XADM: Error Starting Key Management Server (151689)

SUMMARY

When starting the Microsoft Exchange Key Management Server (KM Server) the following error is received.

The Microsoft Exchange Key Manager service returned service specific error 1

The Windows NT Event Log might have the following error message.

The Exchange KM service failed to start. Ensure that the KMSMSG.DLL and KMSERVER.EXE files have the same version and are in the same location and that you have provided the KM server password in the startup parameters in the services panel.

MORE INFORMATION

There are two main reasons why the above error message can be generated:

The service account for KM Server is wrong or the password for the system account is wrong.
The password for the KM service startup parameters was not specified and the KM Server floppy is not accessible. The floppy disk might not be present because the option to create a KM Server floppy disk might not have been selected during installation of the KM Server

To correct this problem, verify that the system account for the Microsoft Exchange Key Manager service is the same account being used by the Microsoft Exchange Directory service.

This problem can also occur if, during the installation of the Microsoft Exchange KM Server, an error was encountered writing the data to the floppy drive.

The password for the Key Manager startup parameters must be entered every time the KM service is started . This is the password that was received during installation of the KM server. This password can be stored on a floppy which is in the drive every time the KM server is started. This floppy should have a file called Kmspwd.ini with the following information:

   [config]
   pwd=<14 character password>

For example:

   [config]
   pwd=ABCDEFGHIJKLMN