Initialization Failed: The Operation Couldn’t Be Completed Because a Change Occurred in the Remote Forest

Initlalization Failed error message launching Exchange 2010 management console

This error can occur when the server the management console is connecting to has been upgraded to a higher Service Pack or Update Rollup version than the server or workstation that you are launching the management console from.

To resolve the issue upgrade your management server or workstation to the same version as the Exchange servers in your organization.

Related posts:

• Exchange 2010 Certificate Revocation Checks and Proxy Settings
• Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 2
• Microsoft Releases Update Rollup 6 for Exchange Server 2010 SP1
• Update Rollup 5 for Exchange 2010 SP1 Released
• Microsoft Re-Releases Update Rollup 4 for Exchange 2010 SP1

This article Initialization Failed: The Operation Couldn’t Be Completed Because a Change Occurred in the Remote Forest is © 2011 ExchangeServerPro.com

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For example you may need to find all of the mailbox users in one office location so that you can add them all to a distribution group.

As another example you may need to find all mailbox users in a branch office to make sure that they are blocked from using non-cached mode Outlook.

The Exchange Management Console has a filtering feature that lets you create a view of mailbox that match a set of criteria. You can find this in the Recipient Configuration -> Mailbox node of the Exchange Management Console.

Filters can be created based on a pre-set series of attributes, and can also be created with multiple filter criteria.

You can select multiple mailbox users and then open the Properties of those mailboxes to perform bulk edits of some settings.

Although these filtered views are useful for some tasks there are also a lot of common administrative tasks that are not available to perform this way.  Also, the Exchange Management Console does not allow you to filter by the complete set of mailbox attributes.

For more advanced Exchange administration you can use the Exchange Management Shell. For example to find the same list of mailboxes shown above you would run this Get-User command.

[PS] C:\>Get-User | where {$_.office -eq "Branch Office" -and $_.lastname -like "M*"}

Name                                                        RecipientType
----                                                        -------------
David.Marriott                                              UserMailbox
Dukh.Morgan                                                 UserMailbox
Sharnjit.Mcilroy                                            UserMailbox
Suki.Murray                                                 UserMailbox

But we can also use the shell to filter our queries on criteria that the management console does not give us access to.  For example to list all mailboxes in the branch office that do not use the database default storage quota you would run this Get-Mailbox command.

[PS] C:\>Get-Mailbox | where {$_.office -eq "Branch Office" -and $_.UseDatabaseQuotaDefaults -eq $false}

Name                      Alias                ServerName       ProhibitSendQuota
----                      -----                ----------       -----------------
David.Marriott            David.Marriott       ex2010           unlimited
Dukh.Morgan               Dukh.Morgan          ex2010           unlimited
Kelly.Chatir              Kelly.Chatir         ex2010           unlimited
Neville.Sherwin           Neville.Sherwin      ex2010           unlimited
Sharnjit.Mcilroy          Sharnjit.Mcilroy     ex2010           unlimited
Suki.Murray               Suki.Murray          ex2010           unlimited

Because the shell gives us so much more flexibility in how we query Exchange it makes it a more powerful tool for performing bulk edits.

Taking the examples from the start of this article here is how you can achieve those outcomes.

The first example is adding all users in a particular office to a distribution group. We know that we can query Exchange for all users in “Head Office” with this command:

[PS] C:\>Get-Mailbox | where {$_.office -eq "Head Office"}

So here is how I would add them all to the “Head Office Staff” distribution group that already exists.

[PS] C:\>$headofficeusers = Get-Mailbox | where {$_.office -eq "Head Office"}

[PS] C:\>$headofficeusers.count
367

[PS] C:\>$headofficeusers | Add-DistributionGroupMember -Identity "Head Office Staff"

I can then quickly check the outcome.

[PS] C:\>$members = Get-DistributionGroupMember -Identity "Head Office Staff"

[PS] C:\>$members.Count
367

The second example is configuring branch office users to be blocked from connecting with non-cached mode Outlook clients. Here is how I would perform that task.

[PS] C:\>$branchusers = Get-Mailbox | where {$_.office -eq "Branch Office"}

[PS] C:\>$branchusers.Count
20

I want to filter them further down to only the users not currently blocked from using non-cached mode.

[PS] C:\>$branchusers = $branchusers | Get-CASMailbox | where {$_.MAPIBlockOutlookNonCachedMode -eq $false}

[PS] C:\>$branchusers.Count
19

Now to perform the bulk edit to disable non-cached mode Outlook for the 19 branch office users who are currently not blocked.

[PS] C:\>$branchusers | Set-CASMailbox -MAPIBlockOutlookNonCachedMode $true

As you can see the Exchange Management Shell is a very powerful tool for Exchange administrators especially when performing bulk administration tasks.

