Decommissioning MS Exchange 2010

Exchange 2010 Manual Un-Installation is UN-SUPPORTED.

The Best way to Remove Exchange 2010 is Uninstall it from Add/Remove Programs.

This will COMPLETELY REMOVE ALL Exchange related objects from Organization Completely.

As It will Remove all Exchange Related Active directory Objects , None of the Exchange related stuff will work after you complete the following Manual Un-Installation.

Please don’t follow in case you have any working exchange server ( 2000,2003,2007 or 2010) in your Organization.

Prepare for Manual Un-Installation:

1. Take System State Backup of your Active directory

2. Take Exchange Database Flat file Copy (OR) Backup

3. Make a Note of All your Mailbox Database names, Organization names, MRM Details, MRM Retention Tag Details, MRM Retention Policy Details, OWA Mailbox Policy details, Exchange Active sync Mailbox Policy details, Email Address Policy Details, Transport Rules, Journal Rules, Send/Receive Connector Details, Global Settings, UM Settings etc.

4. Run ExBPA Report and Export the Report for future reference.

5. Go to Registry Editor and Export “My Computer” as Registry backup.

Remove Binaries, Registry from Exchange Server:

1. Go to Exchange 2010 Server

2. Make Sure Exchange management Console and Exchange Management Shell are Closed.

3. Go to Services.msc

4. Right Click on “Microsoft Exchange Active Directory Topology Service”.

5. Go to Properties.

6. Stop the Service. Make the Startup type “Disabled”

7. Click ok.

8. Stop and Disable All the Exchange Related Services below in the same method.

            Microsoft Exchange Address Book

            Microsoft Exchange Anti-spam Update

            Microsoft Exchange EdgeSync

            Microsoft Exchange File Distribution

            Microsoft Exchange Forms-Based Authentication

            Microsoft Exchange IMAP4

            Microsoft Exchange Information Store

            Microsoft Exchange Mail Submission Service

            Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Assistants

            Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Replication Service

            Microsoft Exchange Monitoring

            Microsoft Exchange POP3

            Microsoft Exchange Protected Service Host

            Microsoft Exchange Replication Service

            Microsoft Exchange RPC Client Access

            Microsoft Exchange Search Indexer

            Microsoft Exchange Server Extension for Windows Server Backup

            Microsoft Exchange Service Host

            Microsoft Exchange Speech Engine

            Microsoft Exchange System Attendant

            Microsoft Exchange Throttling

            Microsoft Exchange Transport

            Microsoft Exchange Transport Log Search

            Microsoft Exchange Unified Messaging

            Microsoft Search (Exchange Server)

Refer to:

Overview of Services Installed by Exchange Setup 

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee423542.aspx

9. Restart the Exchange Server.

10. Go to Registry Editor.

11. Navigate to the following registry entries and delete them.

COMPUTER ->HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE ->SOFTWARE -> MICROSOFT -> EXCHANGE

COMPUTER ->HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE ->SOFTWARE -> MICROSOFT -> EXCHANGESERVER

COMPUTER ->HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE ->SYSTEM ->CURRENTCONTROLSET ->SERVICES ->MSEXCHANGE* (Everything Starts with MSExchange)

COMPUTER -> HKEY_CURRRENT_USER -> SOFTWARE -> MICROSOFT -> EXCHANGESERVER

11. Open Windows Explorer.

12. Navigate to %Program Files%Microsoft

13. Rename “Exchange Server” Folder as “Old Exchange Server”

14. Restart the Exchange Server.

15. Download the Windows Installer Clean up utility from the below link

http://download.microsoft.com/download/e/9/d/e9d80355-7ab4-45b8-80e8-983a48d5e1bd/msicuu2.exe

16. Install it in the Exchange Server and Open it.

17. Remove the Microsoft Exchange Related Products. Ex.

            Microsoft Exchange 2007 Enterprise Anti-Spam Signature

            Microsoft Exchange 2007 Enterprise Block List Update

            Microsoft Exchange 2007 Standard Anti Spam-filter Update

            Microsoft Exchange Client Language Pack

            Microsoft Exchange Server

            Microsoft Full Text Indexing Engine for Exchange

            Microsoft Exchange Full text indexing Services

18. Restart the Exchange Server.

Removing Active Directory Objects:

1. Go to Primary Domain Controller

2. Open ADSIEDIT

3. Right Click on ADSIEdit and Click Connect to

4. Connect to “Default Naming Context”

5. Navigate to the following objects and Delete them.

DC=Domain,DC=Com -> OU=Microsoft Exchange Security Groups

DC=Domain,DC=Com -> CN=Microsoft Exchange System Objects

6. Right Click on ADSIEdit and Click Connect to

7. Connect to “Configuration”

8. Navigate to the following objects and Delete them.

CN=Configuration,DC=Domain,DC=Com -> CN=Services -> CN=Microsoft Exchange

CN=Configuration,DC=Domain,DC=Com -> CN=Services -> CN=Microsoft Exchange Autodiscover

9. Force the Active directory Replication.

10. Exchange 2010 Manual Uninstallation is Completed

Password Woes -- Do you need a way to remember them

If you are like myself there are so many Passwords in your head and you are always forgetting them.
There are several tools out there whether it be a Password Keeper on your phone to using an Excel Spread sheet, to a Word Document.

