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 Manual indicates that the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) service has been set to require a manual start and will not start automatically.

The Exchange Server Analyzer also 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 Manual on an Exchange Server computer that has the SMTP service started, the Exchange Server Analyzer displays a warning.

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.

If the SMTP service does not start automatically at startup, it may be overlooked. This could lead to serious mail flow issues.

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

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

  2. Double-click Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) service.

  3. 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.

  4. Under Server status, click Start, and then click OK.

  5. 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 (http://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" (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=24866).