XADM: How to Change the Service Account Password

• Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 4.0, 5.0, 5.5

SUMMARY

This article describes how to change the Microsoft Exchange Server service account password after the initial Microsoft Exchange Server installation.

MORE INFORMATION

To change the Microsoft Exchange Server service account password:

1. In the Microsoft Exchange Administrator program, click the Configuration container.



2. On the File menu, click Properties. Now you see the Properties dialog box for the Configuration container.



3. Click the Service Account Password tab. This displays a Service Account Password Change dialog box.



4. In the Password box, type the new password, and retype the password in the Confirm Password box.



5. Click OK.
   
   The following message is displayed:

   Initializing Service Account Password Change.

   This dialog box displays the changes occurring for all the servers in the site.
   
   When this procedure is complete, the following message is displayed:

   This action has changed the password for the Windows NT Services installed by Microsoft Exchange Server. The password for the Service Account must also be changed in the Windows NT User Manager, or the Services will fail to start.

   To change the service account password in User Manager:



1. In the Administrative Tools Group on the primary domain controller (PDC) or backup domain controller (BDC), select the User Manager for Domains.



2. Click the Exchange Server service account.



3. On the toolbar, click User, and then click Properties.



4. In the User Properties dialog box, type the new password in the Password box. Retype the password in the Confirm Password box.



5. Click OK.



6. Stop and restart the Microsoft Exchange Server services on all servers in your site. This completes the change of the Microsoft Exchange Server service account password of the Exchange Server site.
   
   NOTE: You may need to change the password manually on any third-party services that use the Exchange Server service account. Some examples are anti-virus applications, third-party connectors and gateways, BackOffice Resource Kit utilities, and the Mbclean utility. Also, you may need to run a Winmsd Complete report to determine whether other services are using the old service account password.

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbusage XADM exc4 exc5 exc55
Version : winnt:4.0,5.0,5.5
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbhowto