XADM: Exchange Server Services Do Not Start Because of Service Account Password Change

Exchange Server services may not start after a service account password change. The following message may be logged in the System event log: The following message may be logged several times:

This issue can occur because Exchange Server services cannot start if the password for the Exchange Server service account has been changed in the User Manager for Domains utility but not in the Exchange Server Administrator program.

On the Exchange Server computer:

1. Update the password for the Exchange Server System Attendant and Directory services:
   1. In Control Panel, double-click Services, and then locate the System Attendant service and the Directory service.
   2. Click Startup for each of these two services, and then update the password to match the updated password in the User Manager for Domains utility.
   3. Start these two services.
2. Change the Exchange Server service account password in the Exchange Server Administrator program:
   1. In the Exchange Server Administrator program, click the Configuration container.
   2. On the File menu, click Properties. The Properties dialog box for the Configuration container is displayed.
   3. Click the Service Account Password tab. The Service Account Password Change dialog box is displayed.
   4. In the Password box, type the new password, and then retype the password in the Confirm Password box.
   5. Click OK. The following message is displayed:
      Initializing Service Account Password Change.
      This message displays the changes that are occurring for all of the servers in the site.
   6. Stop and restart the Exchange Server services on all of the servers in your site to complete the change to the Exchange Server service account password for the Exchange Server site.

This issue typically occurs when you use the domain Administrator account as the Exchange Server service account. If you use the Administrator account to install Exchange Server, the Administrator account becomes the Exchange Server service account. Microsoft recommends that you create an account other than the Administrator account and use that account as the Exchange Server service account.

For additional information about the proper procedure for changing the Exchange Server service account password, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: NOTE: If you have more than one server in your site or more than one site in your organization, you cannot use the directions in the following article to change your Exchange Server service account.

For additional information about how to change the Exchange Server service account on a single-server, single-site configuration, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: If your have more than one server in your site or more than one site in your organization, you can use the procedure in the "How to Change the Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Service Account" white paper that the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article describes to change your Exchange Server service account: You must follow the directions in the "How to Change the Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Service Account" white paper carefully and completely. If you do not follow the directions in this white paper, you may need to reinstall your Exchange Server computers. Extreme caution is recommended.