How to update credentials associated with Search Server

  • Updated

Search Server is configured with specific Windows credentials upon which many of its components are dependent. If the password for the account associated with your Search Server instance should require a change (or if you want to change this accountentirely), the dependent components must also be updated.

Ensure that the following components have been updated with the latest account data:

  • EktronSearchServerService
  • EktronSearchSite Application Pool
  • SharePoint/Search Server Application Pools
    These application pools can often be identified by their user account: 
    • 2 GUI strings
    • SharePoint - 80
    • SharePoint Central Administration v4
    • SecurityTokenServiceApplicationPool
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  • SharePoint/Search Server Windows Services:
    • SharePoint 2010 Timer 
    • SharePoint 2010 User Code Host 
    • SharePoint Search Server 14
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  • Search Server databases:
    • SharePoint_Search 
    • SharePoint_Search_CrawlStore 
    • SharePoint_Search_PropertyStore 
    • SharePoint2010_Admin_Content 
    • SharePoint2010_Config 
    • WSS_UsageApplication

      Index configuration share
    • There is a location on the disk, established at install time, where Search Server stores some index configuration data. It expects this directory to be a network share (which is also configured at installation time). If the user has changed, you need to ensure that the user has read/write access to this share. (Default: C:\Indexes)
    •  
  • Search Server Default Content Access Account  
    • Launch the SharePoint 2010 Central Administration portal
    • Start > All Programs > Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Products > SharePoint 2010 Central Administration 
    • Under Application Management, click Manage Service Applications 
    • Click Search Service Application 
    • Click the username that appears next to the Default Content Access Account label.  

  • Update Managed Account:
    • Launch SharePoint Central Administration 2010. If prompted to authenticate, and the account is the same one, use the new AD password.
    • Click Security then Configure Managed Accounts. Click Edit.
    • Go to the Credential Management section, check the Change Password Now check box and select the Use existing password radio button then enter the new password.
      Note that the Account Information section contains a list of the Farm components using the account.
    • Click OK.

  • Update the Default content access account:
    • Return to the Central Administration screen.
    • Click Application Management
    • Under Service Applications, click Manage service applications
    • Click the Search Service Application (the application, not the proxy)
    • On the line for the Default content access account, click the account name.
    • Enter the new password in the Password and Confirm Password blocks then click OK. 

After updating the credentials for all of the components listed above:

Restart the SharePoint Search Server 14 Windows service and re-register your site via the Search Configuration Utility providing the updated credentials.