I'm installing exchange 2k3 on a win2k3 sp1 member server in a native mode exchange 2k org. Forest prep was already run months ago for an exchange 2k3 install in the root domain. I've run domain prep in the exchange domain i'm about to install exchange2k3. i've checked the exdeploy.log and all looks well. Now when i go to install exchange, i get a "microsoft exchange messaging and collaboration sevices could not install because the computer account "mydomain\my exchange server$" is not a member of the "mydomain\exchange domain servers" group. It goes on to tell me to manually add this computer account to the group. My question is- is this normal for exchange 2k3? as i recall, in exchange 2k the setup would do this for you. Exchange 2k3 automated so much for you as opposed to previous verisons that i somehow doubt you would normally have to do this manually. it makes little sense unless its some security feature i'm unaware of or too stupid to know. Also, i always get the "exchange2k3 is not compatible with this verison of windows" error all the time. I looked online and it said you can safely ignore this as long as you apply sp1 for exchange after install. i hope thats true. my install disk also slipstreams sp1 with the install. i hope thats ok. any input would be great. why oh why is every verison of exchange i've worked with since 5.0 such a bear?