4 Ways to Restart SCCM SMS EXECUTIVE Service (2024)

In this post, I will cover the ways to restart SCCM SMS EXECUTIVE service. This service is also known as the Configuration Manager service or SMSExec service, or just SMSExec service. If you are a beginner in SCCM, you might want to know how to restart SCCM services ?. Let’s see what is SMS_EXECUTIVE service and ways to restart this service.

This SMS_EXECUTIVE service is a primary service for all the other Configuration Manager activities. There are occasions when you want to restart this service. Typically, you restart the SCCM SMS EXECUTIVE service when you are troubleshooting Configuration Manager issues.

For example – You go to Updates and Servicing node, and you don’t find the update even after checking for updates. In such cases, you need to restart SCCM SMS EXECUTIVE service rather than restarting the server. This service is critical and if the service fails to start, your Configuration Manager will not work as expected.

The SMSExec service terminates unexpectedly when reassigning distribution points in Configuration Manager current branch, version 1802.

What is SCCM SMS EXECUTIVE Service?

In Configuration Manager, the core components include the SMS_EXECUTIVE Service, Site Component Manager, Site Control Manager, and Site Hierarchy Manager. The SMS_EXEC service is the host process in which most other components run. This service exists on every ConfigMgr site system apart from the site database server. The sms_executive service is always set to Automatic.

When you restart SCCM SMS_EXECUTIVE Service, notice the activity in smsexec.log file. Open smsexec.log file which records the processing of all site server component threads.

SMS_EXECUTIVE is stopping...SMS_AI_KB_MANAGER is stopping...SMS_ALERT_NOTIFICATION is stopping...SMS_AWEBSVC_CONTROL_MANAGER is stopping...SMS_AZUREAD_DISCOVERY_AGENT is stopping...SMS_BUSINESS_APP_PROCESS_MANAGER is stopping...SMS_CERTIFICATE_MANAGER is stopping...SMS_CLIENT_CONFIG_MANAGER is stopping...SMS_CLIENT_HEALTH is stopping...SMS_CLOUDCONNECTION is stopping...SMS_CLOUD_SERVICES_MANAGER is stopping...SMS_CLOUD_USERSYNC is stopping...SMS_COLLECTION_EVALUATOR is stopping...SMS_COMPONENT_MONITOR is stopping...SMS_COMPONENT_STATUS_SUMMARIZER is stopping...SMS_DATABASE_NOTIFICATION_MONITOR is stopping...SMS_DESPOOLER is stopping...SMS_DISCOVERY_DATA_MANAGER is stopping...SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER is stopping...SMS_DMP_DOWNLOADER is stopping...SMS_DMP_UPLOADER is stopping...SMS_ENDPOINT_PROTECTION_MANAGER is stopping...SMS_EN_ADSERVICE_MONITOR is stopping...SMS_FAILOVER_MANAGER is stopping...SMS_FALLBACK_STATUS_POINT is stopping...SMS_HIERARCHY_MANAGER is stopping...SMS_INBOX_MANAGER is stopping...SMS_INBOX_MONITOR is stopping...SMS_INVENTORY_DATA_LOADER is stopping...SMS_INVENTORY_PROCESSOR is stopping...SMS_LAN_SENDER is stopping...SMS_LICENSE_MANAGER is stopping...SMS_MESSAGE_PROCESSING_ENGINE is stopping...SMS_MIGRATION_MANAGER is stopping...SMS_MP_CONTROL_MANAGER is stopping...SMS_MP_FILE_DISPATCH_MANAGER is stopping...SMS_NOTIFICATION_MANAGER is stopping...SMS_NOTIFICATION_SERVER is stopping...SMS_OBJECT_REPLICATION_MANAGER is stopping...SMS_OFFER_MANAGER is stopping...SMS_OFFER_STATUS_SUMMARIZER is stopping...SMS_OUTBOX_MONITOR stoppedSMS_OUTGOING_CONTENT_MANAGER stoppedSMS_PACKAGE_TRANSFER_MANAGER stoppedSMS_POLICY_PROVIDER stoppedSMS_PORTALWEB_CONTROL_MANAGER stoppedSMS_REPLICATION_CONFIGURATION_MONITOR stoppedSMS_REPLICATION_MANAGER stoppedSMS_REST_PROVIDER stoppedSMS_RULE_ENGINE stoppedSMS_SCHEDULER stoppedSMS_SERVICE_CONNECTOR stoppedSMS_SITE_CONTROL_MANAGER stoppedSMS_SITE_SYSTEM_STATUS_SUMMARIZER stoppedSMS_SOFTWARE_INVENTORY_PROCESSOR stoppedSMS_SOFTWARE_METERING_PROCESSOR stoppedSMS_SRS_REPORTING_POINT stoppedSMS_STATE_SYSTEM stoppedSMS_STATUS_MANAGER stoppedSMS_WSUS_CONFIGURATION_MANAGER stoppedCSMSExecThread::ThreadsMonitorProc(): Monitoring thread 3704 exits...SMS_EXECUTIVE stopped.

Restart SCCM SMS EXECUTIVE Service Using Services Console

The most simple and easy way to restart SMS_EXEC service is via services console. Launch the services console. Right click SMS_EXECUTIVE service and click Restart.

Restart SMS_EXECUTIVE using CMD Prompt

If you are bored of using the services console, you can restart the service via command prompt. However you have to first stop the service and then start. Launch the command prompt as administrator. Run the below commands.

To stop the service – net stop SMS_EXECUTIVE

To start the service – net start SMS_EXECUTIVE

Restart SCCM Service using Service Manager

I guess you might not prefer because this method as involves a lot of steps. Most of all this method is time-consuming. At-least when compared to above methods since they are easy to perform.

To restart SCCM SMS_EXECUTIVE service using Service Manager

1. Start SCCM Console and go to Monitoring.

2. Go to Overview > System Status > Site Status.

3. On the Top menu, click Start button and click Configuration Manager Service Manager.

4. Look for SMS_EXECUTIVE under Servers, select the service. In the right pane right click SMS_EXECUTIVE and click Query. That should tell you whether the service is running or stopped.

Now right click again on the component and click Stop.

5. Once again you need to query to find out the state of this service. Now it’s in stopped state, so right click SMS_EXECUTIVE and click Start.

Restart SMS_EXECUTIVE Service using PowerShell

You can use a simple PowerShell command to restart the SMSExec service. Launch PowerShell as an admin and type the below commands.

Step 1 – Restart-Service SMS_EXECUTIVE

Step 2 – Get-Service -Name SMS_EXECUTIVE