Related posts:

• PowerShell Script: Check Exchange 2010 Database Backups
• Using Test-ServiceHealth for Exchange Server Health Checks
• PowerShell Tip: Search for Commands by Keyword
• How to Migrate a Relay Connector from Exchange Server 2007 to 2010
• Exchange 2010: How to Report Who is Authorized to Send to a Distribution List

This article How to Modify Settings for Multiple Exchange 2010 Mailboxes is © 2011 ExchangeServerPro.com

Get more Exchange Server tips at ExchangeServerPro.com

The default location for the database is in the \Mailbox folder of the Exchange 2010 installation directory. For example:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V14\Mailbox\Mailbox Database

One of the first actions you will normally take is to move the database and transaction log files to a different folder. You can do this with the Exchange Management Console or via command line using the Exchange Management Shell. This is a quick and easy task when the database is brand new and doesn’t contain a lot of mailboxes or data.

Moving an Exchange 2010 Mailbox Database with the Exchange Management Console

Launch the Exchange Management Console and navigate to Organization Configuration/Mailbox. In the Database Management tab, right-click the mailbox database that you want to move, and choose Move Database Path.

Enter the new paths for the database and log files, and then click Move.

The database will be dismounted before it can be moved, which you will need to accept first.

The move will take some time depending on the size of the database and transaction log files being moved.

Moving an Exchange 2010 Mailbox Database with the Exchange Management Shell

To achieve the same mailbox database move as above but using the Exchange Management Shell you would run the following command:

Move-DatabasePath -Identity 'MB-HO-03' -EdbFilePath 'E:\Data\MB-HO-03\MB-HO-03.edb' -LogFolderPath 'D:\Data\MB-HO-03'

As with the graphical wizard you will need to confirm the request before the database is dismounted and moved.

Confirm
Are you sure you want to perform this action?
Moving database path "MB-HO-03".
[Y] Yes  [A] Yes to All  [N] No  [L] No to All  [?] Help (default is "Y"):

Related posts:

• PowerShell Script: Check Exchange Mailbox Database Last Backup Time
• How to Modify Settings for Multiple Exchange 2010 Mailboxes
• Exchange 2007/2010: How to Clone a Mailbox Database Configuration
• Exchange 2007/2010 Deleted Mailbox Not Appearing in Disconnected Mailboxes
• How to Move Storage Group and Database File Paths in Exchange Server 2007

This article How to Move an Exchange 2010 Database to a Different Folder is © 2011 ExchangeServerPro.com

Get more Exchange Server tips at ExchangeServerPro.com

In short, no there isn’t.

Exchange Server 2010 will only install on 64-bit versions of Windows Server 2008 or 2008 R2. The Exchange 2010 management tools can also be installed on 64-bit versions of Windows 7.

The Exchange 2003 System Manager is a 32-bit only application and can only be installed on 32-bit operating systems.

However, if you need the Exchange 2003 tools on your administrative workstation while you are in a co-existence phase of your Exchange 2010 upgrade, you can install them in XP Mode on Windows 7.

Related posts:

• Error: Outlook Was Unable to Recover Some or All of the Items in this Folder
• Initialization Failed: The Operation Couldn’t Be Completed Because a Change Occurred in the Remote Forest
• Using Test-Mailflow with Exchange 2003 Servers
• How to Modify Settings for Multiple Exchange 2010 Mailboxes
• How to Move an Exchange 2010 Database to a Different Folder

This article Exchange 2010 FAQ: How to Install the Exchange 2003 System Manager Tools is © 2011 ExchangeServerPro.com

Get more Exchange Server tips at ExchangeServerPro.com

This can happen when the mailbox has not been deleted using the Disable or Remove commands in the Exchange Management Console. For example, if a mailbox was deleted using the Exchange 2003 management tools then it will not appear in disconnected mailboxes.

Deleting Exchange 2007/2010 mailboxes with Exchange 2003 tools - please don't!

When mailboxes are deleted incorrectly the Exchange 2007/2010 mailbox server doesn’t process them correctly, and as a result they do not end up in the disconnected mailbox list.

However you can fix this problem with the Clean-MailboxDatabase command. Simply launch the Exchange Management Shell and run the command against the database that the user’s mailbox was on.

Clean-MailboxDatabase "EX2010MB\First Storage Group\Mailbox Database"

Refresh the disconnected mailboxes view for that mailbox server. The mailbox should now appear correctly and can be reconnected if necessary.

Related posts:

• Exchange 2010 FAQ: How to Minimise Downtime During Mailbox Migration from Exchange 2007
• Exchange 2007/2010: How to Clone a Mailbox Database Configuration
• How to Move an Exchange 2010 Database to a Different Folder
• PowerShell Script: Check Exchange Mailbox Database Last Backup Time
• Get-MailboxReport.ps1 – PowerShell Script to Generate Mailbox Reports

This article Exchange 2007/2010 Deleted Mailbox Not Appearing in Disconnected Mailboxes is © 2011 ExchangeServerPro.com

Get more Exchange Server tips at ExchangeServerPro.com

If Exchange can’t access the CRL, the certificate status is returned as RevocationCheckFailure by the shell. In EMC this is displayed as The certificate status could not be determined because the revocation check failed.

