Exchange server 2013 /PrepareAD fails when installing SP1

Had an error message when installing SP1, so i came over to this site : http://blogs.technet.com/b/manjubn/archive/2013/09/02/1-exchange-server-2013-preparead-or-cumultive-update-installation-fails.aspx

Exchange server 2013 /PrepareAD or installing Cumulative Updates [ CUxx ] fail with the error,

while running Organization Preparation

The following error was generated when “$error.Clear();
install-AdministrativeGroup -DomainController $RoleDomainController

” was run: “Active Directory operation failed on Servername.domain.com. The object

‘CN=Folder Hierarchies,CN=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),

CN=Administrative Groups,CN=Exchange Organization,CN=Microsoft Exchange,

CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=Domain,DC=Com’ already exists.”

The Exchange Server setup operation didn’t complete. More details can be found in ExchangeSetup.log

located in the <SystemDrive>:\ExchangeSetupLogs folder. Exchange Server setup encountered an error.

This error occur when the “CN=Public Folders” container underneath ‘CN=Folder Hierarchies has been

deleted from Active Directory. use the ADSI Edit, or a similar tool (LDP), to determine whether the Public

Folders container exists. The Public folder object can be found at:

CN=Configuration,CN=Services,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Your Exchange Organization,

CN=Administrative Groups,CN=Administrative group,CN=Exchange Administrative Group

(FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Folder Hierarchies

There are multiple methods to fix this issue , Here is the recommended method

by Recreating Public Folders containers.

Use ADSI Edit or a similar tool to locate and expand Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT).

The Public Folders object can be found at:

CN=Configuration,CN=Services,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Organization,CN=Administrative Groups,

CN=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Folder Hierarchies

1. Right-click the Folder Hierarchies object, click New, and then click Object.
2. In the Select a class list, select msExchPFTree, and then click Next.
3. In the Value box, type Public Folders, and then click Next.
4. Click More Attributes.
5. In the Select a class list, select msExchPFTreeType, and then click Next.
6. In the Edit Attribute box, type 1, click Set, click OK, and then click Finish

I actually had an item in the “Folder Hierarchies” folder called CN=Recover data.

I changed the msExchFPTreeType attribute from 0 to 1, and the /PrepareAD completed successfully.