Windows 95 SNMP Agent Allows Only Read-Only Access

• Microsoft Windows 95

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, you should first make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat). Both are hidden files in the Windows folder.

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to change the string value of the sysContact, sysName, or sysLocation object on a Windows 95-based computer using an SNMP manager (such as Hewlett-Packard OpenView), you may receive the following error message:

   SNMP error - sysContact read only (OV3122)

CAUSE

The Windows 95 SNMP agent allows only read-only access for the sysContact, sysName, and sysLocation objects.

RESOLUTION

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall Windows 95. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

NOTE: For information about how to edit the registry, view the Changing Keys And Values online Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe). Note that you should make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat) before you edit the registry.

Use Remote Registry Editor to set the values listed below for the sysContact, sysName and sysLocation fields. The sysName object is not exposed by System Policy Editor (Poledit.exe).

sysContact OBJECT-TYPE

            SYNTAX  DisplayString (SIZE (0..255))
            ACCESS  read-write
            STATUS  mandatory
            DESCRIPTION
            "The textual identification of the contact person for this
            managed node, together with information how on to contact
            this person."
            ::= { system 4 }

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\SNMP\RFC1156Agent\
   SysContact

sysName     OBJECT-TYPE
            SYNTAX  DisplayString (SIZE (0..255))
            ACCESS  read-write
            STATUS  mandatory
            DESCRIPTION
            "An administratively assigned name for this managed node.
            By convention, this is the node's fully qualified domain
            name."
            ::= { system 5 }

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\ComputerName\
   ComputerName

            SYNTAX  DisplayString (SIZE (0..255))
            ACCESS  read-write
            STATUS  mandatory
            DESCRIPTION
            "The physical location of this node (e.g., 'telephone
            closet, 3rd floor')."
            ::= { system 6 }

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\SNMP\RFC1156Agent\
   SysLocation

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Windows 95. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

The values for the SNMP objects sysContact, sysName, and sysLocation are documented in the Internet MIB-II definition in RFC 1158.