asked on

Microsoft RPC Client Access service fails to start

We have an issue on an exchange server where the RPC Client Access service refuses to start due to the following Application log entry.

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The Microsoft Exchange RPC service can't be started because the EMSMDB interface is already registered by another process

Event Log Details:
- System
- Provider

[ Name] MSExchangeRPC

- EventID 1005

[ Qualifiers] 49156

Level 2

Task 1

Keywords 0x80000000000000

- TimeCreated

[ SystemTime] 2010-08-05T12:18:46.000000000Z

EventRecordID 221166

Channel Application

---

Outlook Web Access and phone devices access the exchange database fine. However, Outlook clients cannot connect to the exchange server, which we assume is due to this service failing to start.

All other Exchange services are running bar the Microsoft Exchange Address Book service which also fails on start up with the following log entry:

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Unable to register the MSExchangeAB RPC interface. Failed with the error code The endpoint is a duplicate (1740)
--

We noticed a Windows 2008 Security update was installed on the server early morning before the problem was noticed. This has since been rolled back but with no improvement.

Any suggestions that will help diagnose where the problem may be with be appreciated. Thanks.

SOLUTION

sunnyc7

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GraemeIC

ASKER

Thanks for the reply.
Server was restarted after roll back.

There are no static ports assigned to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\MSExchangeAB

or
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\MSExchangeRPC

I will read the info on ESMMDB to see if that sheds any light.

Shreedhar Ette

Hi,

Please run Exchange Best Practice Analyzer tool against the exchange server for health check and fix the errors reported.

Also check whether your Global Catalog Server event log for any errors.

Hope this helps,
Shree

GraemeIC

ASKER

The Exchange health check reports reports the following two critical issues

1.
Active Directory Forest:
Unknown schema extension version

2.
Domain: XXXXX
Unrecognized Exchange signature.

If I am not mistaken these are items that would have been taken care of during the initial install? If resolving the above fixes the issue then it must have been caused by the OS Security Update and, even though rolled back the damage must have been done?

We will look to try and resolve the above 2 issues and then report back. Thanks.

sunnyc7

This is weird.

What patch did you apply - can you give me the kbid.

GraemeIC

ASKER

The update applied overnight and after this the Exchange server displayed these issues. It may just be coincidence but you never know.

Security Update for Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 Edition (KB2286198)

Thanks.

sunnyc7

This refers to a shortcut vulnerability - with remote code execution. This should cause your RPC to fail.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS10-046.mspx
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2286198

Can you export BPA healthscan - as .HTML and upload it here.

thanks

GraemeIC

ASKER

Attached is the critical issues Health scan export.

Thanks.
ExBPA.201008051433337742.data.htm

sunnyc7

There is a radio button in display report section which says display informational items.

Do you see anything there ?
I will check the BPA report.

thanks

GraemeIC

ASKER

All sections on the Informational Items looks fine

I have attached for your information.

Thanks.
Informational-Items.htm

sunnyc7

Can you post any relevant error items from eventvwr generated by MsExchangeRPC

start > run > eventvwr
Check under Windows Logs \ application
and \system.

thanks

GraemeIC

ASKER

The only Event entry relating to MsExchangeRPC is the one on the original post. Obviously there are the Start and stop entries in the event viewer as well.

Thanks.

---
The Microsoft Exchange RPC service can't be started because the EMSMDB interface is already registered by another process

Event Log Details:
- System
- Provider

[ Name] MSExchangeRPC

- EventID 1005

[ Qualifiers] 49156

Level 2

Task 1

Keywords 0x80000000000000

- TimeCreated

[ SystemTime] 2010-08-05T12:18:46.000000000Z

EventRecordID 221166

Channel Application

---

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

sunnyc7

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GraemeIC

ASKER

Prior to this issue we did not have static ports registered.

We setup the static ports as a test on the RPC service through creating the relevant key in the registry and this made no difference. We still encountered the same error in the Event log when trying to start the RPC Client Access service.

Thanks for your time on this one.

sunnyc7

Is this a new server installation ?
Weird thing is BPA is asking you to reinstall exchange with > setup.exe /PrepareSchema

Can you click on request attention button on top > this will send an alert out to other experts to look into this case.
Lets try that while I try to figure this out.

thanks

GraemeIC

ASKER

The exchange server has been running quite happily since late April 10.

Thanks.

sunnyc7

But because of the RPC error, its popping Schema errors.

Unknown schema extension version : Active Directory Forest
The Exchange schema extensions are from an unknown version. Schema version detected is 14622.

Unrecognized Exchange signature Domain: [DOMAIN]
Active Directory domain '[DOMAIN]' has an unrecognized Exchange signature. Current DomainPrep version: 12639.

--
Do you have a scheduled downtime due ?
Can you restart the server ?

thanks

GraemeIC

ASKER

Server has now been restarted.

However, issue not resolved with RPC Client Access service not starting and Health Check reporting the same issue. Thanks.

GraemeIC

ASKER

Problem now solved although the cause is still a mystery.

Turned out setting the static ports for RPC Client Access and Address Book, followed by a reboot solved the issue. RPC Client Access and Address Book services started after reboot with no errors. Outlook clients can now connect.

Previously, we had set static ports and reset all Exchange services but this did not solve the problem. A scheduled reboot was performed yesterday which did not resolve the problem either. However, upon inspection of the server this morning I noticed the static ports had been removed. Obviously, due to the reason they had made no impact on the problem when the services were restarted.

Therefore, I reset the static ports (RPC Client Access & Address Book) and performed a reboot within the last hour to make sure this test had been completed. The RPC Client Access and Address Book services then started without failure.

Resolution:- Set static ports for RPC Client Access & Exchange Address Book services in the registry and reboot the server.

Hopefully the cause of the problem (whatever it was) will not rear it's head again, although life is never that simple!

Thanks for all your help.

sunnyc7

GraemeIC - any reason why it the settings didnt stick in the registry in the last 2 times ?
Any userenv errors in the registry ?

MNL2012

Hi,
I have the same issue:
Migrating from Exchange 2003. Installation on a new exchenge 2010 sp1.
Contexte: 1 AD forest + multi domain.
Exchange 2010 sp1 is installed in root forest. and services is stopped
I'm adding a new Exchange server in a child domain.
2 services cant' start: msexchangerpc and msexchangeab.
I tried to fix the port number using registry.
Thanks everybody.
Rgds