How to properly remove Exchange 2000/2003 Servers
Below is the check list to follow when removing Exchange 2003 Servers
from your organization. This will give you a "clean" uninstallation of
Exchange 2003.
1. Remove or migrate all users from the Exchange server.
2. Remove Routing Group Connectors to and from the Exchange server.
3. Uninstall Microsoft Exchange from the server.
4. Unjoin the server from domain.
5. Remove unnecessary routing groups and administrative groups.
Please take extra precaution when removing routing connectors asparticular routing connector may be used as a link between two sites. If
an only routing connector is removed between two sites, they will not
communicate. To figure if anyone is using this particular
routing connector to communicate between two sites, stop the
Routing Group Connector (RGC) service and wait and see if end users
complain.
Step #1. Remove or migrate users
1. Open Active Directory Users and Computers tool from a Domain Controller
2. Search for users that are on the Exchange server.
3. Right click on users, choose "Exchange Tasks", remove or move the mailboxes.
Step #2. Remove Routing Group Connector
1. Open Exchange System Manager on Exchange 2000/2003 server.
2. Expand Administrative Group > Routing Groups > Connectors
3. Right click on Routing Group and choose remove
Step #3. Uninstall Microsoft Exchange
1. Open Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs on Exchange 2000/2003 server.
2. Select Microsoft Exchange, click "Change/Remove"
3. Choose "Remove" from the drop down box, follow on screen instructions.
Step #4. Unjoin the server from domain
1. Right Click on "My Computer", choose Properties
2. Click on "Computer name" tab, Click on "Change" button
3. Choose "Workgroup"
Step #5. Remove routing group
1. Open Exchange System Manager on Exchange 2000/2003 server
2. Expand Administrative Group > Routing Groups >
3. Right click on Routing Group and choose remove.