XADM: Upgrade from Exchange Server 5.5 to Exchange 2000 Stops with Server Serial Number Inconsistency Error Message (283131)

SYMPTOMS

When you upgrade Exchange Server 5.5 to Exchange 2000, you may receive the following error message:

The component "Microsoft Exchange Messaging and Collaboration Services" cannot be assigned the action "Upgrade" because:

- Setup has detected an inconsistency in the version information stored in the Active Directory for this server.

You must fix this inconsistency before Setup can continue.

Please refer to the Knowledge Base for information on how to fix the "Exchange Server serial number inconsistency" problem.

The following data may be logged in the Exchange Server Setup Progress.log file:

[11:58:46] Successfully detected SP3 on server EXCH55
[11:58:46] Attempting to connect to the registry on server EXCH55
[11:58:46] Attempting to read the SP build number
[11:58:46] The SP build version read from the registry = 2653

The first line indicates that Setup found the server to be running Service Pack 3 (SP3) (Build 2650); however, three lines later, Setup indicates says that it found build version 2653 (SP4).

[11:58:46] Attempting to read the dob for server (/dc=com/dc=domain/cn=Configuration/cn=Services/cn=Microsoft Exchange/cn=Organization/cn=Administrative Groups/cn=Site/cn=Servers/cn=EXCH55)
[11:58:46] Attempting to read the serial number for server (/dc=com/dc=domain/cn=Configuration/cn=Services/cn=Microsoft Exchange/cn=Organization/cn=Administrative Groups/cn=Site/cn=Servers/cn=EXCH55)

Setup is attempting to read the serial number for the Exchange Server 5.5 computer from Active Directory.

[11:58:46] The serial number read was (Version 5.5 (Build 2650.24: Service Pack 3))
[11:58:46] The version number is NOT exchange 55 - build on box = (2653)
[11:58:46] The AD is NOT consistent with the local registry - setup will attempt to fix it

In this case, Active Directory indicates that the Exchange Server 5.5 computer was running SP3, but the registry on that server indicates Service Pack 4 (SP4).

[11:58:46] Entering ScGetLegacyPses
[11:58:46] Entering ::ScFindLDAPPortNumberUsingDAPI
[11:58:46] Leaving ::ScFindLDAPPortNumberUsingDAPI
[11:58:46] Getting session to the 55 server = EXCH55 on port 390
[11:58:46] Leaving ScGetLegacyPses
[11:58:46] Attempting to read the serial number for server (/o=ORG/ou=SITE/cn=Configuration/cn=Servers/cn=EXCH55)

Setup is trying to read the serial number of the Exchange Server 5.5 computer by using an LDAP connection to the Exchange Server 5.5 directory.

[11:58:46] The serial number read was (Version 5.5 (Build 2650.24: Service Pack 3))
[11:58:46] The version number is NOT exchange 55 - build on box = (2653)
[11:58:46] The 55 directory is NOT consistent with the local registry - setup will attempt to fix it

This entry indicates that the information regarding the current service pack level of the Exchange Server 5.5 computer is not consistent in all of the locations it is reported.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if the installation of a hotfix or a service pack was not completed successfully or if the serial number information was not correctly propagated to Active Directory before the upgrade process was started or during the upgrade process. The serial number information is located in the following four locations:

The registry on the Exchange Server 5.5 computer
The Exchange Server 5.5 directory
The Active Directory object for that server
In the Site Replication Service database in a mixed Exchange Server 5.5 and Exchange 2000 site

How to Locate the Serial Information in the Registry on the Exchange Server 5.5 Computer

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
Locate and click the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Exchange\Setup
Check the values for the following keys:
- Value name: ServicePackBuild
  Data type: REG_DWORD
  Value data: 0xa5a
  
  This value indicates Build 2650, SP3
- Value name: ServicePackBuild
  Data type: REG_DWORD
  Value data: 0xa5d
  
  This value indicates Build 2653, SP4

How to Locate the Serial Information in the Exchange Server 5.5 Directory

WARNING: Using the raw mode of the Exchange Server Administrator program (admin /r) incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall Microsoft Windows NT Server and/or Microsoft Exchange Server. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of raw mode can be solved. Use raw mode at your own risk.

Start the Microsoft Exchange Administrator program in Raw mode. To do so, go to the command line, change to the Exchsrvr\Bin folder, and then type admin /r.
Using the Exchange Server 5.5 Administrator program in Raw mode, find the Exchange Server 5.5 server object, and then display the Raw properties for that object.
Check the value under Serial Number. (Copy this value to a text file for future use.)
Version 5.5 (Build 2650.24: SP 3)
Version 5.5 (Build 2653.23: SP 4)

How to Locate the Serial Information in the Active Directory object for the Exchange Server 5.5 Computer

WARNING: If you use the ADSI Edit snap-in, the LDP utility, or any other LDAP version 3 client, and you incorrectly modify the attributes of Active Directory objects, you can cause serious problems. These problems may require you to reinstall Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server, or both. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems that occur if you incorrectly modify Active Directory object attributes can be solved. Modify these attributes at your own risk.

NOTE: Before you start the ADSI Edit snap-in, you must first manually register Adsiedit.dll after you run Setup.exe from the Support\Tools folder on the Windows 2000 CD-ROM.

Using ADSI, Edit connect to the domain controller or global catalog server.
Expand the following location:
CN=Configuration Container; CN=Services Container; CN=Microsoft Exchange Container; CN=Organization; CN=Administrative Groups; CN=Site; CN=Servers
Right-click the Server object, and then click Properties.
In the Select which properties to view box, click Both.
In the Select a property to view box, click Serial number.

How to Locate the Serial Number in a Mixed Exchange Server 5.5 and Exchange 2000 Site by Connecting to the Site Replication Service Database

Use the Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Administrator program to connect to the Exchange 2000 computer, and then follow the instructions described in the "How to Locate the Serial Information in the Exchange Server 5.5 Directory" section.

WORKAROUND

To work around this issue, update this information to enable the upgrade process to complete. To do so, use either of the methods described in this section.

Method One

This method typically works if the registry is reporting a service pack that is later than the service pack found in the directory:

Reapply the service pack that is reported in the registry.
If you are working in a mixed Exchange Server 5.5 and Exchange 2000 site, start the Active Directory Connector snap-in, right-click Config_CA, and then click Replicate Now.
Wait for change to replicate into Active Directory.
Verify the serialNumber value in all locations described in the "Cause" section, and then restart the upgrade process.

Method Two

You may have to use this method if the only discrepancy is on the Exchange Server 5.5 server object in Active Directory. You may have to use this method if the correct version is not replicating to Active Directory as expected.

Note the serialNumber value that you copied to a text file from the Exchange Server 5.5 directory (refer to step three of the "How to Locate the Serial Information in the Exchange Server 5.5 Directory" section in the preceding section).
Open ADSI Edit, and then find the same value that you checked for in step three of the "How to Locate the Serial Information in the Active Directory Object for the Exchange 5.5 Server" section.
Click the existing values, and then click Remove.
Copy the serialNumber value from the text file, paste it into the Edit Attribute box, click Add, and then click OK.
Version 5.5 (Build 2650.24: SP 3)
Version 5.5 (Build 2653.23: SP 4)
Quit ADSI Edit, and then restart the upgrade process.