The tool I find the most useful is a free program called KeePass

You can find it here and it is easy and free to use
http://keepass.info/

Here is a screen shot of the program

It is easy to add Sub-folders and main folders and an excellent way to keep your self organized

E-mail Etiquite - Simple rules to follow

• Do not be Annoying
• Use Threads - Don’t create New E-mail for the same Topic Items
• Remember Spacing and Design:
• Give it a Name: - Use a Subject
• Mind Your Manners
• Watch your Tone - Don’t be Offensive
• Be Concise – Get to the Point Remember the K.I.S.S philosophy
• Be Professional
• Use Correct Spelling and Proper Grammar
• Don’t use all CAPS anywhere in an E-mail – This is perceived as Screaming and is unprofessional
• Reply to Messages as soon as possible – Don’t sit on it 
• Use and Auto-responder – When you are out of the office for a day or more so people know
• End Emails in a Friendly Way
• Work Email is Owned by Your Company 
• – Keep your Company E-mail address for work E-mail and have a Personal E-mail Address for home.  Keep them separate – DON’T use work for Personal Correspondence

Windows 8 Shortcut keys

Moving between Metro and Desktop

• <Windows>
  Brings up the Metro start screen. You can start typing to search for an app, just like the Win7 start menu.
• <Windows> + <B>
  Go to the Desktop from the Metro Start Screen
• <Windows> + <D>
  Brings you to Windows desktop from the Metro Screen

Snapping

• <Windows> + < . >
  snap right
• <Windows> + <Shift> + < . >
  snap left

Switching between applications

• <Windows> + <Tab>
  Opens the Metro application switcher menu, switches between applications.
• <Windows> + <J>
  Switches focus between snapped Metro applications.
• <ALT> + <F4>
  Close an application
• <Windows> + <R>
  To bring up the run window from the desktop, so you can type in an application name to run

Semantic Zoom

• <CTRL> + <+>
  Zoom in
• <CTRL> + <->
  Zoom out
• or hold down <CTRL> and use Mouse Wheel to zoom in and out

Displaying App & Charms Bar

• <Windows> + <C>
  Brings up the Charms menu, where you can search, share, and change settings.
• <Windows> + <Z>
  Opens the App Bar for the current Metro application.

All the other shortcuts I could find!

• <Windows> + E – Launch Windows Explorer with Computer view displayed.
• <Windows> + F – Brings up the Metro File search screen.
• <Windows> + H – Opens the Metro Share panel.
• <Windows> + I – Opens the Settings panel, where you can change settings for the current app, change volume, wireless networks, shut down, or adjust the brightness.
• <Windows> + K – Opens the Devices panel (for connecting to a projector or some other device)
• <Windows> + L – Lock PC and return to Lock screen.
• <Windows> + M – Minimize all Windows on the desktop
• <Windows> + O – Locks device orientation.
• <Windows> + P – Choose between available displays.
• <Windows> + Q – Brings up the Metro App Search screen.
• <Windows> + R – Switch to the (classic) Windows desktop and display the Run box.
• <Windows> + U – Switch to the (classic) Windows desktop and launch the Ease of Access Center.
• <Windows> + V – Cycles through toasts.
• <Windows> + W – Brings up the Metro Settings search screen.
• <Windows> + X – Launch Start Menu.
• <Windows> + Y – Temporarily peek at the desktop.
• <Windows> + Page Up / Down – Moves tiles to the left / right.
• <Windows> + , (comma) – Aero Peek at the deskto

An Excellent and Easy to configure Solution for Home Users

I am sure many of you have no idea that a tech savvy home user can take and convert an old PC in to a firewall, Parental Control device and free Anti-Virus server

Yes this option is available from Sophos for free.

Here is the link to the tool
https://www.sophos.com/en-us/products/free-tools/sophos-utm-home-edition.aspx

You can burn it to DVD or install as Virtual appliance if you Have an old PC you can install it to an older PC you need at least 4GB of RAM and a 40 GB hard drive for nominal Performance