Compression, Web-Static-Content, Web-Windows-Auth, Web-WMI
After you installed the operating system roles and features, you should install the following items:
| Windows Server 2008 R2 | Windows Server 2012 |
| Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 | Microsoft Office 2010 Filter Pack 64 bit (Mailbox Server Role) |
| Windows Management Framework 3.0 | Microsoft Office 2010 Filter Pack SP1 64 bit (Mailbox Server Role) |
| Microsoft Unified Communications Managed API 4.0n Core Runtime 64bit | Microsoft Unified Communications Managed API 4.0n Core Runtime 64bit |
| Microsoft Office 2010 Filter Pack 64 bit (Mailbox Server Role) | |
| Microsoft Office 2010 Filter Pack SP1 64 bit (Mailbox Server Role) | |
| Microsoft KB974405 (Windows Identity Foundation) | |
| Microsoft KB2619234 | |
| Microsoft KB2533623 |
Once you installed the required prerequisites, execute the following steps:
- Uninstall Microsoft Visual C++ 11 Beta Redistributable (x64)
- Open Control Panel > Programs and Features.
- Select Visual C++ 11 Beta Redistributable (x64) – 11.0.50531 and then click Uninstall.
- In Microsoft Visual C++ 11 Beta setup, click Uninstall.
- When Microsoft Visual C++ 11 Beta is uninstalled, click Close.
If you are running Windows Server 2008 R2, you should also execute the following step. Please note that you should execute this step afterhaving uninstalled Microsoft Visual C++ 11 Beta Redistributable (x64) and before you install Exchange Server 2013:
- Register ASP.Net with .NET Framework 4.5 in IIS.
Open Command Prompt and type in the following commands:
%SystemDrive%\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\aspnet_regiis.exe -ir -enable
IISReset
System Prerequisites Client Access Server only:
First, on the computer you are going to install Exchange Server 2013, run the following commands (PowerShell) to install the required Roles and Features:
For Windows Server 2012:
Install-WindowsFeature AS-HTTP-Activation, Desktop-Experience, NET-Framework-45-Features, RPC-over-HTTP-proxy, RSAT-Clustering, Web-Mgmt-Console, WAS-Process-Model, Web-Asp-Net45, Web-Basic-Auth, Web-Client-Auth, Web-Digest-Auth, Web-Dir-Browsing, Web-Dyn-Compression, Web-Http-Errors, Web-Http-Logging, Web-Http-Redirect, Web-Http-Tracing, Web-ISAPI-Ext, Web-ISAPI-Filter, Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console, Web-Metabase, Web-Mgmt-Console, Web-Mgmt-Service, Web-Net-Ext45, Web-Request-Monitor, Web-Server, Web-Stat-Compression, Web-Static-Content, Web-Windows-Auth, Web-WMI, Windows-Identity-Foundation
For Windows Server 2008 R2:
Import-Module ServerManager
Add-WindowsFeature Desktop-Experience, NET-Framework, NET-HTTP-Activation, RPC-over-HTTP-proxy, RSAT-Clustering, RSAT-Web-Server, WAS-Process-Model, Web-Asp-Net, Web-Basic-Auth, Web-Client-Auth, Web-Digest-Auth, Web-Dir-Browsing, Web-Dyn-Compression, Web-Http-Errors, Web-Http-Logging, Web-Http-Redirect, Web-Http-Tracing, Web-ISAPI-Ext, Web-ISAPI-Filter, Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console, Web-Metabase, Web-Mgmt-Console, Web-Mgmt-Service, Web-Net-Ext, Web-Request-Monitor, Web-Server, Web-Stat-Compression, Web-Static-Content, Web-Windows-Auth, Web-WMI
After you installed the operating system roles and features, you should install the following items:
Once you installed the required prerequisites, execute the following steps:
- Uninstall Microsoft Visual C++ 11 Beta Redistributable (x64)
- Open Control Panel > Programs and Features.
- Select Visual C++ 11 Beta Redistributable (x64) – 11.0.50531 and then click Uninstall.
- In Microsoft Visual C++ 11 Beta setup, click Uninstall.
