"The Component 'Microsoft Exchange Forest Preparation' Cannot Be Assigned the Action 'ForestPrep'" Error Message When You Try to Install Exchange Server 2003

When you try to install Exchange Server 2003, Setup may not complete successfully, and you may receive the following error message: You receive this error message if you run Setup.exe or Update.exe with the /forestprep switch or the /domainprep switch, or if you use the reinstall option or any other option.

If you view the contents of the Exchange Server Setup Progress.log file, you see information that is similar to the following:

This issue may occur if Setup cannot contact the Schema Master or the other operations master role holders. To confirm that this is the cause of this issue, you can use the Dcdiag tool to verify both of the following:

• The operations master role holders are known to the domain.
• The server that assigned this role exists and is accessible.

The following files are available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:
Download the dcdiag_setup.exe package now.

To resolve this issue, first try to transfer the operations master role to another domain controller. If that does not work, you can seize the damaged operations master role from the broken domain controller and then transfer it to another domain controller.

1. Transfer the operations master role to another domain controller. For additional information about how to transfer the operations master role, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
   255690 HOW TO: View and Transfer FSMO Roles in the Graphical User Interface
   Note You may have to introduce a new domain controller to perform this step successfully.
2. If you cannot transfer the operations master role, seize the damaged operations master role from the broken domain controller, and then transfer it to another domain controller. For additional information about how to transfer the role to another domain controller, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
   255504 Using Ntdsutil.exe to Seize or Transfer FSMO Roles to a Domain Controller
3. Run the Dcpromo.exe utility to remove the domain controller responsibilities from the broken domain controller. When you do so, you force this computer account to be reconfigured.