Underscore in Domain Name Causes Validation Errors

• Microsoft Windows NT versions 3.5 and 3.51
• Microsoft SQL Server versions 6.0 and 6.5
• Microsoft Systems Management Server versions 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2

SYMPTOMS

SMS fails in logging on to SQL Server when you're using SQL integrated security and attempt to specify an account from a Windows NT domain that contains an underscore, for example, "North_America\bruce."

CAUSE

An underscore ("_") in a domain name is mapped to a "\" by SQL. For example, the domain account North_America\bruce would appear to SQL as North\America. For more information, see page 246 in the Microsoft SQL Server Administrator's Guide.

RESOLUTION

There are two workarounds to this problem:

1. Use standard security. Go into SQL Setup, Set Security Options, and

1. Set the underscore character to "not used." Go into SQL Setup, Set

STATUS

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