SMTP Service Disabled
[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: 2006-05-16
The Microsoft® Exchange Server Analyzer Tool queries the Win32_Service Microsoft Windows® Management Instrumentation (WMI) class to determine the value set for the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) service StartMode key. A value of Disabled indicates that the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) service has been disabled and cannot be started until the StartMode value is changed to either Manual or Automatic.
The Exchange Server Analyzer queries the Win32_Service WMI class to determine the value of the Started key for the SMTP service. A value of False indicates that the service is not running. A value of True indicates that the service is running.
If the Exchange Server Analyzer finds the value for the StartMode key is set to Disabled on an Exchange Server computer that has the SMTP service started, the Exchange Server Analyzer displays an error.
The Windows SMTP service is a component of Internet Information Services (IIS) and runs as part of Inetinfo.exe. Exchange Server relies on the SMTP service as its native transport protocol. Therefore, Exchange uses SMTP to route all internal and external messages.
All Exchange Server computers should have the SMTP service set to Automatic.
To resolve this error, you must configure the SMTP service to start automatically on servers that route mail.
To configure the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) service for automatic startup
Open the Services Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in.
Double-click Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) service.
On the General tab of the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) Properties page, select Automatic from the Startup type drop-down dialog box, and then click Apply.
Under Server status, click Start, and then click OK.
Close the Services snap-in.
For more information about the SMTP service and Exchange Servers, see "SMTP Transport Architecture" in the Exchange Server Transport and Routing Guide (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=47579).
For more information about how to configure SMTP service for Exchange, see "Configuring SMTP in Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server" (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=24866).