SMSINST: "Access Denied" Message When Connecting to a Printer

 Last reviewed: December 3, 1997
Article ID: Q162695
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Systems Management Server Installer version 1.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0

SYMPTOMS

Although printing is still possible, users of computers running Windows NT Workstation that connect to a network printer share see "access denied" in the printer window caption when they do the following:

  1. On the Start menu, point to Settings, and click Printers.

  2. Double-click the shared network printer icon.

Therefore, the printer queue that is displayed is empty and the user cannot control (for example, delete or cancel) his or her own print jobs.

CAUSE

Systems Management Server Installer cannot handle multiple REG_MULTI_SZ registry entries; only the first entry of such a registry entry is used in the package.

The problem has been experienced after the installation of a third-party product that added entries to the following registry keys: 

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\Currentcontrolset\Services\Lanmanserver
   \Nullsessionshares

   -and-

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\Currentcontrolset\Services\Lanmanserver
   \Nullsessionpipes
In this case, when a Systems Management Server package was created, Systems Management Server distributed only the first of the REG_MULTI_SZ entries named above; all other entries (for example, spoolss) were lost under the nullsessionpipes key. This caused workstations to get an "access denied" message when connecting to the printer share.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use an external utility designed for editing multi-string registry values. Execution of such utilities can be accomplished within Systems Management Server Installer by using the Execute Program script item.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Systems Management Server Installer version 1.0 and Windows NT Server and Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information on Systems Management Server Installer and multiple REG_MULTI_SZ registry entries, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

   ARTICLE-ID: Q174328
   TITLE     : SMSINST: Repackage Does Not Capture REG_MULTI_SZ Changes
For more information on services using the system account and null sessions, see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

   ARTICLE-ID: Q132679
   TITLE     : Local System Account and Null Sessions in Windows NT

   ARTICLE-ID: Q122702
   TITLE     : Using the System Account as a Service in Windows NT 3.5

   ARTICLE-ID: Q121281
   TITLE     : LMHOSTS #Include Directives Requires Null Session Support

Additional query words: prodmsms prodnt
Keywords : kbbug1.00 smsinst kbprint
Version : WINNT:1.0 3.5 3.51 4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug
Solution Type : kbworkaround

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Last reviewed: December 3, 1997
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