How to get Active Directory Users and Computers with Exchange Management Tools working in Windows 7

PreReq: Stop Active Directory on your computer.
Note: 64bit users: there may be a solution! check the bottom of the page FIRST

1. Install the w7 AdminPak (RSAT)

Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC)

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=7d2f6ad7-656b-4313-a005-4e344e43997d#filelist

2.Install IIS and Remote Server Admin Tools (Active Directory Users and Computers)

Use the “Turn Windows features on or off” feature to add IIS Stuff and the RSAT Stuff

4. Copy some files to your windows system32 folder.

I used the files from my XP installation with these bat files, you will have to get them yourself
(REMEMBER: you need to run the cmd promt as administrator, use the one in accessories, right click it)

Text file of files that need to be copied

Bat file to copy from old install (assuming D:\windows\system32\)

If you dont have these files available, you might find them here

5. Register the files

(same deal with cmd promt as administrator)

eg:

regsvr32 /s adprop.dll
regsvr32 /s ws03res.dll

(THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE THERE IS MANY MORE FILES THAN THIS! USE THE FILE BELOW)

Download Batch file here

5. Vista ESM

Download from here

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=3403d74e-8942-421b-8738-b3664559e46f&displaylang=en

Run it to extract the MSI, this will put another ESMVISTA.msi file in a subdir of your choosing, running the below command straight on this file does not work.
start a command prompt with admin rights, start->all programs-> accessories-> RIGHT CLICK on Command prompt  and click run as administrator
goto the folder with the extracted MSI file, and run it with the /q switch to get rid of the ‘not for vista’ error (so ESMVISTA.MSI /Q)

eg: c:\users\you\downloads\esm\vista\esmvista.msi /q

Wait at least 10 minutes while it does its thing.

It is is a silent install, you wont see anything, but I have had cases of it breaking because people started AD too soon.

5B. no really!

Actually wait at least 10 minutes, it WILL NOT WORK if you start AD too soon, and you have to start again. If you have a very slow computer, leave it longer.

6. Run Active Directory

Run Active Directory users and computers from your start menu.

If you would like to contact me, please email admin@pyrocam.com

 

64bit Users READ THIS!

this comment from bacanter01 on windows7forums may help

I noticed that mmc runs in x64 mode even if you run mmc from the system32 folder. If you start mmc with the /32 switch then you can add ADUC and see the exchange tabs. It didn’t work until I installed SP1 but all you need to do is install RSAT > install the ESM tools for Vista with the /q switch (watch for MSIEXEC to stop in the task manager before you try to run it) > Install SP1 > Run mmc with the /32 switch. I haven’t tried installing ESM after the SP1 install but it work everytime if you install it afterwards.

 

Changelog

1.0 put up

1.1 Grammar etc, added mirror for files

1.3 updated with new links to RSAT

1.4 tested again on new W7 install, worked 🙂

1.5 removed long lists of files, replaced with bat files

1.6  30/11/2010: tidied up one of the commands that missed some slashes, added a comment about the example file registrations being only an example, added another step to remind people to leave the silent install a bit longer.

1.7 3/9/2011: added comment that may help 64bit users

1.8 10/09/11 : added some more steps to the extraction of the MSI stuff

 

Comments

  1. PatrickC November 25, 2010 at 4:02 pm

    Not working for me…, I even followed the suggestion of another website to edit the MSI with ORCA. I’ve followed religiously all your steps.

    • pyrocam November 25, 2010 at 8:13 pm

      Hmm, x64? leaving enough time after doing the silent install?

  2. MattS November 29, 2010 at 9:11 pm

    Can’t find the last dll…ws03res.dll

    Hope that it will work anyway.

    • pyrocam November 29, 2010 at 9:23 pm

      I have uploaded a copy of all the DLL’s required in the article as well if it doesnt 🙂

  3. Megan April 22, 2011 at 2:25 pm

    This looks pretty clear-cut. I have done this a few years back on Windows Vista. I think it is kind of similar for Windows 7 because I do remember starting off by downloading and installing RSAT.

