KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q152849: XADM: How to Recover from a Lost Key Management Server

Article: Q152849
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): winnt:4.0,5.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbenv exc4 exc5
Last Modified: 16-JUN-1999

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 4.0, 5.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

If the disk that a Key Management (KM) Server password is located on is lost or
damaged, and the password on the disk is unknown, the following procedure can be
used to reset the KM Server password.

MORE INFORMATION
================

1. Have the users decrypt any encrypted messages (or else they will not be able
  to read them once they get a new security key). They can do this manually or
  use the bulk security tool SECTOOL.EXE (included with the Microsoft Exchange
  Resource Kit) to decrypt them all at once.

2. Run KMSERVER -u (you must use lowercase) to remove the Microsoft Exchange Key
  Management Service.

3. Remove the directory where the Key Management server was installed.

4. Reinstall the KM Server software to generate a new key for encrypted
  messages.

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbenv exc4 exc5 
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange500 kbExchange400 kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : winnt:4.0,5.0
Issue type        : kbhowto

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.