In this post I will install Exchange from the command line to show the flexablitly.

I have extracted the bits to c:\ex2010\bits

Microsoft now includes a scripts folder with the extracted binaries which contains several xml files  that can be used to install all of the Windows required componets.

Lets start by creating a few folders that we are going to install the database and logs too. I am going to put them on the C drive which is not recommended but just used for this demo

C:\Exchange\Database\db1

C:\Exchange\Logs\db1-logs

1. Open a CMD windows and change to the extracted directory c:\ex2010\bits\scripts

2. type ServerManagercmd

3.  After the components are install you will be required to reboot the server.

4.  Now that we have our Windows componets we need to install some additional requirements

5. Install .Net 3.5
 6. Click the Install .Net Framework 3.5  Note link to download files http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=333325FD-AE52-4E35-B531-508D977D32A6&displaylang=en

6.  After downloading the setup files, launch setup dotNetFx35setup.exe

 7. Select the radius button “I have read” and click Install

 8. Click Exit on the setup completion page

9. Install Windows Remote Management 2.0

10  Launch the install for Winrm 2

11. Click continue to elevate users privileges

*Note if you have UAC disabled you will not see this window*    

12. Click OK to start the installation

13. Click Accept on the license agreement

14.  Click Restart now to reboot

15. Install Windows Power shell v2

16.  If you launch setup click step 3 to get to the download for power shell 2

17  Launch powershell

18.  Click Next

19.  Accept the license and click next

 20 Click Install

 21.  Click Finish

 Now that we have all the requirements to install Exchange let go aheand and start the installation from the command line

1. Open the command line to the bits location of c:\ex2010\bits

2.  Lets run Setup /pl

Note: you dont have to break donw  these commands but for demo purposes I am doing so

3.  Setup /preparescheam

4. setup /prepareAD

5. Setup /PrepareDomain

we have a number of available switches when running setup from the command line. I am going to install the CAS,HUB, and MBX role, name the Org, and configure my datbase names and location

6. Setup /m:install /r:c,h,m  /Mdbname: “exchange_2010_db1″ /LogfolderPath:”C:\Exchange\Logs\db1-logs”  /dbfilepath:”C:\Exchange\Database\db1\Exchange_2010_db1.edb” /OrganizationName: “Genie” /CustomerFeedbackEnabled:true

After the installation completes lets open EMC and see if our database was created with the correct name and location