  4. Jagar M April 23, 2012 at 5:17 pm

    I have Windows 7 Enterprise Installed and installed ESMVISTA normally the only message I got is that there are no default outlook profiles configured. Once the installation was complete, I modified the Active Directory Users and Computers shortcut to be as follow
    %SystemRoot%\system32\dsa.msc /32

    Now when I start as admin, I can see the exchange tab.

    Thanks

  5. Sovath July 3, 2012 at 10:41 pm

    Another way to work around is to create a shortcut and point the target to %SystemRoot%\system32\dsa.msc /32.

  6. Carl September 5, 2012 at 8:41 pm

    Greetings, I’m trying to do this on my Windows 7 Enterprise box with RSAT installed. I copied the files you supplied and registered them. I did the ESMVISTA install and sat and waited until msiexec disappeared in Task Manager. I opened ADUC and still no tabs when looking at a user. Any insight?

  7. pyrocam September 5, 2012 at 10:54 pm

    Carl :

    Greetings, I’m trying to do this on my Windows 7 Enterprise box with RSAT installed. I copied the files you supplied and registered them. I did the ESMVISTA install and sat and waited until msiexec disappeared in Task Manager. I opened ADUC and still no tabs when looking at a user. Any insight?

    32bit or x64 ? there is a couple differences in the install

  8. Leah January 9, 2013 at 6:36 pm

    Your instructions worked AWESOMELY!!! Thank you pyrocam!!!

  9. Simon B July 26, 2013 at 10:39 am

    July 2013
    Worked a treat for me. 64 Bit Win7
    couldn’t believe it. Thank you so much!!!

  10. Rodrigo Pessoa August 20, 2013 at 6:37 pm

    pyrocam :

    Carl :
    Greetings, I’m trying to do this on my Windows 7 Enterprise box with RSAT installed. I copied the files you supplied and registered them. I did the ESMVISTA install and sat and waited until msiexec disappeared in Task Manager. I opened ADUC and still no tabs when looking at a user. Any insight?

    32bit or x64 ? there is a couple differences in the install

    It did not work for me either.

    • Rodrigo Pessoa August 20, 2013 at 6:43 pm

      Windows 7 Enterprise x64 SP1

  11. Florencio September 23, 2013 at 2:11 pm

    Straight forward instructions.
    Thx!!

  12. Adrian September 30, 2013 at 8:15 pm

    Well I’ll be. That worked for me as well. Windows 7 pro 64bit.

    Thank you!

  13. Oren Chapo October 6, 2013 at 3:00 pm

    If you’re looking for a simple solution for managing Exchange Servers (2010/2013) from within the Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC) console, look for a tool named “Exchange Tasks 2013”.

    It’s easy to install on both 32 and 64 bit Windows O/S. You will need to install RSAT but the Exchange Admin Tools and DLLs are not required.

    • pyrocam October 6, 2013 at 6:32 pm

      Thanks Oren!

  14. AJ February 9, 2014 at 7:18 am

    Worked like a charm for me as well… thanks a million pyrocam!!!
    Win7 Enterprise 32bit SP1

  15. Steve K July 22, 2014 at 8:44 pm

    I just want to say that your 64-bit fix looks like it will be very useful in our scenario. Exchange 2003 to Office 365 cutover migration with dirsync. Rather than uninstalling Exchange 2003, this will let us shut it down and manage the exchange attributes from something that isn’t an antique.

    Once you have the tools installed, you can create a shortcut to dsa.msc /32 and have an icon on your desktop to manage AD with the Exchange tabs. Just like the old days!

  16. Gilbert October 1, 2015 at 12:31 am

    Have anyone tried on Windows 10 Enterprise x64bits? please HELP!

  17. Tony August 2, 2017 at 2:12 pm

    Still trying for Windows 10. ESMVista not for WIN10. anyone have any other options? worth a shot to ask here. need exchange tabs but wont show.

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