Error Attempting to Delete Groups with Member Groups Present

• Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
• Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1
• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.5 and 3.51
• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.5 and 3.51
• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

If you attempt to delete a group that still contains members, the following message may appear:

   The following error occurred when trying to delete group <groupname>:
   This operation is not allowed on this special group.

When you attempt to remove certain members from the group, who have this group set as their Primary Group, you may receive the following error message:

   The following error occurred changing the properties of the global group
   <groupname>:

   This operation is not allowed on this special group.

WORKAROUND

To avoid receiving this message, check to see if a group is defined as a primary group for any members, then reset the primary group if any are found, before you delete the group.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT Workstation and Server 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.