Change passwords for the Search service (Windows SharePoint Services)

Change passwords for the Search ser...

Updated: 2007-05-19

Use this procedure to change the account passwords used for the Windows SharePoint Services Search service. This service is used to search across content.

The Search service stores the credential information and will continue to function even after the password has expired. However, if the Search service is restarted, the stored credential information is lost, and the Search service cannot be started until the credential information is updated. If the Search service cannot start, the content indexes cannot be updated and the search results will not be synchronized.

Note:
These procedures can be performed only after the password has been changed on the domain controller. The credentials entered are checked against those on the domain controller. If you enter the new password before the password has been changed on the domain controller, an error will result and the settings will not be changed.

Note:
To save the changes, you must restart the Search service. This will cause the services that it provided to be momentarily unavailable while the Search service restarts.

Note:
This procedure needs to be run only on the server that is running the SharePoint Central Administration Web site.

Important:
Membership in the Administrators group on the local computer, or equivalent, is required to complete the following procedures. Membership in the Farm Administrators group (WSS_RESTRICTED_WPG Windows security group) is not sufficient to complete these procedures.

Change the password for the Windows SharePoint Services Search service by using the user interface

In Central Administration, on the Operations tab, in the Topology and Services section, click Services on server.
Click Windows SharePoint Services Search.
On the Configure Windows SharePoint Services Search Settings page, in the Service Account section, type the new password in the Password box.
Click OK to save the changes.

Change the password for the Windows SharePoint Services Search service by using the command line

On the computer running the Central Administration Web site, open the command line and navigate to the Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN folder.
At a command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:

stsadm -o spsearch -farmserviceaccount <domain\username> -farmservicepassword < password>

Note:

farmserviceaccount is the Windows SharePoint Services Search service account.

For additional information, see Spsearch: Stsadm operation (Windows SharePoint Services).

Note:
farmserviceaccount is the Windows SharePoint Services Search service account. For additional information, see Spsearch: Stsadm operation (Windows SharePoint Services).

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Updating SP Service Account in Services Console

Anthony Maw | Edit | Show History

In troubleshooting Sharepoint Search Service account lockouts every 5 minutes, note that there are TWO relevant service accounts:

The above procedure updates an internal service account but does not automatically update the Windows Sharepoint Services Search service account in Services MMC console.

Conversely it is not sufficient to update the WSSS service account in the Services MMC console alone - Both the services console and the Sharepoint Central Admin account settings must be updated concurrently.

Anthony Maw, Vancouver, Canada, anthony@maw.bc.ca, www.anthonymaw.com, tel/sms:+16043189994