XADM: Restoring Lost Performance Counters for Exchange

ID: Q156494

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 4.0, 5.0

SUMMARY

There are two options for restoring Microsoft Exchange Performance Monitor objects:

Reinstall the Microsoft Exchange Server software and reapply any Service Packs.

Note - Use only the Reinstall option. This will replace missing files only. A fresh install will overwrite all files.

Use the Windows NT utilities, Lodctr.exe and Unlodctr.exe.

The Microsoft Exchange Server Setup program uses two utilities provided with Windows NT to add and remove Performance monitor objects and counters. These utilities can be run on a command prompt to add these back if for any reason they become unavailable in the list of objects in Performance Monitor:

Lodctr.exe - adds objects and counters.
Unlodctr.exe - removes objects and counters.

MORE INFORMATION

During setup, Microsoft Exchange uses the Server.ins and other INS files to issue commands that create the performance monitor counters for Microsoft Exchange components. The .INS files point to *.INI files that contain instructions for Lodctr.exe on how to create the counters. The INI files contain pointers to *.H files (also known as symbol files) that include additional counter information.

An example of an entry that contains a command to create the MTA objects would be:


   CreateProcessSafe:%s\bin;lodctr dsactrs.ini;180000

NOTE: Both initialization and header files have to be present for the counter creation to be successful.

Manually Adding Counters

The object and counter information is stored in the registry but it is too complex to be easily entered in manually. This is why initialization files are used. To restore missing Microsoft Exchange Server counters and objects for Performance Monitor:

Identify what objects and counters are missing.

Identify the *.INI and *.H files that correspond to these objects. The following is a listing of default objects and the cor responding initialization file:

NOTE: Not all objects are always installed as they depend on what components are chosen during setup.


Object                             Initialization File
======                             ===================
MSExchangeDB                       \exchsrvr\bin\EDBPERF.INI
MSExchangeDS                       \exchsrvr\bin\DSACTRS.INI
MSExchangeIMC                      \exchsrvr\bin\IMCPERF.INI
MSExchangeIS                       \exchsrvr\bin\MDBPERF.INI
MSExchangeIS Private               \exchsrvr\bin\MDBPERF.INI
MSExchangeIS Public                \exchsrvr\bin\MDBPERF.INI
MSExchangeMTA                      \exchsrvr\bin\MTAPERF.INI
MSExchangeMTAConnections           \exchsrvr\bin\MTAPERF.INI
MSExchangePCMTA                    \exchsrvr\msmcon\bin\XTNPERF.INI
MSExchangeATMTA                    \exchsrvr\msmcon\bin\MACGPERF.INI
MSExchangeMSMI                     \exchsrvr\msmcon\bin\MTPERF.INI

The following are objects specific to Microsoft Exchange Server, version 5.0:


Object                            Initialization File
======                            ===================
MSExchangeCCMC                    \exchsrvr\connect\ccmail\bin\ccmcperf.ini
MSExchangeWEB                     \exchsrvr\bin\ewsperf.ini

The object is also mapped to a 'service' name which corresponds to a registry entry. For all objects the service name is equal to the object name, except for the MSExchangeDB which maps to the EDB service.

All remaining counter information must be removed before attempting to recreate them again. From the location of the INI file run the following command:
UNLODCTR.EXE <Service Name>
Example: To clean up the MSExchangeMTA object and its counters:
UNLODCTR.EXE MSExchangeMTA

To add the object and counter information back:
LODCTR.EXE <Initialization file name>
Example: To add the MSExchangeMTA object and counters:
LODCTR.EXE MTAPERF.INI
Performance Monitor needs to be restarted after using either of these utilities.

NOTE: On Windows NT 4.0, the computer must be restarted after using the Lodctr command.

Additional query words: perfmon

Keywords : kbusage XADM
Version : winnt:4.0,5.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbhowto