Installation of Client Access role fails on Windows Server 2008 R2 (Execution of: "$error.Clear(); Install-ExchangeCertificate -services "IIS, POP, IMAP")

Question

Hello
I am trying to install Exchange Server 2010 beta 1 onto a Windows Server 2008 R2 (build 7000) machine which has also been set up as a domain controller.
However when attempting to install the Client Access role, setup fails with the error below.
Does anyone know of a way to get around this please?
I have already searched for this error and not found any similar threads.
Also every time I press the code button on this forum it crashes the browser and I keep losing the message! (IE8 from within Server R2). Also the message box is very small, will not expand and keeps jumping to the top.
Thanks
Robin
[code]
Summary: 4 item(s). 1 succeeded, 1 failed.
Elapsed time: 00:00:01
Preparing Setup
Completed
Elapsed Time: 00:00:00
Client Access Role
Failed
Error:
The execution of: "$error.Clear(); Install-ExchangeCertificate -services "IIS, POP, IMAP" -DomainController $RoleDomainController", generated the following error: "Could not grant Network Service access to the certificate with thumbprint 2F320F5D5B5C6873E54C8AB57F604D8AFA31D18C because a cryptographic exception was thrown.".
Could not grant Network Service access to the certificate with thumbprint 2F320F5D5B5C6873E54C8AB57F604D8AFA31D18C because a cryptographic exception was thrown.
Access is denied.
Elapsed Time: 00:00:01
Mailbox Role
Cancelled
Finalizing Setup
Cancelled
[/code]
Robin Wilson

Answer 1

Hello
Thanks for all the replies.
I have since wiped the system and installed everything again and it all worked this time so not sure what was wrong last time. I did try to uninstall all Exchange components and then uninstall IIS and Application server, reboot and re-install but I received the same error still when it came to installing the client access role.
Walter: I just attempted the standard installation which should have used the default self-signed certificate. Everything was a fresh install done at the same time on a freshly formatted PC.
For info last time when it failed to work:
- Installed Windows Server 2008 R2
- Installed Domain Controller role using dcpromo. I set the forest and domain as Windows Server 2008 R2
- Added a forest trust between main domain and test Exchange domain (set up as ex2010.local)
- Installed IIS and Application Server role
- Installed Hyper-v role
- Installed Desktop Experience feature
- Installed Exchange and recieved the error
When it worked I set up the forest and domain in Windows Server 2008 mode (i.e. not R2), installed Exchange first and then set up the forest trust and then Hyper-v. It did say it failed to configure dns which was probably because it started trying to do automatic updates half way through the dcpromo! DNS seems to work ok though.
I did notice this time that Hyper-v gave a warning about the virtual network adapter not being set up correctly and the local network did not work correctly although I could access the internet. Not sure if this could have been related to the cause of the problem previously. For now I have disabled the virtual network until I get time to try and get it working and so the mail will work in the meantime.
I also noticed that Hyper-v added an extra 443 ssl binding to the default website so as it had 2 bindings on port 443 it refused to start. After deleting one it worked.
I decided to install Exchange onto a domain controller as it is only a test and I wouldn't do it in a live environment. I am also short of test machines! It didn't give me any warnings about this actually, I think previous versions warn you that it is not recommended.
Andreas and Chinthaka: I did not know about the requirement to run the domain at 2003 mode. The main domain is running in 2008 mode with Exchange 2007 so I assume this is just a temporary beta related requirement. It does seem to be working (second attempt) so far in a 2008 mode domain although I haven't had a chance to fully test it yet.
Thanks
Robin
P.S. Sorry it's taken me a while to reply!
Robin Wilson