Exchange 2010 Setup: Unable to read data from the Metabase. Ensure that Microsoft Internet Information Services is installed.

Exchange Server 1 Minute

I was building an test Exchange 2010 server as an VM. Exchange Setup gave an error on CAS and Mailbox roles (on pre-requests window). The error was

Unable to read data from the Metabase. Ensure that Microsoft Internet Information Services is installed.
Unable to access the ‘Default Web Site’ on this computer.

I checked IIS was installed and I was able to browse the default web site/page. what gives?

On this Exchange 2010 Prerequisites Technet page (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb691354(EXCHG.140).aspx), I identified the powershell command to install all the correct IIS components to install all three roles (CAS/HUB/Mailbox) on a same computer.

  1. Open Power Shell in elevated mode (runas administrator)
  2. Type the following (or copy paste)
    • Import-Module ServerManager
    • Add-WindowsFeature NET-Framework,RSAT-ADDS,Web-Server,Web-Basic-Auth,Web-Windows-Auth,Web-Metabase,Web-Net-Ext,Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console,WAS-Process-Model,RSAT-Web-Server,Web-ISAPI-Ext,Web-Digest-Auth,Web-Dyn-Compression,NET-HTTP-Activation,RPC-Over-HTTP-Proxy –Restart
  3. The second command will install the required components and reboot the server
  4. After reboot, open the Power Shell again in elevated mode.
  5. Type this to set NetTcpPortSharing service to automatic.
    • Set-Service NetTcpPortSharing -StartupType Automatic
  6. Close the Powershell. Try running Exchange 2010 setup again.

Published by --Anand--

Being in Silicon Valley for years, I became a IT Infrastructure Geek by experience and surrounded by other Geeks everywhere. I try to help others by the solutions I found on odd occasions.

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29 thoughts on “Exchange 2010 Setup: Unable to read data from the Metabase. Ensure that Microsoft Internet Information Services is installed.”

  5. this is awsome, works like magic, thx alot for sharing this, ive been doing exchange installation for the past 5 hrs can couldnt find out where i got wrong, very useful stuff!!

    Reply

  11. Command not working.
    Bad numeric constant: 2..
    At line:1 char:3
    + 2. <<<< Add-WindowsFeature NET-Framework,RSAT-ADDS,Web-Server,Web-Basic-Auth,Web-Windows-Auth,Web-Metabase,Web-Net-Ex
    t,Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console,WAS-Process-Model,RSAT-Web-Server,Web-ISAPI-Ext,Web-Digest-Auth,Web-Dyn-Compression,NET-HTTP-Ac
    tivation,RPC-Over-HTTP-Proxy
    + CategoryInfo : ParserError: (2.:String) [], ParentContainsErrorRecordException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : BadNumericConstant

    Reply

  24. Add-WindowsFeature : The target of the specified cmdlet cannot be a Windows client-based operating system.
    At line:1 char:1
    + Add-WindowsFeature NET-Framework,RSAT-ADDS,Web-Server,Web-Basic-Auth, …
    + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo : DeviceError: (localhost:String) [Install-WindowsFeature], Exception
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : WindowsClient_NotSupported,Microsoft.Windows.ServerManager.Commands.AddWindowsFeatureCom
    mand

    Reply

  25. Not working on my 2010 server:
    PS C:\Users\administrator.OFFICE> Add-WindowsFeature NET-Framework,RSAT-ADDS,Web-Server,Web-Basic-Auth,Web-Windows-Auth,
    Web-Metabase,Web-Net-Ext,Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console,WAS-Process-Model,RSAT-Web-Server,Web-ISAPI-Ext,Web-Digest-Auth,Web-Dyn-C
    ompression,NET-HTTP-Activation,RPC-Over-HTTP-Proxy -Restart

    ERROR:
    Add-WindowsFeature : ArgumentNotValid: The role, role service, or feature name is not valid: ‘NET-Framework,RSAT-Web-Server’. The name was not found.
    At line:1 char:1
    + Add-WindowsFeature NET-Framework,RSAT-ADDS,Web-Server,Web-Basic-Auth,Web-Windows …
    +

    If I leave those two out of the comamnd then it says: nothing changed.
    RSAT-Web-Server is just Web-Server in Windows 2012. So, not needed
    NET-Framework is installed already (3.5 and 4.5)

    Any idea?

    Reply

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