[KB3026] Microsoft Transport Agent service will not start after removing ESET Mail Security for Microsoft Windows Exchange Server

Issue

• After uninstalling ESET Mail Security for Exchange using the ESET uninstaller utility, the Microsoft Exchange Transport Agent does not start, and one or both of the following have been added to the Application Event Log:

  Log Name: Application
Source: MSExchange Extensibility
Date: x/xx/xxxx x:xx:xx AM
Event ID: 1052
Task Category: MExRuntime
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: server.FQDN.local

  Log Name: Application
Source: MSExchange Extensibility
Date: x/xx/xxxx x:xx:xx AM
Event ID: 16023
Task Category: Configuration
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: server.FQDN.local

Solution

There are two solutions to resolve this issue. Start with solution 1 and only continue to solution 2 if the issue is unresolved.

Solution 1: Remove ESET Filtering Agents using the Exchange Management Shell

1. Click Start, type Exchange Management Shell, and click Exchange Management Shell.

   

2. In the Exchange Management Shell, type Get-TransportAgent and press Enter. Verify that ESET Filtering Agent and ESET Filtering AV Agent are present.

   

3. In the Exchange Management Shell, type Uninstall-TransportAgent and press Enter. You will be prompted for the identity of the agent to uninstall. Type ESET Filtering Agent and press Enter, then type Y and press Enter.

   

4. In the Exchange Management Shell, type Uninstall-TransportAgent and press Enter. You will be prompted for the identity of the agent to uninstall. Type ESET Filtering AV Agent and press Enter, then type Y and press Enter.

   

5. After successfully removing the two filtering agents, press the Windows key + R, type services.msc into the Open field, and click OK.

   

6. Right-click Microsoft Exchange Transport and click Restart.

   

7. The transport agent should now start and run as normal. Monitor the service in the event log, or the services snap-in to ensure it does not stop again. If the transport agent still does not start, continue to solution 2.

Solution 2: Manually edit the agent.config file

1. Navigate to %Program Files%\Microsoft\Exchange Server\[EXCHANGE_VERSION]\transportRoles\shared\ and open the agent.config file in a text editor.

2. Delete the <agent name=" entries for ESET Filtering Agent and ESET Filtering AV Agent and save the file.

   

3. Press the Windows key + R, type services.msc into the Open field, and click OK.

   

4. Right-click Microsoft Exchange Transport and click Restart.

   

5. The transport agent should now start and run as normal. Monitor the service in the event log or the service snap-in to ensure it does not stop running again.