System Attendant service is not running as LocalSystem

[This topic is intended to address a specific issue called out by the Exchange Server Analyzer Tool. You should apply it only to systems that have had the Exchange Server Analyzer Tool run against them and are experiencing that specific issue. The Exchange Server Analyzer Tool, available as a free download, remotely collects configuration data from each server in the topology and automatically analyzes the data. The resulting report details important configuration issues, potential problems, and nondefault product settings. By following these recommendations, you can achieve better performance, scalability, reliability, and uptime. For more information about the tool or to download the latest versions, see "Microsoft Exchange Analyzers" at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=34707.]  

Topic Last Modified: 2007-01-09

The Microsoft® Exchange Server Analyzer Tool queries the Win32_Service Microsoft Windows® Management Instrumentation (WMI) class to determine the value of the StartName property for the Microsoft Exchange System Attendant (MSExchangeSA) service. The Exchange Server Analyzer also queries the Active Directory® directory service to determine the value for the serialNumber attribute on the Exchange Server object in the directory. The serialNumber attribute on the Exchange Server object identifies the version of Exchange Server running on the computer that is represented by the object. If the Exchange Server Analyzer finds that the Exchange System Attendant service is running under any account other than the LocalSystem (SYSTEM) account on an Exchange server running Exchange 2000 Server, Exchange Server 2003, or Exchange Server 2007, the Exchange Server Analyzer displays an error.

This error indicates that the System Attendant service is not running in a supported configuration. If you run the System Attendant service under any other account, you will cause permission and access errors.

To resolve this error, you must configure the Exchange System Attendant service to start up under the LocalSystem (SYSTEM) account.

Note

This error does not apply to Exchange Server version 5.5. Only Exchange 2000 Server, Exchange Server 2003, and Exchange Server 2007 require that the Exchange System Attendant service to run under the LocalSystem account.

To configure the Exchange System Attendant service account

  1. Open the Services Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in.

  2. Locate and stop the Microsoft Exchange System Attendant service. Note that stopping the System Attendant service will also stop all services that depend on the System Attendant service. This includes the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service.

  3. Double-click Microsoft Exchange System Attendant service.

  4. On the Log On tab of the Microsoft Exchange System Attendant Properties page, select Local System account under Log on as, and then click Apply.

  5. Under Service status, click Start, and then click OK.

  6. Close the Services snap-in.

For more information about running Exchange services under the LocalSystem account, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base article 239762, "Exchange Services Run Under LocalSystem" (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=3052&kbid=239762).