Get the official scoop on Exchange 2003, Windows 2003, and the BOOT.INI file

It's here! The Exchange team has written the final word on whether or not you should use the /NOPAE and /EXECUTE switches in the BOOT.INI file of an Exchange 2003/Windows 2003 SP1 server with more than 1GB of RAM (and 4GB of RAM or less, anything more than 4GB of RAM in an Exchange 2000/2003 server is usually a waste of money)

Basically, for mailbox and public folder servers with more than 1GB of RAM, add the /3GB /USERVA=3030 switches to the BOOT.INI file. This is different that some newsgroup postings and blog entries in the past (including my own blog back on May 9). Read more detailed guidance on this on the Exchange team's You Had Me At EHLO blog.

Front-end servers that handle just SMTP, POP3, OWA, NNTP, or IMAP4 should not use these switches. An front-end server that also handles envelope journaling or the MTA (anything that requires a mailbox store be mounted and used heavily) should use the /3GB /USERVA=3030 switches.