The SSL certificate server name is incorrect. ID no: c103b404

This error occurs when trying to view Public Folders in the Exchange System manager when he SSL certificate name differs between the FQDN and the local server name.  The Exchange System Manager will not allow you to view the public folders as it believes the folder name to be incorrect.

This can be resolved using a front-end, back-end scenario, but what if you are stuck with a single Exchange server (ie. SBS) in your environment?

On following a few blogs and sites, the solution seems to be to remove SSL requirement for that particular folder in the IIS Manager.  This didn’t work for me though – and I found a lot of people out there with unresoved issues on Experts Exchange etc.

The end solution was to use the ADSIEdit utility to manually stop the Exchange System Manager from using SSL.

The steps are as follows:

1) Install the ADSIEdit Utility (one of the Windows Server 2003 Support tools) from your SBS2003 CD (CD2) using suptools.msi

2) Run a Microsoft Management console (Start->Run->MMC)

3) Open the ADSIedit.msc (browse to the Support Tools folder)

4) Browse through to

Configuration > Services >  Microsoft Exchange > Domain Name > Administrative Groups >     First Administrative Group > Servers > Servername > Protocols > HTTP > 1 > Exadmin

5) Right click msExchSecureBindings, and click Properties

6) Highlight :443: and click Remove

7) Click OK

8) Restart the Exchange System Attendant and the IIS Admin service

Exchange system manager will now no longer try to use SSL when connecting to the service.

~ by Paul Roach on May 6, 2008.

20 Responses to “The SSL certificate server name is incorrect. ID no: c103b404”

  1. Thanks – that is really working …

  2. Thanks a lot!!! You saved me :-)

  3. Fantastic. A solution that works. Thank you.

  4. Awesome stuff. Works like a charm!!!

  5. THANKS!!

  6. what are the security ramifications of this, with respect to Outlook Web?

  7. The only security issues are that traffic sent between the ESM and the Exchange server is unencrypted. There is no impact on OWA. If concerned about encryption between the management console and the Exchange server you can always RDP into the Exchange server and run the Exchange System Manager locally.

  8. extremely helpful. my compliments sir.

  9. Much Appreciated, getting rather worried about not being able to see the public folders…. SBS sucks

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  11. Thanks – saved my day (or night maybe) :-)

  12. Tanks,
    It works fine, good luck with your blog.

    A Admin.

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  14. Thanks,

    It works like acharm, very nice job !

    Hilitec

  15. GJ m8y, proper pleased with that.

    Thanks V much

  16. Wow. Hours and hours of trying to fix this…and THAT was all I had to do?

    THANK YOU!!!

  17. No luck here. Some other service to restart, maybe?

  18. Found it! When I removed SSL from Exadmin, it either didn’t stick or I screwed up the 128 bit/require SSL box sequence. Thanks.

  19. Worked perfectly. Thank you for posting the fix.

  20. After all these hours searching for solution finally bingo!
    Thanks a lot!!

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