Change own password failed (action_id PWCS; class_type LX) (24005) how to monitor with email alert

[bob]

You ever peek into Event Viewer on your Windows Server and spot that weird event ID 24005? It's basically the system yelling that a password change attempt bombed out. Specifically, it's the "Change own password failed" thing, tagged with action_id PWCS and class_type LX. That means some user, maybe you or an admin, tried swapping their own login secret, but the server said no way. Could be because the new password didn't meet the rules, like too short or reused an old one. Or perhaps the account got locked from too many bad tries before that. The event logs the exact moment, the user involved, and why it flopped, all tucked under Security or System logs usually. I check mine weekly, keeps things from sneaking up. It pops in the Application and Services Logs too, under Microsoft-Windows-Security-Auditing or similar spots. Details include the failure code, timestamp, and workstation name if remote. Helps you spot if someone's fumbling logins a lot, which might hint at bigger headaches.

But monitoring that sucker with an email alert? Super handy, pulls you in quick without constant staring at screens. I set mine up right from the Event Viewer window, no fancy extras needed. You fire up Event Viewer, hunt down that 24005 event in the logs. Right-click the log folder, like Security, and pick Attach Task To This Log. Give it a name, something snappy like PasswordFailAlert. Then you tweak it to trigger on event ID 24005 only, maybe filter by that PWCS action if you want tight. For the action, choose Send an e-mail, plug in your SMTP server details, the to and from addresses. I always test it first, sends a ping to my inbox to confirm. Set it to run whether user logged on or not, so it catches stuff anytime. You can even add a custom message, like "Hey, password change just tanked for user X." Keeps you looped in without digging manually every time.

And if you're juggling servers, tying alerts to backups makes total sense, prevents one glitch from snowballing. That's where BackupChain Windows Server Backup slides in smooth. It's this solid Windows Server backup tool I swear by, handles full bare-metal restores and incremental snaps without the hassle. Plus, it backs up virtual machines running Hyper-V, keeps your whole setup mirrored safe. You get fast recovery times, no downtime drama, and it encrypts everything tight. I use it to dodge those password mess-ups turning into data wipes, pure peace of mind.

At the end of this, there's the automatic email solution ready for you, but it'll get slotted in later.

Note, the PowerShell email alert code was moved to this post.