GlobalFlag has been set

[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: 2005-11-18

The Microsoft® Exchange Server Analyzer Tool reads the following registry entries to determine the value for the GlobalFlag entry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\STORE.EXE

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\MAD.EXE

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\INETINFO.EXE

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\EMSMTA.EXE

If the Exchange Server Analyzer finds the value for GlobalFlag to be present and configured with any value other than 0 or null, a warning is displayed.

The GlobalFlag registry value setting is a bitmask that determines what debugging options have been enabled for a particular process. In this case, the Exchange Server Analyzer is specifically looking to see if any debugging options have been enabled for a variety of Exchange components:

  • STORE.EXE   (the information store process)

  • MAD.EXE   (the system attendant process)

  • INETINFO.EXE   (the IIS admin and parent process)

  • EMSMTA.EXE   (the message transfer agent process)

Unless you are actively engaged in debugging or tracing a problem with the help of Microsoft Product Support Services, it is recommended that the GlobalFlag value be set to 0 at all times, or deleted completely, which has the same effect.

By default, the GlobalFlag registry value is not present and must be manually added if debugging of the STORE.EXE process (or any other process) is required. You can use the Gflags tool included with Microsoft Windows Server™ 2003 Support Tools, on the Windows CD in the \Support folder. Alternatively, you can manually set the value to 0, or delete the GlobalFlag value completely by using a registry editor. Both procedures are described in this article.

Important

This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to restore the registry, view the "Restore the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or Regedt32.exe.

To correct this error using Gflags

  1. Click Start, click Run, and in the Open field execute GFlags. The Global Flags user interface will appear.

  2. In the Image File Name field, type STORE.EXE.

  3. Select Image File Options.

  4. Clear all the check boxes, and then click Apply.

  5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 for each of the Exchange processes listed in this article.

  6. Click OK to exit the GFlags tool and restart the affected services for the change to take effect.

To correct this error using a registry editor

  1. Open a registry editor, such as Regedit.exe or Regedt32.exe.

  2. Navigate to: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\STORE.EXE

  3. Delete the value called GlobalFlag.

  4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each of the Exchange processes listed in this article.

  5. Exit the registry editor and restart the affected services for the change to take effect.

Before you edit the registry, and for information about how to edit the registry, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base article 256986, "Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry" (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=3052&kbid=256986).