Exchange Server - Simple Mail Transfer Protocol Service Disables Itself

Hi All,

We are trying to run the SMPT service on our owa box (Exch 2003), and in turn run the Default SMTP Virtual Server, this works for a few hours then we find that the SMTP service has been disabled and that the Default SMPT virtual server has stopped inturn.

There are no useful logs we can refer to in the Event Viewer either.

If someone could shed some light, that would be agreat help.

Thanks in advance
C

Sounds almost like a script is running shutting it down.  Is it consistent
in terms of the times that it shuts down?

When the SMTP services is disabled does this also stop IISADMIN service or any other services?

Hi,

Unfortunately, we cannot pinpoint when the service shutdown is actually occuring, it does vary, as the first time yesterday, it disabled within the first hour, then the next time it was over 6hours before it disabled, probably not very helpful! Also no Event logs are being generated which would have been useful.

Thanks
C

Hi,

No the IISADMIN service is running well.

Kind Regards
C

what Server are you running? has there been a windows update installed recently? which antivirus? and or firewall is present?

is the service for SMTP set to automatic or manual

what (if any) GPO have you got set for services behaviour?

The server is Windows 2003.

No Windows Updates have been released of late.

Anti-Virus is Symantec Endpoint Security.

No Local Firewall is running.

The SMTP service is set too Automatic.

No GPO's have been set to alter service behaviour.

is the exchange server installed on a DC or a member server?

Its Strictly a front end owa server, it does nothing else, in actual fact we have two of them and we're having the same issue on both.

OK...

Let's try and get more information here...

enable logging for SMTP services through the Exchange System Manager

1. Display the properties of the Exchange Server object that hosts the SMTP virtual servers.

2. Select the Diagnostics Logging tab.

3. Under Services, select MSExchangeTransport.

4. Under Categories, select all the categories that the SMTP service provides, including Routing Engine/Service, Categorizer, Queuing Engine, Exchange Store Driver, NTFS Store Driver, SMTP Protocol, and Connection Manager.

5. Under Logging Level, select the appropriate logging level. In a troubleshooting situation, it is appropriate to increase the level of event logging for the MSExchangeTransport services to Maximum to obtain the most detailed information.

Once the logging is set wait until the SMTP service stops and disables itself again and check the event logs for related error codes and let me know.

Hi,

This is set as outlined, I will wait until the service service stops then investigate the logs.

Many Thanks
C

That suprising that all logging is already set as you said you have no logs; the SMTP service (or any service) will log an entry in the windows event logs when they start, pause, stop, disable etc...

Let me know and we can work together to resolve this for you... Exchange is a beast when it goes wrong but a princess when working.

;D

Hi,

The logging was not set, I just set it after your suggestion, so we wait and see, but his is a very useful move and hopefully we can move forward once we have some useful log entries.

Many Thanks Again!
C

Apologies for the mis-understanding...

let me know when and if the service for SMTP stops and we can work towards a resolution, no problem.

Logs are helpful especially with Exchange errors otherwise it is a massive fire fighting exercise.

;D

Hi,

the service has stopped again and I believe it may be the following Event that is the reason?

Source: SCeCi
Event ID: 1704
Description - Security policy in the Group policy objects has been applied successfully.

Around the same time the following events were registered:

Source MSExchangeTransport
Category: Exchange Store Driver
Event ID: 335
Description: SMTP service instance 1 has been stopped.

Source MSExchangeTransport
Category: Exchange Store Driver
Event ID: 333

Description: SMTP service has been stopped.

After having this to work with, I checked the Group Policy in relation to the container which the OWA servers are housed, I swiched the setting for the SMTP service to Automatic rather than Disabled, and I would assume this will sort my issue.

Many Thanks for all your help, you have got me out of a hole!!!!
Kind Regards
C

You are welcome;

Glad all is working now... Now that you have set the GPO to the state of Automatic for the SMTP service it will not fail over to disable no more.

perfect!!!

;D