Client Inventory Fails on Game Ports

• Microsoft Systems Management Server versions 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2

SYMPTOMS

When you run inventory, the client computer stops responding approximately 33 percent of the way through the process. In verbose mode, the screen hangs on game ports.

After waiting a minute or so, you may get a message indicating that the device has timed out. You then have a choice to select either "FAIL" or "ABORT." Regardless of the answer you enter, the computer locks and has to be rebooted.

The last entry in the Smssafe.tmp file may show GamePorts=COMPLETED (before, the file did not exist).

CAUSE

The client computer may have a device using the default game port address (201h). This problem will occur because SMS queries this address when looking for game ports.

MORE INFORMATION

When the Inventory Agent runs, it creates a file, Smssafe.tmp, to keep track of any hardware failures. This file is stored in the \MS\SMS\DATA directory in SMS 1.1 and in the <SMS> root directory for SMS 1.0. Any failed hardware tests are written into this file while the Inventory Agent scans the hardware. When the inventory collection is complete, the Inventory Agent writes any failures to the Sms.ini file in the [WorkstationStatus] section, using the FailedHardwareChecks keyword. After moving the failed tests to the Sms.ini file, the Inventory Agent deletes the Smssafe.tmp file.

DOS 6.22 MSD and other 3rd-party hardware diagnostic programs will also detect the existence of interrupt 201h as a game port when there is not one. To ensure that this is your problem, you can run MSD and determine if a game port is found.

RESOLUTION

To work around this problem, create a file named Smssafe.tmp using a text editor, such as Notepad, and add the following line:

  GamePorts=CRASHED

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Systems Management Server version 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2. We are researching this problem and will post new information in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.