How do I fix EventID 2159 on my Exchange 2010 server?

Question

I am getting a bunch of warnings about my Exchange not being able to communicate with a servers that have been offline for a while.

The top advice via google appears to be to raise the logging level or use ADSIEdit, however neither options appear to be helping me.

I have two Windows 2008 R2 servers with Exchange 2010 on (SERVER11 and 12). The warnings are all about servers that are offline (SERVER01 in this instance). Any advice as to where I could find the entries for these servers?

Log Name:      Application
Source:        MSExchange ADAccess
Date:          11/10/2010 05:08:10
Event ID:      2159
Task Category: Validation
Level:         Warning
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      SERVER11.elmstonesystems.local
Description:
Process Microsoft.Exchange.RpcClientAccess.Service.exe (PID=3000). Configuration object CN=SMTP (SERVER01-{6CC46919-CDE0-4CCB-9886-E95DA013D1A2}),CN=Connections,CN=First Organization,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=elmstonesystems,DC=local read from SERVER11.elmstonesystems.local failed validation and will be excluded from the result set.  Set event logging level for Validation category to Expert to get additional events about each failure.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
  <System>
    <Provider Name="MSExchange ADAccess" />
    <EventID Qualifiers="32772">2159</EventID>
    <Level>3</Level>
    <Task>6</Task>
    <Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2010-10-11T04:08:10.000000000Z" />
    <EventRecordID>78032</EventRecordID>
    <Channel>Application</Channel>
    <Computer>SERVER11.elmstonesystems.local</Computer>
    <Security />
  </System>
  <EventData>
    <Data>Microsoft.Exchange.RpcClientAccess.Service.exe</Data>
    <Data>3000</Data>
    <Data>CN=SMTP (SERVER01-{6CC46919-CDE0-4CCB-9886-E95DA013D1A2}),CN=Connections,CN=First Organization,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=elmstonesystems,DC=local</Data>
    <Data>SERVER11.elmstonesystems.local</Data>
  </EventData>
</Event>

Solution

This will require some manual editing of the Configuration container. Done incorrectly you can destroy your domain, but that being said...

Run ADSIEdit.msc or ldp.exe.

Expand or go to configuration then follow path of CN=configuration,DC=company,dc=com -> Services -> Microsoft Exchange -> organization -> Admin groups -> name of the group -> servers.

Right click on the server you want to delete and delete it. Choose carefully as you are directly in the AD database.

Comments

[Phil Hannent]

I was confused because I was opening up Default Naming Context and not seeing Services. I have found the Configuration one and can see the dead servers thanks.