How to Remove the Passive Mailbox Role from a Single Copy Cluster

Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 will reach end of support on April 11, 2017. To stay supported, you will need to upgrade. For more information, see Resources to help you upgrade your Office 2007 servers and clients.

 

Applies to: Exchange Server 2007, Exchange Server 2007 SP1, Exchange Server 2007 SP2, Exchange Server 2007 SP3

This topic explains how to remove the passive clustered mailbox role from a node in a single copy cluster (SCC). Removing a passive node makes the node unable to host a clustered mailbox server, and it removes Exchange Server from the node.

You can use the command-line version of Setup (Setup.com) to remove the passive clustered mailbox role. The Exchange Server 2007 SP1 Setup wizard can also be used to remove the passive clustered mailbox role.

Before You Begin

The node cannot currently host a clustered mailbox server for this operation to be performed.

Determine which node in the cluster is currently hosting the clustered mailbox server. This can be accomplished by running the Get-ClusteredMailboxServerStatus command and specifying the name of the clustered mailbox server.

To perform this procedure, you must be logged on to the computer that is currently hosting the clustered mailbox server that you want to delete and be delegated the Exchange Server Administrator role and local Administrators group for the target server. For more information about permissions, delegating roles, and the rights that are required to administer Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, see Permission Considerations.

Procedure

To use Setup.com to remove the passive mailbox role from a node in an SCC

  1. Open a Command Prompt window.

  2. Change to the bin directory under the install location of the Exchange Server program files. By default, the install location is %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft\Exchange Server\bin.

  3. Run the following command:

    Setup /mode:uninstall
    
  4. After Setup has completed, restart the node.

  5. After the node has been restarted, remove any remaining files and folders from the Exchange Server installation folder and subfolders. You can also remove the %SystemDrive%\ExchangeSetupLogs folder and subfolders.

To use the Exchange Server 2007 SP1 Setup Wizard to remove the passive clustered mailbox role from a node in an SCC

  1. Open Windows Control Panel on the active node, and navigate to Add or Remove Programs (Windows Server 2003) or Programs and Features (Windows Server 2008).

  2. Select Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 and click Remove (Windows Server 2003) or Uninstall (Windows Server 2008).

  3. The Exchange Server 2007 SP1 Setup wizard starts in Exchange Maintenance Mode. Click Next.

  4. On the Server Role Selection page, clear the check boxes for Passive Clustered Mailbox Role and Management Tools, and then click Next.

  5. On the Readiness Checks page, the status appears as the checks are performed. When the checks complete successfully, click Uninstall.

  6. The Progress page shows the steps that will be performed. Progress is shown as these steps are processed, and completion status is provided as each step completes. When all of the steps complete successfully and the Completion page appears, click Finish.

  7. Close Add or Remove Programs (Windows Server 2003) or Programs and Features (Windows Server 2008), and then restart the node.

  8. After the node has been restarted, remove any remaining files and folders from the Exchange Server installation folder and subfolders. You can also remove the %SystemDrive%\ExchangeSetupLogs folder and subfolders.