- When Microsoft Visual C++ 11 Beta is uninstalled, click Close.
If you are running Windows Server 2012, you should manually create a firewall rule. This rule will allow the Mailbox Server(s) to access the Client Access Servers’ registry:
- Open Control Panel > Windows Firewall.
- Click Advanced Settings.
- In Windows Firewall with Advanced Security, click Inbound Rules and then click New Rule.
- Select Port and then click Next.
- Select TCP, and in Specify local ports, type 139. Click Next.
- Select Allow the connection and then click Next.
- Make sure Domain, Private, and Public are selected and then click Next.
- Enter a name and description for the new rule and then click Finish.
If you are running Windows Server 2008 R2, you should also execute the following step. Please note that you should execute this step afterhaving uninstalled Microsoft Visual C++ 11 Beta Redistributable (x64) and before you install Exchange Server 2013:
- Register ASP.Net with .NET Framework 4.5 in IIS.
Open Command Prompt and type in the following commands:
%SystemDrive%\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\aspnet_regiis.exe -ir -enable
IISReset
Once you’ve completed the steps above, you are ready for deploying Exchange Server 2013 Preview!
Thanks for the guide. I am excited to get it installed
You’re very welcome! Good luck with it! 🙂
Not getting much love so far….whenever I try and do anything with setup.exe (2x fresh installs of 2008 R2) I get this..
Unhandled Exception: System.TypeLoadException: Could not load type ‘System.Security.Claims.ClaimsPrincipal’ from assembl
y ‘mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089’.
at Microsoft.Exchange.Setup.Bootstrapper.Common.BootstrapperLogger.LogUserName()
at Microsoft.Exchange.Setup.Bootstrapper.Common.BootstrapperLogger.StartLogging()
at Microsoft.Exchange.Bootstrapper.Setup.BootstrapperBase.MainCore[T](String[] args)
at Microsoft.Exchange.Bootstrapper.Setup.Setup.Main(String[] args)
That’s odd. Are you sure you have fulfilled all prerequisites? You didn’t forget to uninstall the Visual .NET Runtime?
How about permissions? Are you running PowerShell (if at all starting setup from there) elevated?
I am getting the same error while installing Exchange 2013. I am using Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter and I have fulfilled all the prerequisites.
Any suggestions?
Could you have a look at the ExchangeSetup.log located under c:\ExchangeSetupLogs. Could you perhaps copy-past the last part or send it to me?
I’d like to see what part of the installation you were in when the problem came up.
Did you follow the “new” prerequisites? There have been some changes with regards to 2 days ago…
I have a problem. After I done all of this settings I tried to run the deploy. I run the setup.exe, but I got the following error message during the “Configuring Prerequisites”:
Error:
The following error was generated when “$error.Clear();
if (Get-Service RemoteRegistry* | ?{$_.Name -eq ‘RemoteRegistry’})
{
Set-Service RemoteRegistry -StartupType Automatic
Start-SetupService -ServiceName RemoteRegistry
}
” was run: “Service ‘Remote Registry (RemoteRegistry)’ cannot be configured due to the following error: Access is denied”.
Service ‘Remote Registry (RemoteRegistry)’ cannot be configured due to the following error: Access is denied
Access is denied
I tried to run the setup as Administrator with the appropriate rights.
Can somebody help me? Is there any idea?
Many thanks,
Tamás Dobos
Hi there,
have you created the Firewall rules as mentioned in the article? It seems that the server cannot access the remote registry…
Grts!
Hi,
Of course, I have created the firewall rules.
Tamás Dobos
Could you provide me some more information on your topology? What server(s) are you trying to deploy? On what operating system?
Have you installed the Windows Identity Foundation (Win2008R2) and made sure that RM is enabled? If you’re deploying on Win2012, that should already be ok.
It’s just a virtualized test environment. AD, Workstation, Lync and Exchange. All of them (except the workstation) is based on Win2k8. All of the roles are installed and the friewall rules are created. I don’t know, why I get this error always. 🙁
I am getting this error as well, same setup in VM lab, all pre-reqs done and elevated permisisons. Please advice.
thanks
Out of curiosity, are you using the Preview or RTM?