When a certificate fails a revocation check due to any of the above reasons, the EMC prevents you from assigning the certificate to any Exchange service. Note, this does not impact certificates that have already been assigned to Exchange services. The services will continue to function.

- Source

Two of the causes of this are listed as:

# Network or proxy misconfiguration, or a firewall rule preventing Internet access

# Intentional blocking of Internet connectivity from the server

In a comment on the post I mention using proxy settings to work around the issue.  In other words, if you can use a proxy in Internet Explorer to browse the web when you’re logged onto the server, then you can use this workaround.  However, you need to proceed with caution or you may inadvertently break your management connection to the Exchange server.

Firstly, you can check the server’s proxy settings using the netsh command (proxycfg is no longer available in Windows Server 2008 R2).

C:\>netsh winhttp show proxy

Current WinHTTP proxy settings:

    Direct access (no proxy server).

Note: if you can resolve the direct access issue at your proxy/firewall then that is going to be easier than using this procedure. Otherwise, read on.

If you have the correct proxy settings configure in Internet Explorer then netsh lets you import that configuration to the server.

C:\>netsh winhttp import proxy ie

Current WinHTTP proxy settings:

    Proxy Server(s) :  10.10.10.10:80
    Bypass List     :  (none)

Depending on your environment you may find that this breaks you connection to the Exchange server using either the Exchange Management Console or Exchange Management Shell.

VERBOSE: Connecting to ex1.exchangeserverpro.local
[ex1.exchangeserverpro.local] Connecting to remote server failed with the following error message : The client cannot c
onnect to the destination specified in the request. Verify that the service on the destination is running and is accept
ing requests. Consult the logs and documentation for the WS-Management service running on the destination, most commonl
y IIS or WinRM. If the destination is the WinRM service, run the following command on the destination to analyze and co
nfigure the WinRM service: "winrm quickconfig". For more information, see the about_Remote_Troubleshooting Help topic.
    + CategoryInfo          : OpenError: (System.Manageme....RemoteRunspace:RemoteRunspace) [], PSRemotingTransportExc
   eption
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : PSSessionOpenFailed

The reason for this is that the Exchange Management Shell is trying to make a remote connection to the server, even when you are logged on to the server that you want to manage. This is known as Remote Shell and you can read more about it here.

You can see here that when I launch the Exchange Management Shell on my lab server there are corresponding entries in the IIS log files for the connection that I just made to the /powershell virtual directory.

The reason that this breaks your management connectivity to the server is that the proxy you are using is not correctly configured to let you access local websites. Fortunately you can resolve this by using proxy exceptions on your local Internet Explorer settings.

If I configure Internet Explorer to automatically bypass for local sites, and then re-import the settings to the server with netsh, I see different output.

C:\>netsh winhttp import proxy ie

Current WinHTTP proxy settings:

    Proxy Server(s) :  10.10.10.10:80
    Bypass List     :  < local >

In some cases this still might not work if Internet Explorer is not correctly detecting local sites and bypassing the configured proxy. In that case you can manually specify the proxy exceptions in Internet Explorer.

Again when you re-import using netsh you see a different result.

C:\>netsh winhttp import proxy ie

Current WinHTTP proxy settings:

    Proxy Server(s) :  10.10.10.10:80
    Bypass List     :  *.exchangeserverpro.local;< local >

Alternatively, you can set a proxy configuration for the server that is different to that of your own Internet Explorer settings.

C:\>netsh winhttp set proxy proxy-server="http://10.10.10.10:80" bypass-list="*.exchangeserverpro.local"

Current WinHTTP proxy settings:

    Proxy Server(s) :  10.10.10.10:80
    Bypass List     :  *.exchangeserverpro.local

Again you need to make sure you set the correct exceptions so that management connectivity to the server isn’t broken in the process.

If you can get the proxy settings configured with the right proxy and exceptions you should be able to connect to the server with the console and shell, and also have the server successfully perform CRL checks for your SSL certificates.

Related posts:

• Browsing Mailbox Databases in Exchange 2007 and 2010
• Exchange 2010 FAQ: Are Wildcard SSL Certificates Supported?
• Initialization Failed: The Operation Couldn’t Be Completed Because a Change Occurred in the Remote Forest
• How to Modify Settings for Multiple Exchange 2010 Mailboxes
• How to Move an Exchange 2010 Database to a Different Folder

This article Exchange 2010 Certificate Revocation Checks and Proxy Settings is © 2010 ExchangeServerPro.com

Get more Exchange Server tips at ExchangeServerPro.com