DOCUMENT:Q290651 13-JUN-2001 [exchange] TITLE :XADM: Cannot Bring Exchange Services Online Using Cluster Admin PRODUCT :Microsoft Exchange PROD/VER::5.5,5.5 SP1,5.5 SP2,5.5 SP3 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS: ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 5.5, 5.5 SP1, 5.5 SP2, 5.5 SP3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SYMPTOMS ======== When you try to bring an Exchange Server service online by using Windows 2000 Cluster Administrator (for example, System Attendant), the procedure may fail, and the service Start option may change from Manual to Disabled. If you use the Services tool in Control Panel to change the Start option from Disabled to Manual again, and then try to bring the service online, the procedure fails again and the service Start option changes to Disabled again. When this issue occurs, you cannot start the Exchange Server service because the Start option for the service is always Disabled, and the service status in Cluster Administrator is always displayed as Failed. CAUSE ===== The issue may occur in either of the following scenarios: - On the Generic Service Registry Replication page, the root registry key of a service is included. For example: SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeSA - You manually changed the service Start option from Manual to Disabled when the specific service was online. The Start option is saved in the root registry key of a specific service. The Start REG_DWORD value represents the Start option. When the specific service is online, and you change the Start option from Manual to Disabled, the Start option is saved in a Cluster generic service checkpoint file. After you take the service offline, the Start option in the checkpoint file remains as Disabled. When the service is offline, even if you change the service Start option in Control Panel from Disabled to Manual, and then try to bring the service online by using Cluster Administrator, the Start option (Disabled) is written from the checkpoint file to the registry. In this case, the service does not start. RESOLUTION ========== To resolve this issue, follow the Exchange Server service registry replication registry key and do not change it. The default settings of core Exchange Server services do not include any service's root registry key. Use Cluster administrator to change the services' Registry Replication setting back to the default setting, and then change these services' Start options back to Manual. The registry key for the Exchange Server services are: - System Attendant - SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeSA\Diagnostics - SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeSA\Parameters - Directory Service - SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeDS\Diagnostics - SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeDS\Parameters - Information Store - SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeIS\Diagnostics - SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeIS\Parameters - Message Transfer Agent - SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeMTA\Diagnostics - SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeMTA\Parameters MORE INFORMATION ================ Users often make two mistakes when they use Exchange Server on a Windows 2000 Cluster: - Some users replicate root registry keys of Exchange Server services. However, Exchange Server server configuration information is saved in the following two registry subkeys: - ...\Diagnostics - ...\Parameters If you replicate the root registry, you may experience issues. - Some users like to disable the Microsoft Exchange System Attendant service to prevent the service from automatically starting after the server is restarted for maintenance reasons. However, if you want to prevent a Cluster resource or group from automatically starting, it is recommended that you change the PersistentState key instead. For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q259243 How to Set the Startup Value for a Resource on a Clustered Server Additional query words: ====================================================================== Keywords : Technology : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange550 kbZNotKeyword2 kbExchange550SP1 kbExchange550SP2 kbExchange550SP3 Version : :5.5,5.5 SP1,5.5 SP2,5.5 SP3 Issue type : kbprb ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2001.