Unattended Exchange Server 5.5 Setup

ID: Q188625


The information in this article applies to:


SUMMARY

NOTE: The content for this article is taken from the BackOffice Resource Kit.

Running Exchange Server 5.5 Setup Unattended

You can customize your server installation by running Setup unattended using customized default settings specified in a Setup.ini file. If you are installing Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 on multiple computers for the first time and want to use the same configuration on all servers, you can run the Setup program in unattended batch mode.

Running batch mode Setup is useful if you need to install Microsoft Exchange Server quickly and do not want to be prompted to type additional information. Batch mode Setup (Setup /q) can be used with an .ini file containing configuration settings so you can install Microsoft Exchange Server without user input. For example, you can use batch mode Setup to install Microsoft Exchange Server in offices that do not have full-time administrators who can set up the servers.

Before you can run batch mode Setup, you must create an .ini file containing default installation settings. In the .ini file, you can specify preferences, such as the installation directory, the organization name, and the components that will be installed. Using an .ini file is equivalent to selecting options in dialog boxes during Setup; however, the .ini file provides additional options so you have more control over your installation.

You can use any text editor to create an .ini file with any name. Several .ini file examples are included on the Microsoft Exchange Server CD in the Support\Samples\Setup directory. The following example shows the format of the .ini file.

   [Paths]
   ;Where the server will be installed if selected.
   ServerDest= C:\Exchsrvr

   ;Where Admin will be installed if selected. This entry is optional.
   AdminDest= C:\Exchsrvr 
For more information about .ini file settings, see the "More Information" section below.

To run batch mode Setup after you have created an .ini file, type the following at an MS-DOS command prompt:
Setup /q filepath
where filepath is the path and file name of the .ini file.


MORE INFORMATION

This article describes the format for creating an .ini file that you can run with Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Setup in batch mode (Setup /q). Using an .ini file is equivalent to selecting options in dialog boxes during setup; however, the .ini file provides additional options. For more information about batch Setup, see Chapter 2, "Planning and Setup," of the BackOffice Resource Kit.

INI File Format

Each section of the .ini file is shown with the setting, a description of the setting, and the value. These settings are not case sensitive.

[Product ID]
This section specifies the product identifier (ID) for this copy of Microsoft Exchange Server; this information is required. If the product ID information is not included, batch setup fails unless this copy of Microsoft Exchange Server was received under the Microsoft Select Agreement. [Paths]
This section contains entries that specify the location where optional components are installed. All entries are optional. [Components]
This section contains entries that specify which components are to be installed. All entries are optional. [Site]
This section contains entries that specify the names of directory objects in the site, such as the site and server names. [Organization]
This section contains entries that specify the names of directory objects in the organization. [ServiceAccount]
This section contains entries that specify the service account name and password. [Licensing]
This section contains entries that specify licensing information. [SitePermissions]
This section contains entries that specify the user account(s) that are to have Administrator permission in the site. [X400]
This section configures X.400 support and is optional. For more information about these entries, see your X.400 documentation.

Additional query words: XADM kbsetup kbusage


Keywords          : 
Version           : winnt:5.5
Platform          : winnt 
Issue type        : kbinfo 

Last Reviewed: May 3, 1999